Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-12-04
RAILROAD EN-
PLOYES PROTEST
STRONG FEELING AGAINST the
PASSAGE OF GOVERNMENT
RATE REGULATION BILL.

tioh oh the paTt VI great railway luuot
bodies Of the east against government
rate regulation IL being paralleled In
the west this week. Local branches
Of the various organizations. from
Chicago to the Pacific coast. are gath.
ering together and appointing dele.
gates to attend a big mass meeting
Of railroad men In this city next
month, for the purpose Of adding their
protest to that Of their eastern breth.
rem against the Esch. Townsend bill
or any similar legislation calculated
to do injury to railroads,
Six hundred and forty-five eastern
divisions and lodges Of the five rail.
way labor organizations have already
taken action against this proposed
legislation by congress. and according
to the statements Of members OF the
general committee appointed here to
take charge OF the coming a meet.
ing the agitation In the west will as.
sumo even greater proportions. The
committee, Of which c. B. Mahoney is
chairman. will meet here on the 10th
OF December to complete the work of
organization.
The preliminary meeting, from
which the call to the western branch.
es was issued, was held at the Briggs
House and was attended by represen.
tatives of the Brotherhood OF Railroad
Trainmen, the Order OF Railway Con.
ductors. the Brotherhood OF Locomo.
tive Engineers. the brotherhood OF
Locomotive Firemen and the Switch
mems union.
A number Of prominent western Of.
fictals of these great railway labor
bodies have already declared them.
selves in very positive terms with re.
gard to the proposition Of govern.
ment rate making and all who have
been heard from state that the senti.
ment against 1t throughout the rank
and file is universal. F. e. Lucas,
chairman Of the general grievance
committee Of the brotherhood OF RAN.
road Trainmen Of the Illinois Central
system, declared today that the Esch-
Townsend bill. and all similar meas.
ures, were un-American and went on
to say:
We condemn nnsparingly the pro-
position to establish In this govern,
ment a bureaucracy, or anything that
resembles It. We take issue with
those who recommend the passage Of
this legislation. and, In doing SO. we
believe we stand In defense of our
rights against the theory which has
been condemned by practice in every
country In the world where 1t has
been tried. We believe that the ex-
listing laws. which stand between the
people on the one hand and the rail.
roads on the other, are adequate to
correct all present evils, and we are
prepared to give the hearty support
Of all our organizations to their en-
f0rcement. 1t is time the people un-
dersto0d the immense stake that men
who labor for our great railroad sys.
TENS have in the progress of their
country and the prosperity Of their
employers. Every existing condition
demands that we speak out at this
time against all confiscatory legisla.
ton"
Continents like these are met with
everywhere and the leaders Of the
movement to bring about a great pop.
ular demonstration Of railway labor
men In Chicago next month declare
that the showing made at the gather
ing will give. the general public some
idea Of the strength OF the opposition
to all government rate-making pro.
jects.
Inquiry made among railroad work.
ers shows that the various brother.
hoods in the east have manifested
surprising strength In their fight
against governmental control OF rates.
A member Of The Brotherhood OF 10.
comntive Engineers said today that
prior to July 31st resolutions had been
passed by t~wenty-one OF the sixty.six
divisions Of his order In the state Of
New York, and that so far 1852 divi
sions and lodges have protested
against government r%ate-fixing. A
member OF the Order Of Railway Con.
ductors Is authority for the state.
ment that the same Is true Of 1902 di.
visions and lodges In his order.
Similar action has been taken by
14 branches of the Brotherhood Of
Locomotive Fremen, and the train.
mems lodges, to the number Of 212,
have taken the same stand. The rail.
way ~telegraphers, too. have joined In
the movement, although not otherwise
affiliated with organized railroad Ia.
Dor, and twenty-six Of their lodges
have passed resolutions.
Why" said a brotherhood official
today. "if this Esch-Townsend bill or
anything like 1t should go through con.
gress It will be the worst thing that
mas happened to us railroaders since
the business was first known. We
have spent years in getting II wages
where they are now and in obtaining
recognition Of our rights as organiza
tions and individuals. and II railroad
control is put into the hands Of a gov.
&, hoard ue would lose abOut