The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1908-10-15

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are The ones who are now asking the
most pertinent questions. They have
more at stake than the owners, and
| are Just as capable of deciding for
themselves and taking caro- Of their
/ own interests
The AZ cents for the employe and
( tho u cents for the bond and stock.
/ holder only account for 63 cents OF
each dollar earned By tho railroads,
/ but IL shows the combined interests
/ OF 2G75,00O employees. bond and stock.
, holders IN the railroads Of tho Ma.
( ton. OF tho remaining 81 cents Of
the dollar. Z cents go for taxes and in.
suranco, aud the balance Of 30 cents
largely for material and supplies, in
the manufacture OF which labor 10
the largest item
The loss TO the entire country on
account OF inability Of railroads 10
purchase supplies IS as serious 10 the
public as ihe forced reduction in the
payroils. Last year the total amount
Of the railroad purchases was one and
"A quarter billion dollars At the pres.
cnt time they are only buying at the
rate Of nne-half billion dollars per an.
num- which at this rate means loss
10 the manufacturers and the general
trade OF the country OF more than
S750,OO0OO0 a year. or two million
dollars a day. II tc this is added tho
approximate one million dollars
working day which the railroad EN-.
ploye is suffering OF this heavy loss.
It Is apparent that the business OF the
country is losing at this rate approx.
imately three million dollars a day on
account OF shrnkage directly connect
ed with railroad operation.
DO you wonder why the Labor
Commissioned the State OF New York
Is reporting that one.third OF the
union men are idle because there Is no
work, Ur that Jacob Schlff is appeal.
ing to the city officials OF New York
to open up municipal work for their
relief?
There is another phase OF railroad
activity not included in the foregoing"
Mr.. Noakum added. 1T is one which
IS seldom mentioned in connection
with figures dealing with employees.
wages and material. refer to con.
s,ruction OF new railroads and more
extensive improvement OF existing
ones to meet the growth Of the Ma.
tons traffic. | refer TO the army OF
men usually employed in this work
and The large amounts expended for
supplies. tools, fuel and other mate.
rial, the greater part or which has
been cut of.
Tho railroad employees are well.in.
formed aad capable citizens. They
give due credit for the good which
has been accomplished through healthy
reforms within the last few years.
Thej are not unmindful that proper
regulations TO prevent abuses and
TO give fair treatment to the public
are necessary.
There should be no difficulty in
the thoughts OF the railroad
man. lie knows that one out of every
four Of his fellow-workmen is idle o.
working ShoIt hours. He fully real.
ICES that something Is wrong. He un-
derstands that the man who con-
structs 1000 miles of railroad gives
actual and permanent employment to
5000 railroad men, and thereby fur
nishes the means OF living for $4,000 |
souls constituting their families.
He is thinking and hoping for bet.
ter times. The vital issue will be the
man and the job. and the candidates
of both parties will have to meet it
m both National and State Campaigns.
With due regard to public welfare, at
he same time encouraging full restora-
lion Of confidence in the country's in
ititutions that construction, recon.
manufacturing and general
business may again assume their nor.
nal activities"