The sun., 1900-10-16
CONSOLIDATING ROADS
ASSISTS THE EMPLOYEES.
Better Chance for Railroad Men
than Ever Before.
A Return TO the Old System of High
Freights, High Fares and jerk
water Railroads Is an I'M
FEASIBILITY.


of the Long Island Railroad.)
To appreciate the significance Of the
value of railroad consolidation to the pub
lie, it is only necessary to attempt to
conceive of a return to former conditions.
The small independent railroads, with
their relatively small number of en-
ployes, each road with its own standards
of equipment dependent upon the idiosyn-
crasies of its principal officers or direc-
tors; each road with responsibilities to
the public as a carrier only to the extent
of it's own short line-all these limita-
tions suggest local independence which
would permit to the railroad the empI~
ment of labor on the basis of supply
for its small demands.
On the other hand, the gradual growth
of large systems composed Of many such
small lines produces new and constant.
ly growing responsibility to the public,
until finally point is reached where the
law of supply and demand affects but
remotely the skilled labor necessary in
formed by railroads has become too i'm
portant to the body polite to permit of
any solution of these serious labor and
wage questions, except by intelligent con-
sideration on the part of the representa-
tives both of the management and of the
employees.
The effect of consolidation has brought
many good results to the employees: An
in god ability nr, fbo nh af tha IL
roads to pay higher wages; to employ
more men; an improvement in standards
Of tracks and equipment, which has re-
duced the hours for days work and
has made the service less dangerous. 1t
has also made the employment of men
in the service more regular throughout
the year and thus kept together regular
force, and has developed code of stand
ard rules, governing the army of en-
ployes, which have dignified their em-
ployment and made more permanent their
positions.
The saving by consolidation is due to
the ability to develop business econom-
ically.
Conversely, the business of any trunk
line to-day could not be handled by
series of independent lines with varying
standards, at the present rates which are
profitable to the larger lines. With the
improved efficiency and economy of trans
portation, rates have constantly declined
and traffic has been continually develop
ed. With increased density of traffic,
the number of employees has been increas-
ed in proportion and has been paid
higher wage. The improved facilities
and higher speed of trains have made the
days work for trainman, not one hun
dred miles as a maximum, but as a min
imum, so that to-day, with high speed
trains, the trainman may earn in two
hours time wage higher than he earn
ed in earlier days in FIVE hours time.
Even though the wage per mile run were
the same to-day as in past years, the ac-
tual work which the trainman can ply
sically do within reasonable hours Is
oftentimes 100 per cent greater. The To-
engineer of to-day may average
aasily one hundred and seventy-fiye miles
per day, and at an increased rate of pay
over the one-hundred-mile day of the
past.
In railroads, more than in any class of
abor in this country, we have seen the
'esults of wise leadership ON the part of
he trade unions. Both capital and labor
him at monopoly; the best result is OBJ
aimed only when intelligent counsel pre-
rails. The railroads are moving on to-
ward greater consultations and with con-
'tantly increasing benefit to their million
employees and to the public. More and,6.
more each year the managements of r9S;er
'oads acknowledge their public drEra ton
more and more each year the oprEnmentaI
If railroads is becoming a gove1{ the hest
junction, so that, as l see it, lal tha re-
condition will be reached wheiat ana ~
ations between the governmento1ed with
ailroads are intelligently defnG left in
he management and operatio:aTbe ideaI
he hands of private persons. e}railroo5s
is to so operate the TrnmantaI
IS to approach an ideal goYe ownership
operation and yet to retain II
II private capital. II wepes hoe
Inc history OF rallroafhs been willing
hown that the public h3 responsibilities
lways to recognize thels given its evn,-
4 railroad men, and heir reasonable do
,athy to them in thas, as n rule bo,a
nahds' Inc empioyej understanding Of
hown an intelligent and when tbor
he reasonable wage, and wisely tbov
lave not acted falrlyIted by the public.
ave not peen supporgr demands by the
lave peeh refused the1arned that reason
ailroads and have les
must prevail. RArDxvr>-
VIM. H. E