The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-09-19

are the ones who are now asking tho
most pertinent questions. They have
more at stake than the owners, ana
are jsst as capable of deciding for
and taking care OF their
own interests.
THE AZ cents for the employe ana
the 81 cents for the bond and stock
holder only account for 63 cents OF
each dollar earned by the railroads,
but Il shows the combined interests
of 1876, 900 employees, bond and stock
holders In the railroads OF the Ma
ton. OF the remaining 81 cents OF
the dollar, cents go for taxes and In
surance. and the balance of 30 cents
largely for material and supplies. In
the manufacture of which labor Is
the largest item.
1.-THE loss to tine entire country on
account of inability of railroads TO
purchase supplies is as serious to the
public as the forced reduction In the
payrolls. Last year the total amount
of the railroad purchases was one and
a quarter billion dollars. At the pres
emit time they are only buying at the
rate of one-half billion dollars per an
mum, which at this rate means loss
to the manufacturers and the general
trade of the country of more than
$3.50, 100000 a year, or two million
dollars a day. If to this is added the
approximate one million dollars a
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 day on
account of shrinkage directly connect
ed with railroad operation.
do you wonder why the Labor
| Commissioner of the State of New York
is reporting that one-third of the
union men are idle because there is no
work. or that Jacob Schiff 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.. Yoakum added. 1T is one which
is seldom mentioned in connection
with figures dealing with employees,
wages and material. l refer to con.
struction of new railroads and more
extensive Improvement of existing
ones to meet the growth of the Ma
tion's traffic. l 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 of which has
been cut off.
The railroad employees are well-in
formed and capable citizens. They
give due credit for the good which
has been accomplished through healthy
reforms within the last few years
They are not unmindful that proper
regulations to prevent abuses an(
to give fair treatment to the public
are necessary.
There should be no difficulty IL
. surmising the thoughts of the railroad
: man. He knows that one out Of ever,
|, four of his fellow-workmen is idle o.
, working short hours. He fully real
ICES that something is wrong. He un
derstands that the man who con
| structs 1000 miles of railroad give
; actual and permanent employment t
Z 5000 railroad men, and thereby fur
: nishes the means of living for 24.00
; souls constituting their families.
"He is thinking and hoping for BET
, | fa,. ti,,,ao Tho vital issue will he th
} man and the job, and the candidate
of both parties will have to meet
, in both National and State Campaigns
E with due regard to public welfare. a
: the same time encouraging full restore
!. ton of confidence in the country's In
. stitutions that construction, recor
r struction, manufacturing and genera
: business may again assume their mol
+ NAL activities"