The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-08
500 EMPL0yES MAKE PR<TESTS Railroad len Hold Indig-
 <slon Meeting. RESOLUTIONS ARE ADOPTED Judge Ihos. W. Vert is Heavily
 Scored. Expressions of DisapprovaI Given Against state Courts Attempting
 to Indict Employees for Do-
 ing Their Duty.

Decatur, Sept. 7.-(Special. )-At a meeting gotten up by employees of the Louisville and Nashville shops this evening for the purpose of protesting against the threats of State officials and others. to have their fellow em- ployes in the different departments, ar- rested and punished for performing their duties without regard to suspend ed statutes, quite a number were pres ent being representatives from the va rious shops of the company at New De- catur and aggregating in all over 800 men.
 Claude McMullen. foreman of the wheel shops, was elected Chairman, and stated the object of the meeting to be. to give expression of their disapproyal of the State Courts attempting to in- dict the employees of railroad companies for falling to sell tickets for 2 1-2 cents per mile. and for collecting rates pre- scribed in the tariffs of the company on freights between points in Alabama.
 John Patterson. foreman of the lum- Der yard, was elected secretary.
 Spirited and animated remarks were made by several of the employees against such proceedings in view of the fact that the statutes reducing these passenger rates and freight rates on various articles. prescribed by the acts Of the Legislature, had been suspended by an injunction or the Federal Court companies have applied for an adjust ment of the rates and without attempt ing to violate any statute passed by the State of Alabama, because the op- eration of the same had been suspended by the Federal Court.
 Henry Hartung, of the car depart ment, introduced the following resolu- tions which were followed by short talks by W. B. Morrow, J. D. Mo Ciusky, Henry Hartung and others:
 Whereas, a controversy exists be- tween the State officials of Alabama and different railroad companies, do- ing business as common carriers with in the State, as to the legality and con- etifutienaliay of acts passed by the last begteIafure of Alabama, reducing the rates on various articles Of freight ane also reducing the fare to be charged for the transportation of passengers within the state of Alabama:
 And, whereas, the railroad compa- niles have not undertaken to violate said laws, or either of them in any re- spect, but have resorted to the tribu- nais created for the settlement of diff ferences between all parties to contro- versies, and have expressed in court proceedings and in the public prints a willingness and desire to abide by the judgment of the courts to which they have appealed:
 And, whereas, the statutes above mentioned have been suspended fin their operation by judgment and decrees of the court having jurisdiction of the same, pending the settlement of the contention by the parties to said con- troversy;
 Therefore be it resolved. That we deprecate the action of said officials in seeking to have arrested, imprisoned or punished, employees of this company for selling tickets and collecting fares at the rates prescribed by regular tar iffs of said companies, and which are not in violation of any law which is in force or effect;
 Resolved further, That We protest against the assumption of jurisdiction to indict and try said employees for the alleged violation of said statutes, and earnestly express our regrets and dis approval of the attempt of the judge of our law and equity court to instruct the grand jury to indict our fellow-em- ployes for discharging their duties in a way that is not violating any penal statute in force, and we regret the at- tempt of the judge to have our people indicted and branded as criminals be- cause they are performing their duties which are lawful and in a lawful way"
 These resolutions were unanimously adopted