The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-22
SCOPE OF WABASH INJUNCTION
RAILROAD HAD AGREED WITH
ITS MEN-OJ FORBADE.

President Ramsey suggests That the
Case Is on Al Fours With IN AMI
ance Of Trannc Managers 10 Put
I'd Freight Rates on the shippers.
President Joseph Ramsey. Jr., Of the
Wabash Railroad came to town yesterday
from St. Louis, where he has been for a
month or more directing the conduct Of
his roads contest with the labor unions.
His visit 10 to he q brief one. a he may
return to St. Louis tonight.
Mr. Ramsey would not discuss the strike
situation in any way which might touch
on the courts attitude toward It, but he
was frank TO say that he personally con-
sidered tho point raised in the injunction
proceedings to be sound and consistent.
The main contention he said. lis simply
that no person or persons whose interests
are wholly outside our road, who are not
on our payroll or otherwise personally
interested can join with persons really
interested in the road In movement which
has as its object restraint Of trade under
certain contingencies. Such an alliance
surely constitutes a conspiracy TO restrain.
Il venture TO say that II our manager Of
trafho and the trafiic manager Of another
road got together and put up rates 70 suoh
an extent as to injure shippers business
70 "a to restrain trade no one would hesitate
10 brand the act in it's deserved terms.
II would be an actual restraint within the
meaning OF the law. We think the effect
Of a strike brought about by the acts Of
outside parties is similar in results to the
business Of a railroad. We are going TO
find out il this Is 40.
The one point that must be borne In mind
is this: We are not aiming at our own men.
The men on our road have an undoubted
right to quit work at any time they 40 desire.
They are absolutely their own masters.
We do contend vigorously. however, that
no one can come from the outside and Issue
an order to our men the acceptance Of which
carries with it an alliance to tie up our
business.
Our own men did not wish to strike.
When the wage question came up It was
In the form OF a request that the wages OF
the men west OF the Mississippi be advanced.
mittee and told them that we were. willing
TO concede the advance II II were understood
that this action would not be made the
basis Of Z similar demand by the men east
meeting was on Friday. March IS The
committee accepted this reservation, and
on Monday formally voted 20 to do by .
ballot OF " 10 J.. lhey were on tneu way
TO inform us of this action the same morn
ing when the outside grand masters inter-
vened and commanded them TO revise
their action. II 10 plain enough. there
fore, that the trouble was duo TO outside
elements.
we promptly asked for the injunction.
and secured 1t on these grounds. ] repeat
that the contest Is not with our own men;
we know their sentiments. but with persons
who have no interest In the road or its
future. This we will not tolerate.
The motion to dissolve the restraining
order WAS taken under advisement by the
court on Friday. 1t will be some little
time before we receive q decision
President Ramsey said there was little
new In other Wabash affairs. He charac-
terized as untrue a recent report that the
Wabash would build an air line from Pitts
burg to Cherry Run 70 connect with the
Western Maryland. The West Virginia
Central. he said, would be used for this
purpose, a. ives long ago determined. He
ssid that The route to bridge The gap from
practically been ssiecsed. u win cab Tor
about sixty miles Of road, - surveyed.