The labor world., 1899-03-18

There is such an elegant opportunity
for watering stock and securing divi-
dends on many. times the actual
amount of money invested. On the
strength of the franchise, which by
rights never should have been grant
ed, except for an adequate financial
consideration to the city, these two
philanthropic gentlemen We're able to
borrow more money. 1t gave them a
sort of financial standing as it were.
They did borrow all that came in
sight. They spread out, built the i'll
cline, erected $4,000 residences for
themselves to live in and identified
themselves with ;wild-cat real estate
speculations until the hard times
struck this section and then hole was
punctured in their balloon. They
were busted or words to that effect.
Ever since that time they have en-
deavored to make the receipts of the
street railway bolster up their wild
cat play, and their cry has been re-
duce the expense, slight the service,
cut the pay Of the employees, and every
few months, under one pretense or
another, an effort has been made to
further reduce the pay of the men and
compel the working Of longer hours,
under rules that were almost unbear-
able.
Forty-two dollars a month is the
mrnifcent sum now paid to most of
it's conductors and motormen.' This
for an average of eleven hours work
per day. From this luxurious salary
house rent is to be paid, fuel and
provisions furnished, clothing bought,
doctors bills paid and all incidental
expenses borne. just think this mat
ter over and see whether. .Tyrants
Hartley and Mendenhall are treating
these employees as white men should
be treated or whether such actions as
they are daily indulging in toward
their men is not more becoming to
anti-bellum slave drivers: Then con-
slider that this same cadaverous twain
are monopolizing the major portion of
every important street and avenue in
the city and not paying one single
penny to anyone for their use; that
they have not paid a cent OF taxes into
the county treasury on this railway
for years, and are daily conniving to
manipulate the laws and dodge the
payment Of their just proportion of
the taxes which they rightfully owe
ST. Louis county. Look at the lux
ury in which these two would-be plu-
tocrats delve and compare their con-
ditions with the poor unfortunate
wretches who operate their cars in all
kinds of weather. and ask yourself the
question "Are these two reprobates fit
to occupy place in any decent com:
munity." Where is the mayor, the
friend of the down-trodden, who is
supposed to speak for them? Where
are the decent people in this COM:
munity, that no voice is raised against
such unjust actions? Is it any wonder
that crime stalks broadcast in the
land, tramps accumulate Ike 1nagots
on putrid carcas, women go hungry
and children grow up in ignorance
and filth? Just such outrages commit
ted by dishonorable men, passed ~
unnoticed by good citizens leads to
untold misery and AL manner of crime.
Let the good people in this commun-
ity investigate the matter, and show
the management of the Duluth Street
Railway that such actions will not be
tolerated and that to all the people
belong the streets, and that they will
not he permitted to rule with hi gh
hand over their employees nor trample
them in the ground. A little public
interest manifested in these matters
many times prevents greater troubles
a little farther down the road.
An ONLOOKER.