Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-03-06
High Official So Speaks Of PFGsI.
dent R0ossVel!'s Communication.
no BIG REDUCTION 10 WAGES
Anti Roosevelt Republicans Pronounce
Much Exploited Document Political
euncombe Appeals of Roads to
Interstate Commission.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., March GA
situation has arisen within the past
few days more important to the in
dustrial and political interests OF the
American people than generally is
realized. 1t related to question OF
wages. but. in effect. II Is likely to bo
far-renching In It's consequences.
President Roosevelt recently direct
ed II significant letter to the inter-
state commerce commission dealing
with information which had reached
him respecting purported design on
the part OF the railroads OF the coun,
try TO reduce the wages of their EN-.
ployes. The letter was notable
document. Generally. 1t Is regarde,!
NJ timely. In effect. II was purely
political. An important Official, COM
menting on It. remarked:
Politics exudes from every line. In
fact. every sentence brcathes politics.
II was all politics except the date
line"
1t can he stated on Information of
an authoritative kind. that tho Amer
lean railways generally have not had
and have not now any intention to re-
duce the wages OF their employees. In
fact. they hope TO maintain the wage
scale rcadjustmcnt OF wages year
ago. Such maintenance they realize,
would be not only TO the Interest or
their employees, but to their own In
terest ns well. They ara not looking
Tor trouble. They have had enough OF
that.
1t Is fact. however that acme rail.
ways OF the country are undergoing
Just Mt present n trying financial ex-
perience. Their earnings have fallen
OF from 20 per cent. to SO per cent.
during the last four months and few
OF the les5 stable roads are scratch
Ing gravel pretty industrlously TO meet
their current obligations. Two OF the
important systems. the Southern
Railway and Seaboard Air Line. have
appealed TO the provisions OF the Erd-
man act to help them ont OF Difficult
ties. This appeal is highly signiH.
cant. II seems that the government
| Is TO act as n mediator or concIlin-
Tor between the roads and their en-
ployes. In broad sense, 1t Ia not 4
matter OF arbitration. Under the law,
the government. through Chairman
Knapp. of the interstate commerce
commission, and Professor Cmarles L.
Neill. commissioner of labor. will en-
ldeavor to tring the railways and thel
employees to common understanding
and agreement Arbitration would he
another and different story. No de-
cision In sense. is reached In any
controversy by Chairman Knapp and
Professor Neill Their offices are
purely friendly. II they should reach
decision. II would not be binding
npon either party to the controversy.
although II might, and probably would,
carry great weight In the formation
of public opinion.
Undoubtedly the text of President
Rocsevelts letter will nave the es.
feet OF inducing the employees to stand
out detcrminedly against anything
approximating an injustice: but in the
past 1t has been the experience o!
both Chairman Knapp and professoe
NELL that the railway employees of the
country generally are reasonable ana
moderate In their claims; and that
they consider sensIbly and intelli-
gently any proposition that may be
presented to them. AS class, they
are high-g grade men, and they realize
iull well that their interests are coup-
led inseparably with those of the en-
ploying roads. If after an inquiry In.
10 the condition of tho lines which
have sought relief under the Erdman
act. II shall be demonstrated that g
reductlon-eyen II 1t be only temper
ary-of the wages of the employees IL
necessary. 1t Is not expected that a
scrious trouble will te experienced
with the employees.
The consequences of such an in
curry. however, are pregnant with
possibilities of differences that might
prove serious. sun. an optimistic
view OF the situation is taken, because
II Is known that the condition of a
Few railway lines In the country does
not apply to all OF the roads In the
country 1t can be said positively
that no general trouble Is anticipated.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.