The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-04-20
MANUFACTURERS
GETTING { 8; I SCARED
SEND OUT LETTERS 10 DEALERS
III T+iIAt''T i t'ls q AGAINST
RAILROADS us DOING X 4
GREAT INJURY,if5ti

I Nr.F T. : - Z .
Most OF the manufacturers OF rail-.
way material and dealers in railway
supplies are sending out a circular let.
ter declaring the present agitation
against railroads will, II continued,
caus dire consequences. They say:
First. Business has been and is
prosperous. There is apparently no
commercial reason why We should not
enjoy a continuance Of such prosper.
ity, unless some unnecessary condl.
tons intervene. :5t
Second. The national government
has been and Is investigating the rail-.
roads. The State legislatures have
pending 400 bills, none Of which Is
for the benefit Of the railroads, but
every one is designed to reduce in
some way the net earnings Of the
roads. Many village and town authorl.
ties are passing ordinances which in.
terfere with the operation OF the roads
and reduce their revenues. The pub.
lie press has given wide circulation to
all this agitation and In many In
stances approved OF It.
Third. The railroads are stopping
all unnecessary expenditures for this
year. For instance. one road has stop.
ped construction OF 700 miles Of new
track; another has cut It's expenditures
s5.OOO.OOO and stopped work on 400
miles Of track in addition. Many
roads have issued instructions to use
stocks on hand and not to buy any.
thing for six months, except 10 meet
great emergencies. Furthermore.
railroads generally have stopped ali
plans for expenditures for 1905. No
new orders are now being placed by
the roads FOR next year,
I've know that II present conditions
continue all classes of labor and every
business interest will be injured. We
kaoW that every manufacturer. every
jobbcr aud every retailer in the Unit,
ell States ,loes business directly or In.
directly with railroads or their Off,
Gals or employees. We know that the
railroad interest is, next to farming,
the largest in the country. We know
that when the railroads begin 10 econ,
omi2e II seriously affects every other
business. We know that Under such
conditions labor will suffer very great.
ly and that men will be seeking en-.
rloyment.
1--WE believe that now is the time
to act, before the damage Is done,
and that every man who reads this
should act. II ten per cent. Of the
men In the United States would to.
day write TO the governors OF the
States in which they live, and TO their
representatives In the State legisla-
lures, stating that this agitation was
injurlng their BUSINESS and that It
must be stopped. IL would be stopped.
Every one Of these public servants
would listen, because every writer Is |
Il voter.
%We 10 not object 10 the regulation
Of the railroads by the national gov.
ernment In the proper manner, but
We do object 10 going through a per.
Tod OF hard times similar 10 that be.
tween 1893 and 1897 In order to ac-
compllsh alleged railroad reform. The
situation Is serious. mediate action
is necessary or business will diminish: |
bank accounts will be reduced; profits |
will disappear: salaries will he cut;
wages decreased; meu discharged and
thousands will be looking for work.
Every laboring man, every business
man, every professional man. Is and
will be affected. He should act now"