The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-08-18

w. c. Renfro, James Garlick,
H. Il. Leonard, G. w. Hilbert,
G. S. Gilmore, T. N Hoffron,
M. D. Smith, George H. Clough,
committee appointed by the Railway
Employees Association of California.
MIR. STAFFORD SPEAKS.
w. Y. Stafford, who acted as spokes-
man, said he would be as brief as pos
! sible. The organization was of no one
| political complexion, being composed of
men Of all parties and representing ev-
| cry grade of position in railroad work,
except ownership. They had come to-
| gether of their own will in this mat
ter. In this State there are 10000 per-
sons employed on steam and other rail
roads, and there has been so much agi-
tation that they have been forced to
| combine for protection, and the organi-
cation had grown surprisingly. In this
| controversy the railroad employees have
been overlooked, perhaps. They get
good wages and have to work hard to
attain them. They do not hope for
more, but they fear decrease He had
been told by an officeholder that there
was no reason to uphold their wages or
favor them over the farmers, but that
|
| considered. He had been told about
watered stocks, but knew nothing about
them. He did know, however, that 20
per cent. of the railroad stock in the
United States pays no dividends Last
year there was paid out by the rail-
roads 100000, 900 for labor 1t is a
serious matter for the railroad employees
and they must protect themselves If
| will 90 tn ha
ceryman and ask him about reducing
wages, he will tell you that any reduc-
ton of railway wages means the reduce
| ton of his stock and his sales, and in
many instances he will be driven into
! insolvency.
| Wherever you find railway men you
will find schools; you will find libraries:
You will find little homes. sometimes
with piano in them. You will find
good citizenship, for there is no class
| of men in any walk of life that is more
| intelligent or better citizens than rail.
road men, although they have to be like
| gypsles and work and eat while others
| are sleeping.
He did not believe the Democratic
! party were their enemies, but it very
often does them harm. It may have a
no reason it should injure them. He
! hoped it would give them credit for
more honesty than it has. and not
! crowd them so hard. He was very
| sure that if one had to go hungry if
would be he and not Mr. Huntington.
Ii the situation becomes harder. they
would be crowded between the devil
and the deep sea.
/
Mr. Sanborn said he had been COM
hecteo with the traffic department of
the road Cor twenty-five years, and had
seen 1t grow UP from its inception. He
knew the railroad had had a hard bat
tie with Eastern shippers and mer-
chants, and had sometimes carried
freight at such rates that there was
absolutely no profit; but it has to be
maintained so as to give the people Of
this coast a show for prosperity. Some
candidates have pledged themselves to
make reduction of % per cent, but
1 1t cannot be done. 1t would be ruinous.
II such pledges We're carried into eff
feet they would reduce the wages of
railway employees and not allow them
to educate their children. or live COM
! fortably. The committee WIS sent to
|
to present its case. He hoped the Com
mittee on Platform would see that such
a result would injure the railway en-
| ployes and force them to live on a low
| scale
He did not think the party wished to
injure them because of the strife be-
/ tween parties. Competition is spring
ing up in the State, and if left to itself
will soon regulate charges as desired
If reduction be made it would be an
| injustice TO the employees and them
selves. He hoped they would receive
the just treatment they were entitled
/ to, and would not be forced to stand as
a unit against the party during the
campaign, as they will have to if their
personal interests are attacked.
One of the committeeman asked if, in
case the matters spoken of were left
out Of the platform, they would be sat-
| isfied to have the matter left to the
Railroad Commissioners.
| Mr.. Stafford answered that he had no
objection. He had several friends,
however, good lawyers, and they could
not agree on the question, and he did
not know that the Commissioners could
do any better.
Mr.. Sanborn said that if Railroad
| Commissioners We're elected who We're
| competent and had a knowledge of
| traffic requirements, the results could
be safely left to their Judgment; and
/ if the matter was left out of the plat
form ii would do much to harmonic
| affairs and reduce the complaints.
I The committee then withdrew, and
one of the members of the Platform
Committee shortly followed them and
spoke of the Railroad Commissioners
| phase of the matter.
Mr.. Felter said that matters would
be much smplified if fair-minded, I'M
prejudiced men were elected Commits
! sioners, who wished TO do equal just
ice to ALL and who did not enter upon
their duties with biased opinions.
Mr.. Sanborn also said that the mat
ter of freights was fast regulating it
self, and whatever might have been
the case in the past, freights were at
present 100 per cent. lower than when
he first became connected with tn COM
pany
Funeral of Mrs. Louise Craw.
The funeral of the late I,Ouise u