The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1908-09-05
RAIL MEN THINKING
MANY OF THEM ARE CONSIDER.
ING PRESENT DAY coNpl-
TONS.
Some Interesting Figures Given by
B. F. Yoakum in an Interview
with a New York Times
Reporter.

tive OOlHnlltlee OF the ROCK lSldnu-
Frisco lines, are losing every day
through the present depression in
trade s1.000,00O, or S25,000,O00 a
month";" says the New York Times.
"One-quarter of them, or about 10000
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 a good liv-
ing The railroads are purchasing
supplies at the rate of 100000 900, in
stead of l,250,000,000 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 S25,0O0000 a month
or S1,000,000 for each working day.
This decrease of the employees pay
roll is approximately the same amount
as the Governments daily deficit
at Washington. The Governments
deficit of $l,000,0OO is shared by the
entire population of $4,000 900 people
while the other $1,O00,000 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 of better days.
Il have been asked how the rail-
road men Will vote in November.
Frankly l do not know but | 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
adversely have prevented much suf.
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 onefourth of their mum,
They are thinking of their lost job
not worrying over foreign policies 81
tariffs on imports or how this Gov
e9Iment shall deal with the Philip.
pines, and such questions, which the
Go eminent 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, !
will not try TO say what they think
should be done but | do know that
they are listening for words of en-
couragement.
ITO 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 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 $780,
000 goo 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 Mr. Hoakum.
The railroad employee" he replied,
'is 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 We're. according to the Inter
State Commerce Commissions figures,
1,615.000 employees, and they received
Sl0I5 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 employee gets AZ cents
of II in wages. while the bond and
stockholders combined only receive
q 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.
forest in the railway revenues. and
are the ones who are now asking the
most pertinent questions. They have
more at stake than the owners. and
are just as capable Of deciding for
themselves and taking care Of their