The Green Forest tribune., 1908-09-04
RAIL MEN THINKING
MANY OF THEM ARE CONSIDER.
 ING PRESENT DAY CONDl- !. TONS.
!. Some Interesting Figures Given by B. F. Yoakum in an Interview with a New York Times
 Reporter.

Railroad employees. according 10 B. F. Yoakum. chairman of the Execu- tive Committee of the Rock Island Frisco lines, are losing every day through the present depression in trade S1,00O,00O, or $25,OOO,00O 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 6,000 men lose permanent em- ployment and 24,000 people a good liv- ing. The railroads are purchasing supplies at the rate of $500,000, 900, in- stead of S1,25O, ,O000 a year
 MT. 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"
 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. MT. 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 $25000 000 a month or $1,0O0000 for each working day This decrease of the employees pay roll is approximately the same amount as the Government daily deficit at Washington. The Governments deficit of s1,O00,000 is shared by the entire population of S5,000 900 people while the other $1,000,000 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 1,500, ,000 persons comprising their dependent families are living out of their say ings of better days.
 q have been asked how the rail road men will vote in November. Frankly I do not know, but I believe know of what they are thinking They are thinking of next Winters 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 diversity have prevented much sui, fering up to this time, but they have greatly reduced their surplus bank ac- 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 nun, Der are out of jobs or on short pay. They are thinking of their lost jobs, not worrying over foreign policies or
 
 ernment 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 to start up the work which will bring back to them regular and permanent employment. They are tired of seeing dead engines, idle cars, neglected tracks and rusty signs of disuse. I will not try to say what they think should be done, but I do know that they are listening for words of en- couragement.
 'To think what it means in thou sands of homes is not a 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 $300,- 100000 a year? They are listening for those who have suggestions as to how to get on the payroll again and at old wages"
 But there are other factors in the railroad situation?'" it was suggested to Mir. Yoakum.
 "The railroad employe," he replied, lis the most important factor in the railroad situation from every point of view. The owners of the railroads, known as bond and stockholders, are less in number than the employees and have less at stake. One year ago there were, according to the Inter- State Commerce Commissions figures, 1,675,000 employees, and they received SLOTS, 100000 as wages and, accord ing to Slason Thompson, statistician, there are only 100000 of both bond and stockholders receiving less than half the amount paid as wages
 Out of every dollar earned by the railroads the employe gets 42 cents LII IL III wages, while the pond and stockholders combined only receive 21 cents out of each dollar, or one half as much as the employe There fore, numerically and financially, the employees have by far the greatest in terest in the railway revenues. and are the ones who are now asking the most pertinent questions. They have more at stake than the owners, ant are inst as canahle of docidinn ia,