Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-11-23

were heard by the United States senate
committee on interstate commerce, we
have decided that if the proposed law
is passed it would be destructive to the
rights and privileges now enjoyed by
the railroad men and would seriously
injure them. The secret of power Of
the railroads. to develop themselves,
to develop the countries through which
they run and to grant to their employees
the privileges and advantages now en-
joyed by them lies in the ability of the
roads to make and keep contract-in
other words, their prosperity is direct
result Of the freedom which the roads
have enjoyed. Deprive the roads Of
freedom and you deprive them of the
ability to do anything except to give
slavish obedience to the dictates of a
governm ent bureau which can neither
understand nor sympathize with the
needs of the country or the individual
and cannot possess or exercise the in
telligence necessary to meet and over
come the emergencies and problems
which are everyday matters in the life
of the railroad man."
Protest by Firemen.
The protest of the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Firemen is in the form Of
statement by G. P. Huber of Scran.
ton, Pa, general chairman Of the pro.
tective board Of the Delaware, Lacka,
wanna and Western system.
The statement says: "The propo
sition which Is submitted through this
bill to the railroad employees is that
in all arbitration In the future for the
protection of their rights, the railroads
will have the power to say neither yea
nor nay, and the railroad men must
rely upon the government bureau fol
everything which they now enjoy by
right and in freedom. 1t is also true
that no single body Of men that can BIZ
gathered together by the government
to control the rates and control the
railroads will be able to accomplish
even small portion of the task. A
the present time the equitable adjust
ments of all of the railroad rates ii
this country are beyond the power o
in the task. The proposition of eS
pecting small group Of men to per
form successfully what thousands can
not do is too ridiculous to merit thu
serious consideration of any thoughtful
man."
Honest Fright Rates.
/ Chicago, Nov. 20.-Government con
troll of railway freight rates and high
er order of business honesty-thes'
are the two great problems confrontin,
the American people, according to Gov
ernor Frank Hanly Of Indiana, who Ii
81 fiery speech Saturday night at tn
banquet of the Atlas club, an organiza
ton of advertising men, answered t,
the toast, "The East and the West,
Placing the two questions before hi
hearers as paramount issues, Gov
ernor Hanly went on to declare that h
belonged to the republican party "be
cause of Its sound and far-seeing po
tcies."
i But" he added, drawing up hi
bulky figure to its fullest height, eth
i moment the republican party cease
to stand for the principles which BIZ
lieve to be the soundest, that momen
1t loses any claim it may have upo
me.
i Calls Control Weak.
4 To-day there is no effective contrc
LOT railway freight rates, save that yes
ed In the hands Of six or ten men VIII
control seventy-five per cent Of tn
railway mileage Of the country and fv'
sixths of the commerce Of the countr.
\ These six or ten men, sitting togethe