The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-04-23
Sign of a Reaction.

We have more than once intimated
that sooner or later there would be a
protest from business men against the
savage assault that State Legislatures
are making on railroads--not because
such men have any special love for
railroads, but because any serious in
jury to those great industries must
affect other industries and trade in
general.
In recent speech before the Whining
ton On. c. Chamber of Commerce. Presi-
dent Emerson. OF the Atlantic Coast Line.
said that in the last two and half years
his company had ordered 10000 freight
cars. ll9 passenger cars and 1877 locomo-
has consumed $4,000 tons of coal That
gives some idea as to what sort of a
customer railroad is
In 1905 the railroads of the United
States earned so,11219777o and paid out
in interest and dividends s644,516,133,
carrying to surplus s12l,S76,Ol4 The
balance oiltheir earnings, amounting to
s1.345See,6s3 was consumed in paving
1.3S2,19s employees, making improvements
and purchasing supplies. 1t is manifest
that when such customers begin to cur
tail, the concerns from which they pur-
chase will feel it, and so will laborers.
In point Of fact the railroads have al
j. ready begun to curtail. and their GUS
toners are feeling it and beginning to
protest.
A petition signed by $40 concerns en-
gagged in the railway supply business.
and giving employment to 2o5,Ooo men,
has been prepared and is now being cir
culated, urging the people to intercede
with the members of the various State
Legislatures. In part the petition says:
The railroads are stopping all unnec-
essary expenditures for this year. For
instance, one road has stopped construc-
ton on 700 miles OF new track; anothei
has cut It's expenditures s5,0o00oo ant
stopped work on 400 miles of track IL
addition. Many roads have issued in
structions 10 use stocks on hand and no
TO buy anything for six months, excep
to meet great emergencies. Furthermore
railroads generally have stopped al
bans for expenditures for 1908. No nev
orders are now being placed by tbs road
for next year.
I'VE, the undersigned, in view of tn
above facts, call public attention to tn
present situation. We are the neares
70 the railroads, and. therefore, know tn
situation, and are the first to be affected
ll,,Ei MI "a,
ders, hut We believe that business will Il
bad unless this agitation is stopped
we know that II present condition
continue all classes of labor and ever
business interest viii be injured. w
know that every manufacturer, ever
jobber and every retailer In the Unite
States does business directly or indi
rectly with railroads or their Official
and employees, We know that the raj
road interest is. next to farming, ii
largest in the country. We know III;
when railroads begin to economic
seriously affects every other bushes
We know that under such condition
labor VIII suffer very greatly ana Tn.
men will be seeking employment"
Tho concerns signing this petit,
cover the States OF New York, New Je
sey, Massachusetts, New Hampshll
Maryland. Virginia, West Virgin
North Carolina. Georgia, Alabam
Texas, Louisiana, Indiana, lilino
Missouri, Kentucky, Iowa, Oh
Nebraska. Washington, Michiga
Minnesota, Connecticut and WILSON'S
The petition means business, and 1t is
straw showing the direction of the wi!