The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-02-22
Give More Power
to Railroad Commission.

stantly going the rounds of the press
Using the fact that their roads are
being, or soon going to be, extended in
different directions. Everywhere
there is great activity in the railroad
world. This is evidently the sign of
great commercial prosperity, and the
railroads are welcome, but while they
are making strides in the work of ex-
tending their lines it would be well
for the people to halt in the encour-
agement and concessions to them along
this line, and see what they are re-
ceiving for former cOurteSies, privi-
leges, and franchises they extended
these companies in the past for the
railroads they now have.
The people want new railroads, they
want all they can get, but they want
good roads, and they want the COM
panies that are extending their pres
ent systems, to assure them of better
accommodations in the future from
these old roads, as well as the new
ones, than they have been getting in
the past.
The fault with the railroad COM
panies is that they have been trying
10 realize too much On their invest
ments. They have been economizing
at the expense of the people, but the
people have been paying just as dear
ly for the service they receive.
When the railroad companies en-
ploy cheap labor the people pay for it
in the long run, because this CHEAP
labor is to a certain extent response
bic for a great number of the wrecks,
and the consequent killing and MAIN
i ing of people.
An exchange properly sums. the
matter up as follows: "Underpaid
operators can not be expected to rank
in ability and .trustworthiness with
the men who require living wages
Consequently boys, and young men,
who can not be relied upon in an
emergency, are hired, and when the
disaster occurs these unfortunates are
saddled with the responsibility.
Economy causes the railroads to ne
glect defective rails, which weaken
when put to a severe test, with the
result that thousands are killed or in
jured internally. For the same reason
faulty block systems are in vogue, be-
cause 1t would cost cold, hard cash to
install perfect system. despite the
fact that the lives of the American
people are endangered because of the
defects in the signal service of the
average railway system to-6ay"
Another reason why good men do
not like to work for these great sys-
TENS lies in the fact that they are
often required 10 work overtime. and
they are held Just as responsible for
their work during these long hours
as at any time, yet they must respond
to every call of the company And
In a great many instances these men
are worked overtime because the rail-
roads are economizing by keeping a
less number of men in their employ
than the business of their roads de-
mand for proper and careful operation.
Some one has suggested that the
presence of Oriental and other IN
desirable laborers in this country is
directly due to the policy of using
cheap labor in building new railroads
Whether this be true or not, it is a
fact that nearly all the new railroads
are being built by gangs of these in
ferior people. and the presumption is
that they are employed because their
services can be secured at cheaper
rates than the average price paid the
native American laborer.
Just a few days aga. in Atlanta, a
bridge of the Southern Railway col
lapsed without any apparent cause,
except that it could not stand under
its own weight. Some time before this
bridge fell the Southern Railway Off |
Gals were advised b. the papers in |
Atlanta that the bridge was in a bad
condition, but that company took no
notice Of the matter. 1t was fortunate
that no one was injured Dy its fall, |
but such gross negligence should not
be tolerated. II the company is not |
able to keep proper watch of these
death traps it should at least pay at |
tention TO public calls. sucn as was
made in this instance at Atlanta
The Mobile Herald wisely says: |
The question arises. should the rail. |
roads be allowed to economic at the |
risk of human life, or should they be
made to protect the public nrst. and
look to the financial end afterward."
One of the best solutions to the |
question is to give the railroad COM
ample power to inspect the
road beds and rolling stock of the rail-