The sun., 1908-02-21
RETURNING SANTTYp
From ne RseAmoaa rImss- DsspaseA.


At meeting Of the executive oGacers
Of the SeaboArd Air Line at Hamlet on
Saturday IL was decided not to reduce
salaries, but 300 men were dropped from
the rolls. their wages ranging from $500
to 500.
To say that this wholesale cutting Of
wages is due solely to the ney. passenger
rate laws in the South would be divorginE
far from the truth. but employees and
ofiioials agree that the crisis was hastened
and accentuated by the attitude OF Cover
nors and Legislatures and the Federal
Government.
"A few nights ago. said a business man
OF Alabama at the Jefferson yesterday, Il
attended a meeting Of railroad employees,
representing a number Of lines, at which
the wage situation was discussed. II was
not a political gathering. Conductors, en-
gineers and others talked clearly Of the
matters which affected them so vitally, and
they asked. Who has been benefited by
the passenger rate reductlonP They chal-
ienged the Governors and the leaders In
the rate fight to show how the new laws
had helped anybody, even the shippers.
As conductor expressed il, a rate OF one
cent would not help anybody when there
was nobody to ride. The employees realized
that they had to accept the ultimatum.
for II they walked out there would be ten
men to fill one place, so they accepted the
doctrine that half loaf was better than
no loaf at all. They declared that while
the advocates Of drastic legislation had
helped to bring about an alarming state
OF Affairs, not one could say that It had
helped the public. the one result being
less pay for the thousands Of railroad
employees"
From letter StORSd Wage Farmer" IN me Ports-
m'ub Star.
We are told thai a reduction OF passen-
ger fares half a cent mile Is great vic
tory for the people and the reform Ad-
ministratiOn, but is IL victory for the
100000 Idle wage earnors In the South who
want work and can't get it2 Is 1t a vic
tory which is appreciated by 10000 wage
earners in the South whose wages or hours
have been reduoed2 Are the owners and
the employees Of the idle saw mills, fur
naces, mines and factories shouting halle
lujahs over this glorious victory9 We have
not read Of any country merchants cele-
br1ting the victory nor have we heard
Of a single mass meeting Of farmers any
where in the United States rejoicing over
the triumph.
Then who are celebrating? A few Office
holders and the reform press. with sprink-
ling Of Office seekers. These politicians and
their newspaper allies have to "holIer' and
try to fool the people because thousands
Of the latter are condemning them.
How are the people out OF jobs to love
the State Governors for these victories
which have shaken the confidence OF in
vestorS in Southern enterprises and caused
a semi-paralysis OF business2 In their
affection for the political agitators. labor
and capital stand together. The loss which
the demagOgues have brought on labor.
to say. nothing Of capital, runs up into the
millions, and the total loss to the South
due TO these men and their kind reaches
half billion Of dollars in money; a river
of tears from hungry women and children
crying for bread; a million walls from
respondent men out of employment. and
how many lives, only the good God knowsl
Another victory" like this one over the
railroads, and the South will be- in almost
as pitiable condition as it was at the close
OF the war.