The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-25
TO RAILWAY EMPLOYEES
Senator-Elect Depew Makes ,
Talk in Chicago.
IS IN FAVOR OF POOLING
Railway Problems Discussed by the
Manager OF the Vanderbilt Lines.
Government Ownership Would
Bs Misfortune.

Chicago, Feb. 24.-At the armory of
the LIST infantry tonight the congress
of railway employees was addressed by
Senator-elect Chauncey NJ Depew of
New York. The speech. which was to
railroad men only, was as follows:
Mr.. Depew said in part:
Il am glad to meet you here as the
members of the Railroad Employees Po-
litical league. 1t is time that the men
who are dependent upon the railroads
for a living should look after their in
terests. not only as they are affected by
where they are employed but as they
may be harmed or benefited by legisla-
ton. In being political, but not par
tisan, you have entered upon the rigk,s
course. The moment a labor, a trade,
or a charitable or religious organiza-
ton becomes identified with the one
party or the other, and can be used to
promote the interests Of party manag-
ers and party candidates. its usefulness
has ceased. But when people who are
united in the same general cause are in
politics only so far as to inform legis-
lators, governors, congresses and presi-
dents of their situation, of their rights,
of their business and of contemp!a ted
wrongs and injuries to them, then they
are able to protect themselves
After a short review Of the rise, de-
velopment and present position of the
railways-the carriers Of the world-he
continued:
c
Inc great cnanSe IN the railway OF
to-uay anu oi the c,St'Ne ana Septnhs
periods IS that lndiVlaual ownership mas
disappeared. Lhere Is no railway syS-
tenn IN the country ohe-quarter OF
whose stock is owned by any one inter-
est. ANY management when treats all
rs stockAolders allhe' Nhlch Is Tree
from rings or inslue homogeneous OF
any KIM pS Which lew sei ilch az '.he
expense OF the TEST Will De continued
ny the STOCKHOLDERS IN ONCE as lohs as
the returns are sdtlslattoi!' mat mail
aseiileLt must ne soii'e''1hS more no"
ever 10 remain III power t'iah nave
SIMPLY Satisfactory returns. II must
Satlsfy the pupilc, ana II must nave
from its employees that eftlcient and
heallhy service when comes only from
thelf satlsfactlon Win lhelr employ
meht ana deFoiloI 10 ftS Interests
Wheh hrst ehter2o the service OF the
New York central railroad the vast
majority OF It's STOCK was owned by one
man ana the pafahce ny rev huhoreo
othefs. NOW thefe Is constituency OF
ABOUT loooo; now us STOCK ana that OF
the other solvent railroads. IS owned by
people Oh houera'e means anu ny say
lngs banks ana by lie insurance COM
paiies whose investments represent the
hard-eafheu SAVINGS oi 'he "olhlhS
people. 6
Legislation on lallMay matters mas
the stockholders, but of much greater
TO the employees. When unWlSe laws
lnJurlously anect the operations OIL a
railroad line the manager at once calls
together the members or all tAe de-
partments. He says: Under the oper-
atoms of this law our earnings nave
been cut doWr-so much. mat VIII
prevent our paying diVldends, or II the
road is not paying dividends: Ihat VIII
prevent our meeting the interest on our
bonds and our company VIII go INTO the
hands of receiver. NOW our ofhclal
lives are at stake. II the stockholdefs
are dlssatsfeu the directors VIII turn
US out; II the ROAD goes INTO me hahus
OF receiver, some polltlclan may pc
appointed by the court, ana ne Will
turn us all out. where can we cui down
expenses to meet this loss or net earn
lngs! the only elastic thlng ieft IS IA
Dor. A practical ana horrible lessen
was given in 1894, when l0O,00O men
were dropped or the payrolls. mat
meant an ncalculable amount OF ms
cry. Railway employment IS special
vocation. The conductor, the loeomo-
tive engineer Nhe hreman, the prake-
man and the sWltchman cannot readily
adapt themselves to anything put what
is known as common labor, and for that
they are not ntted.
NOW, legislators ana puphc men 40
not mean TO 40 lhJustlce' except d lew
demagogues. me rest are honest miho-
ed TO 90 what IS right. In states Wnefe
the railway prejudice exists they eN-
pect d railroad PRESIDENT on the rail-
ROAD manager 10 De uhscrupulous' ana
place little commence IN MS statements
put commlttee OF the employees intel
llgently understanding the question
would be nsteheo TO at once. IheS
would be listened TO especially II the
polltlc1anS knew IL THESE active inleiii