The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1907-08-15
SHEPPARD THE FAKER.
COMES OVER FROM
KANSAS TO REGULATE
OUR TRAFFIC AFFAIRS
Head Of A Fake Organization
Repudiated by Reputable
Labor Unions.

Failing to Control Missouri Rail Road
Commission, Asks Governor Folk
For Commission Of Three, One Mem.
Der to be Appointed BY Sheppard.
Newspaper dispatches from Jeff'r
son City In the morning papers oithe
9th inst. contain the information that
one ]. l Sheppard, Of Fort Scott,
Kansas, who styles himself the Secre-
tary of the National Union OF Rail
way Trsckmen, has suggested to the
Governor OF Missouri that a special
commission be appointed to inquire
into the condition OF the tracks OF
the Missouri Pacific Railway Com
pany.in Missouri. Mr.. Sheppard, &C.
cording to the dispatches, suggests
that the special commission consist
OF three members, one to be appoint
ed by the Governor, one by the Mis-
souri Pacific Railway Company, and
the third by himself. The fact that
the laws OF this state delegate the
making Of inspections OF this nature
to the Railroad and Warehouse Com
mission seems to make no difference
to Mr.. Sheppard. He ignores the
fact that the Railroad and Ware
house Commission is an elective body,
responsible to the people OF the state,
and that no provision is made by
law for review OF It's findings with
respect to matters which are by law
left entirely to the discretion or opin-
ion Of the commission. Mr.. Shep-
pard seems to think that because q
minority OF the commission holds q
different view from that OF q major
ity on one particular matter that 1t
is his duty to come over from Kan
sas and instruct the commission and
the people Of the State Of Missouri as
to both the facts and the law In the
premises. Possibly Mr.. Sheppard's
solicitude In looking after Missouri
and the Missouri Railroad and Ware
house Commission arises in part from
the fact, which has recently been COM
mented upon In the newspapers, that
the Kansas Board of Railroad Com
missioners q short time ago notified
him officially that it could and would
perform It's legal duties without his
assistance, CO operation and advice.
i The impudence OF Sheppard's as.
sumption OF the right to instruct
Governor Folk and the Railroad and
Warehouse Commission OF Missouri
as to their duties naturally arouses
curiosity as to his personality and
the standing OF the organization
which he claims to represent. With
regard to the first question, 1t is sui
ficient to say that Sheppard Is q law
yer, and q resident and citizen ol
Fort Scott, Bourbon county, Kan
, sas. His fellow citizens have never
been sufficiently impressed with hit
, superabundant wisdom and ability
to call upon him to take charge o
any Of their public affairs, and as be
fore sta,ed, on his one attempt tc
regulate the public officers Of his Owl
state be was advised that they coult
manage to get along without bis aid
The National Union OF Railway
Track mel. Of which Sheppard issecre
! tary, Is not the only Organization o
railway employees employed in th'
track or maintenance Of way depart
ments Of the various railway compa
mics Of the country, nor is It th'
; principal organization OF that char
; acter. Intact this organization ha
.. no particular standing In labor cir
cles, and was last winter refused rec
ognition by the trainmen's, conduc
tors engiueer's and fremen's bodies
; II does publish an organ called 9Th
: Trackmen," and the following iron
. , the "Union Labor Journal" Of Erie
! Pa, for March 18, 1907, withrespec
to theSheppard mouthpiece will sho,
; the manner In which II is looked q
by reputable labor Organization
and journals: Ee.
eve have on ale at this Office
: paper, titled The Trackman' and q
applicatlon blank Of the Nationa
- = u 2 : ssslss Sc 80