The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-02

for the extension on the ground that
the commission could not contemplate
such an interruption of traffic as must
follow the inability of his and other
terminal roads to haul unequipped cars.
G.. A. Rhodes, representing the me-
chanical department Of the Chicago,
Burlington & Quincy, urged as an adj
ditional reason for an extension that
haste would put a. premium on the
equipment Of cars With Intellectual safe
ty appliances.
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation Of Labor, Joined
in Mr.. Morrissey's protest against any
undue extension Of the time for COM
pliance with the law. The lives and
limbs of the railroad employees which
were in peril he said, cried as loud
and appealed as strongly to the COM
mission as the dividends of the rail-
road. On one point, Mr.. Gompers was
very emphatic. He thought that no
extension whatever should be granted
to any railroad that had paid divi-
dends since the law was passed.
Mr. Clark, representing the Chica-
go Great Western, said that his COM
pany could not afford and had not the
facilities to equip the unequipped cars
with couplers within one year. There
were about 5000. of these.
What were the cravings of your
road last year," asked Commissioner
Prouty.
lover 81 0OO, 000."
why could not the road apply $780,
900 next year to equipping it's cars
with couplers?"
ct would not be economical" re-
piled Mr.. Clark.
SPIRITED FINISH.
Ex-Congressman Clardy, of Missouri
representing the Iron Mountain road
argued that the commission was
charged with the execution of the law
and had plenary powers. The COM
mission, he declared had the power
to extend the time with FORGETTING con-
ditions. He Endorsed the suggestion
of Mr. Cowen, and the committee.
The railroads whose equipment was
below 30 per cent were called and the
counsel of particular roads in many
cases explained the reasons why more
progress had not been made
Commissioner Knapp asked if the
commission granted an extension for
one year with the understanding that
one-fifth of the cars should be equip
ped in that period and there should
be default, whether there would not
then be the same practical difficulty
to face as existed now. Mr. Cowen
replied in the affirmative, and insisted
that the commission must allow suf-
ficient time. To grant two years eX-
tension, for instance, he said, with the
absolute certainty that the roads
could not comply would be a continu-
Gus invitation to the railroads to de-
fault
The hearing closed with a some
what sensational exchange between
Mr.. Cowen and Mr.. Morrissey Mp
Cowen, in closing, indignantly repu-
dated the idea that Mr.. Gompers or
Mr.. Morrissey in any way represented
the employees of the Baltimore & Ohio
railroad Those employees, he declar-
ed, had not been consulted, and he
resented the quiet assumption of the
labor leaders that they represented
the workers of his road. He warned
the commission against the humanita-
rian view urged by these gentlemen
The perils of the new appliances, he
said, had not been established. Sta
tistics on his road showed they killed
more but manned less than the old
system. In business matter, he said
with some temper, it was always dam
gerous to yield to alleged humanita-
rian considerations. He used no yelled
irony in his reference to Mr. Norris
sey's assumption to authority.
Mr.. Morrissey jumped to his feet
when MI. SONSH Sat uOW0. lie naQ
tried, he said, to occupy a dignified at
titude throughout the hearing. He did
not desire to give offense and he had
maintained silence while the statements
of the representatives of the railroads
were being made, but, he said, he
deemed it his duty to reply to the in
situation of Mr.. CoWen that he did not
represent the railway trainmen. He
refused to be discredited and he denied
that he had assumed authority not in
vested in him. Eighty-five per cent Of
the employees Of the Baltimore & Ohio
road, he said. were members of the
Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, and
at the Toronto convention last year he
had unanimously been empowered to
state the position Of it's members to the
division of the Baltimore e. Ohio had
been represented at the convention.
Upon that authority, he said, he denied
Mr.. Governs statement.
II said the question of a years eX-
tension had never been presented to
the employees of the Baltimore & Ohio"
interrupted Mr.. Cowen, land l repeat
it,"
THE Toronto convention retorted
Mr.. Morrissey, voted against any eX-
tension"
He then explained further that he
had appealed to the convention not to
tie his hands. but to leave him free
to use his judgment and that the dis
erection had been accorded him. Soon
afterward the hearing was adjourned