The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-22
JOHN X. COWEN TESTlFIES.
PRES 'DEST OF THE n. & %. BEFORE
THE INDUSTRTIL COMMISSION.


He Thinks Railroads should Have tho
Right to Make TraGc and Pooling Ar.
rAngements-Does not Think Law Abol-
ishing Passes Can BE Made Effective.
WAsuINaToN, Oct. lin pursuing its In
vestigaton OF railroad traflc the Industrial
commission this morning examined John X.
Cowen. president and formerly receiver OF the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad COMPANY Tho
company, according to Mr.. Cowrn, employs
$4,000 men OH it's own lines. and the lines in
which IT is interested employ many thousands
more. They are paid by the day. week
or month. according TO the class OF
work they perform As far az his knowl-
edge went. he said. the company was
not in any agreement with any other company
or companies to blacklist employees. Twelve
hours is called days work for tralnmen and
extra pay Is granted for work over that time.
The clerks arc required to work eight and
nine hours day. West Virginia forbids by
law tho operation Of trains on Sunday but
there IL no interference with the trains OF the
Baltimore and Ohio. which nre run as usual.
@ thought It would be impossible to stop In
terstate traffic in such n manner.
Mr. Cowen spoke OF the establishment OF the
relief society for the benefit Of the men. which
10 supported partly by the company and partly
by tho men. Every person who enters
the service OF the company Is required
to contribute to this fund. but the agree
ment does not bind the employees to refrain
from suing the company In case OF injury. II
lie sues and gains his case he 10 not entitled to
relief from tho fund. He did not believe the
compelling OF the men to sign this contract
was violation Of the law OF June !. 1S9s, for
bidding corporations from compelling tn cir
men to Join an organization iostered by tho
corporation. 1t might be violation Of tho
letter OF the law he said. but not Of the spirit.
Mr.. Cowen thought the fund had proved OF
great benefit to the men. Money is loaned
from the relief funds to men des ring TO pur-
chase homes or to nay of mortgages.
While he thought ticket broserage was an
evil. he did not believe 1t restricted the re-
ceipts OF railroad companies to any great eS-
tent. He thought tho practice should be
stopped and tho right OF redemption granted
the public. He thought the practice OF issuing
passes was diminishing. They were usually
issued to influence trade and shipments. His
company issued passes to members OF Con-
gress and State legislators who live along the
line o. the Baltimore and Ohio, This. he said.
was merely matter of courtesy. The practice
has grown until 1t cannot now be abandoned.
He did not believe State or national law pro-
hlbitinG the issuing OF passes could be made
effective. Personally he would be pleased to
see tho abolition OF the present system. A law
phoSeu III W." WI W cNIi AcSdNcu
in it's growth.
Mr.. Cowen admitted that discrim nation IN
tho matter OF freight rates existed against in
dlvi'uals and towns. He thought this was ali
evil which affected shipper. public and railroad
alike. He ascribed tn condition to the pro-
vision in the Interstate Commerce law which
prohibits the division OF proflts on competitive
traffic. II tho Supreme Cour, had not decided
such division to he illegal. there was no doubt
in his mind that system of pooling arrange
ments would have been made which would
have teen salts actory to al. II" thought the
railroad companies should have the right TO
make traffic and pooling agreements with ono
.Stuyyesant Fish. President OF the liinoi.
Central Raj road Company. presented printed
New Orleans. the seaport ot thai fasin.
o. NV nty-th,ee o'her states. net to speak Of
it, valley con aims I,24o.o;ss. square miles. or
II per cent Of the area OF the United States.
OF Thers dw nd ?shs oG%"y1 q
oHT EsIhFs neso 6ssss eednT
on the Pacific coast, Yield. i. Whole Of orr
and most Of the bread.tufs. Its mines yield
our petroleum oil and most OF our coal. its
forests supply orr lumber. and It's workshops
turn out. annually. an increasing share OF our
New Orleans Is the natural port or the
Mississ pp valley Terminating in that city
and radi ,ring thercfrom into the Interior in
all directions are six great railroa Is. % other
port in the United ;. ates ls served by railroads
reach nR. under single homogeneous. SO far
and in such varied directions into he int eri,,r
OF the continent. That these ralr0ads
ought to bring to, and carry from New
Orleans vastly more than they do Of goods for
cripts duriL the paAt year. from the carriage
OF passengers ami freight. being Sl3O.6 7,7Oi,
or 30 per cent more than the value Of al the
imports and exports Of New Orlean-. which, in
turn. amounted to SlOO.O9D.5H. Far from
discriminating in favor OF New Orleans. IL is To
he cared that its railroads, taken as a whole.
have not done the r full measure OF duty by the
port in which they terminate
In regard to he plan adopieh by the Illinois
Contra Railroad Company for aiding its en-
plOyees to buy sock OF the corporation.
he said: On tn. first OF each moLth the
price Of shares at tho New York Stock Ex-
change Is tclrgrnnh"d to Chicago. and the
paymaster is authorized to sell one share to
each employee at that price. Payment IS az
copied n sums Of s.. or any multiple thereof.
Interest nj percent pcr annum l. allowed on
the partial payments. and. when an employee
leaves tn. service. he must either pay in
full for his shar- and receive a c.rtih-
t. rest added The number OF officers and am
ploye-s. o erthan directors of the corporation.
registered on the books Of the company as
stock holders. Is 100 and their holdings amount
to 2.55i shares, The nnmhsr 81 stoc. no ders
registered on The hooks is Gj2f. Barely ono
seventh OF them own over 100 shares apiece"