The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-06
Not Satisfied With Provisions of
Stone Act.
THEM ENLARGED
Places Too Many Restrictions
on Employees.
Want Privileges for Members of
Brotherhood.


sort which has been framed up by the
majority of the house of representatives
in the committee of the whole and
which, in the form of the Stone bill, il
now on the house calendar for final
passage, will not be permitted to go
through the legislature without a strong
protest that it be amended in various
particulars. This protest for it's amend
ment will come from the rank and file
of the employees of the railroad COM
panies.
These employes-and they include the
engineers, conductors, trainmen, shop
men, and in fact all classes of railroad
employes-have not announced them
selves as opposed to the general fea-
lures of antipass legislation. But they
believe that the Stone bill which has
been progressed to third reading in
the house goes a trffie too far as to the
limitations in regard to the giving Of
passes to employees.
Particular objection is made to cer-
tain provisions of the measure as it
now stands in the house by the officials
of the various brotherhoods of railroad
employees and these officials of the
brotherhoods railroad unions repre-
sent the sentiment Of those who are
affiliated with their respective orders.
They believe that the Stone bill should
so BE- amended as to permit passes to
be given to representatives of the rail-
road brotherhoodS while in the per-
formance of their duties in the trans
action of the business incident to the
affairs of the company and their organ
izations.
1t has been the custom in times past
for the heads of the various brother
hoods to travel over the roads in their
particular districts most of their time
for the purpose of looking p,and being
prepared to settle such differences as
might arise between the employees and
the officials of the companies. In this
work they have always had the benefit
of free transportation and are permit
ted it under the Hepburn interstate
commerce act. But the Stone bill,
which is the antipass measure now be-
fore the legislature for discussion, will
prohibit this as it now stands and the
railroad brotherhoods think that 1t
should be amended in this particular
1t is their opinion also, and they are
going to use all the legitimate influence
/ that they. can bring to bear On tho
members of the Legislature that any
| antipass legislation which may bo
adopted will provide that employees OF
! railroads, and their families, shall not
| only be entitled to free transportation
! over the lines of the company by which
| they are employed but also over the
lines of other railroads which exchange
transportation with the company en-
p1oying them. --..
They believe. also. any antipass law
adopted by the legislature should con-
tain provisions permitting the issuance
of passes to old and retired railroad
men and their families and to the mem
bers of families of deceased employees.
The intention of the representatives
of the brotherhoods is to insist that
amendments covering these points be
placed in whatever sort of an antipass
law is finally adopted by the legisla-
ture They have not much hope of get
ting them in the Stone bill in the house
but they believe that the Senat tors will
Iook.on them with favor and incor-
porate them in such sort of an antipaSs
bill as is agreeable to them, and they
believe that the antipass proposition as
passed upon by the senate will be in
reality the one which the house Will
have to acquiesce in.
A meeting of the representatives of
the several brotherhoods of railroad
men was held in this city yesterday
when ii was determined to take this
action in regard to the efforts to be
made to see that any antipass law,
which might be adopted, should con-
tain the features outlined At this
meeting the following resolution was
passed.
whereas. In the past. since the
inauguration of railroads in this coun-
try, railroad employees and their fami-
lies have been granted free passes
over the line on which they were en-
ployed and also over other lines that
exchange transportation with such
lines, and
whereas. This has long since be-
come a custom and has entered into
some of our contracts with said rail-
road companies, and
Whereas. The representatives of
railroad DIOIneTnOOuS ndNE always
been extended the courtesy of free
transportation; therefore, be IT
Resolved. That we is railroad en-
ployes protest against the passage OF
an antipass bill that will prohibit the
exchange of passes to employees and
their families and that will prohibit
the granting of passes to the repre-
sentatives of railroad brotherhoods
while in the performance of their
duties as such, or to old and retired
employees or the families of deceased
employees.
This resolution as it will be present.
ed to the members of the legislature
will be signed by w. o. Van Pelt for
tT1e engineers. w. H Travis for the
conductors, ]. H. Dowell and J. F.
Swarm for the trainmen and o. s
Samuel for the shop employees.