The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1908-03-24
LABOR SEES THE LIGHT.


presence in Washington of the chief
of the labor organizations of railwa,
workers, for the purpose of opposing
any legislation calculated to harm
transportation companies. We have
| frequently taken the position tina
labor would assume this attitude JUS
as soon as it realized that the attacks
on corporations were sure to bring
less work, which amount to practical
ly the same thing. for those who
have employment must contribute tc
the support of the unemployed and
reduction in hours OF labor Is In
some respects more costly than a re-
duction in the wages received. The
result in both cases is a loss OF
revenue, while the idle hours afford
more opportunity and temptation for
useless expenditure. 1t is estimated
that one-third, or 100000 of all the
men employed by the railways in nor
NAL times. are now without work,
while the hours of those who are
still employed have in many cases
been reduced.
1t Is not strange. therefore, that
the leaders of Union Railway Labor
are much concerned for fear the COM
panies will be compelled to lower
wages and still further reduce the
number of men at work. 1t Is only
fair to the labor leaders also to
assume that they appreciate the eff
forts Of the managers of the COM
panies to avoid any such move. The
companies have in fact acted with so
much regard for the welfare of the
men, that 1t ought to be safe to
assume that the end of this period of
depression will find labor in much
closer sympathy with its employers.
The general reduction in wages
which inspired the letter of Presi-
dent Roosevelt to the Interstate
Commerce Commission, seems to
have been another straw man put up
to be knocked down, In much the
same way as the famous conspiracy
was invented These moves of a
political character ought not to fool
those who have influence with labor
for the acts of the companies are real
benefits. and not empty promises or
appeals to prejudice. The position
of the leading railway companies has
been tersely stated by President
Mellen of the New Haven, who said
that he favored reduction in divi-
dends first II necessary, an advance
In freight rates second, and only as
last resort a lowering of wages.
The president of the New Haven
has already showed his entire good
faith in this matter by reduction of
the salaries of the higher officials.
including himself He Is therefore
in a position to ask the stockholders
to make sacrifice If 1t should be-
come necessary, as 1t probably will
not in the case of the New Haven,
then to ask the public to accept the
burden of higher rates and IL these
measures are not sufficient to ask
the men to take smaller wages. 1t
Is noteworthy that out of the 5000
miles of railway now in the hands of
receivers, most of 1t is located in
the states that have been most
radical in reducing freight and pas
senger rates. and in hedging in the
companies with various unreasonable
laws interfering with the economical
operation of the roads. This fact
should cause the general public to
take the same attitude as the leaders
of the labor organizations, and the
moment 1t does so, the day of the
demagogue. the ignorant legislator
and the selfish politician will be over,
and we shall start on the road to re-
covery of the ground lost during the
past six months, SO much OF 1t
needlessly.
1t is the growing number of in-
cidents such as the presence of the
labor leaders in Washington for the
purpose of helping the railways COM
bat unreasonable laws and regula-
tions. that has inspired the recent
recovery in the market for securities
and the partial return of confidence
in the future. The efforts of the
President to have the Sherman Law
amended show recognition of the
feeling that the business of the
country has been upset and that
something must be done to show that
capital is to have fair treatment
IL will not matter much If political
motives are playing leading part
for 1t is to be hoped that the country
has seen the folly of speaking first
and thinking afterward and also the
that we are to secure an admin
istration that will have a proper
respect for the constitution and re-
publican form of government. The
realization of this hope apparently
is so dependent on personal
ambition that the business interests
must take the best they can get in
the way of freedom from sensational
attacks and most acceptable Republi-
can candidate, even though he be not
acceptable to their own interests
Financial News.