The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1908-09-05
RAIL MEN TI.IJKING
MANY OF THEM ARE CONSIDER
ING PRESENT DAY cONDI-
TIONS.
Some interesting Figures Given by
q. =. Yoakum in an Interview
with New York Times
Reporter.

Frisco lines, are losing every day
through the present depression in
trade $1,O0O,O0O, or $25,O0O,000
month" says the New York Times
"One-quarter of them, or about 100000
men, are out of employment and are
living on their rapidly diminishing
savings.
Construction of new lines has al
most entirely ceased, and for every
1000 miles of new track that are not
built 5000 men lose permanent en-
ployment and $4,000 people good liv-
ing. The railroads are purchasing
supplies at the rate of 100000, 900, in
stead of $3.50, 100000 a year.
Mr.. Yoakum has been speaking late
ly in Texas and st. Louis, and urged
there that the most important element
in the present industrial conditions
was the enormous losses in wages and
the stagnation caused by the stoppage
of the development of the country.
He has considered this phase of the
present crisis deeply
A reporter of the New York Times
sought him recently at his farm at
Farmingdale, L. l., and asked him
how he believed the railroad men of
the country would vote this year Mr..
Yoakum declined to answer directly,
but said he could at any rate say
what is pressing itself day by day on
the minds of the railroad men. He
said:
Hard times are now costing rail
road employees $25,000,O0O a month
or 100000 for each working day
This decrease of the employees pay
roll is approximately the same amount
as the Governments daily deficit
at Washington The Government
deficit of $1,000,O0O is shared by the
entire population of S5,0O0,O0O people
while the other $1.00O,000 daily loss is
| borne by the railroad employees.
This loss in wages indicates that
| the means of living for 100000 rail
road men has been cut off, and that
| not only themselves but the 100000
persons comprising their dependent
| families are living out of their saw
! ings CT better days.
Il have been asked how the rail
road men will vote IN November.
Frankly 1 do not know, but l believe
know of what they are thinking.
! fuel, clothing bills, and keeping their
| children in school. They are wonder
| ing what will be done to remedy the
present industrial conditions and stop
| the appalling loss from enforced idle
ness.
Railroad workers are thrifty and
| they help one another. Their savings
and mutual bearing of the burdens of
| adversely have prevented much sui
| fering up to this time, but they have
| greatly reduced their surplus bank &C
counts, and when winter comes the
! story will be different unless business
conditions materially improve.
THE more than a million and a
| half of former railroad workers have
/ in mind that one-fOurth OF their num-
her are out of jobs or on short pay.
| They are thinking of their lost jobs,
| not worrying over foreign policies or
tariffs ON imports, or how this Gov
eminent shall deal with the Philip
| pines, and such questions, which the
| Government authorities and Congress
must deal with.
The railroad employees are more
interested in what is going to be done
|
back to them regular and permanent
employment They are tired of seeing
dead engines, idle cars, neglected
| tracks and rusty signs of disuse |
will not try to say what they think
| should be done, but l do know that
they are listening for words of en-
| couragement.
ITO think what it means in thou
sands of homes is not pleasant topic,
but we should look the situation
sQuarely in the face, and each man
| should be pressed to share his re-
| sponsibility in seeking a remedy.
THE campaign orators of Septem-
Der and October must face the coun-
| try full of men out of employment
| The stump speakers will be seeking
votes and the idle will be seeking
work
"Of what else can the railroad men
| be thinking except of what caused
the reduction in their income of $500,
! 600. 900 a year? They are listening fol
those who have suggestions as to how
to get or the payroll again and at OLD
| wages"
But there are other factors in the
railroad situation?''' it was suggested
to Mr.. Yoakum.
The railroad employee" he replied
lis the most important factor in The
railroad situation from every point
of view The owners of the railroa ads
known as bond and stockholders, are
less in number than the employees ant
have less at stake. One year age
there were. according to the Inter
State Commerce Commissions figures
1.e75.000 employees. and they received
81 100000 as wages, and, accord
ing to Slason Thompsoh. statistician
there are only 100000 of both bono
and stockholders receiving less thar
half the amount paid as wages
Out of every dollar earned by the
railroads the employee gets AZ cent:
of it in wages. while the bond ant
stockholders combined only reeeiv,
81 cents out of each dollar, or one
half as much as the employee. There
fore, numerically and financially, the
employees have by far the greatest in
terest in the railway revenues. anC
are the ones who are now asking the
most pertinent questions. They have
| more at stake than the owners, anC