The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-19
LABOR AND OUR RAILROADS.
Enormous Sums Paid in Wages to
to Railway Observation-Disclosures
in Wages Certain to Follow Adverse
LegislatiOn-.Necess Of Union.


The report of the Interstate Com
merCe commission Just issued contains
for the first time some facts in rela-
tion to the total amount of money
paid out by our railways in wages and
salaries to labor. These figures, em-
bracng 80 per cent. of all employees,
show that for every 800 paid out as
operating expenses of railways more
than $50 is paid over directly to labor.
OF the remaining $40 probably an equal,
if not a greater, proportion is Indirect
ly paid out for labor.
The interest of labor in the railway
question is far greater than the inter-
est of capital, and yet, for some un-
known reason, says Robert p, Porter
in the New York Sun, the defense Of
these properties has been left to cap
ital while labor has, until q compar-
atively recent time, taken little inter-
est in the conflict. During a period Of
nearly twenty-five years there has been
more or less national legislation and
an infinite variety of State legislation
to railways, and yet during that whole
period experts inform us that legisla-
tion has never been friendly, but al
ways unfriendly, to railway interests.
AS a consequence of this, the capital
originally invested in railways has lost
it's earning power, and for every 800
thus invested more than $40 has no
earning power
During this period there has been no
reduction in the rates paid labor. but
in one way labor has suffered and Sc
verely. The plight in which our rail-
ways have found themselves has not
only actually reduced the number of
wage-earners employed, but, relatively
to the increase of mileage, has pre-
vented the employment of additional
hands. on the basis of 100000 miles
of railways, we should employ at least
five hands for each mile, giving direct
employment to 100000 persons. In
stead Of this, we had only S26,620 per-
sons employed i'm 1896. Thus, while
Populistic legislators are joyously di-
lating over the manner in which they
have destroyed the earning powers of
the railway monopolists, the heads OF
nearly 100000 American families, rep
resenting nearly 100000 men. women
and children, have been seeking in vain
for a job. on the other hand, had half
the annual earnings. say at per cent.
of upward of $4,500,0 100000 of stock ana
bonds now in default been applied to
the pay of labor employed in the main
tenance of these properties, as over 60
per cent. of them would have been,
every one of these homes might have
been made prosperous and happy.
The facts show that two-thirds OF
the capital invested in railways is to-
day earning nothing, without counting
the 16 per cent. of bonds in default of
interest on an estimate of 100000 idle
men out of 100000 our railways should
employ, if prosperous, 20 per cent. of
the labor is earning nothing. If rates
continue to decline and properties de-
teriorate, labor, which, even under
these adverse conditions, is receiving
far more than capital, will come next,
and reduction of wages, with all it's
attending horrors, must come. not as
a matter of choice, but of necessity. be-
cause a greater share Of the capital has
already gone down under adverse leg
islatiOn and the terrific competition
which has continuously and unreason-
ably reduced the earning powers of so
many Of these great enterprises. In
1896 the official figures show that of the
operating expenses alone the enormous
sum of $46S S24, ,53l was paid out in
"dSSS anu SdldIlcS' lllS uOeS not rep
resent the sums indirectly paid for la
Dor, but only those directly paid. Rela-
lively to labor, dividends, interest,
rentals, and so forth, are compara-
lively small. The time has therefore
come for the labor interests of the
country, directly and indirectly de-
pendent upon railways, and the imme-
diate business interests all over this
vast domain of ours, whose prosperity
is equally dependent upon the success
of these undertakings, TO look over
the situation and decide for them
selves if it is not time to cry a halt
ON all legislation which has for it's dl-
rect aim the further wrecking of in
terests so tremendously interviewer
with the welfare of every class of la
Dor.