The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-02
Will Result in the Employment
of More Operators.
EFFECTIVE MARCH 4.
Small Stations Will Be Without
Telegraph Service.
Will Result in Temporary In
convenience to Public.


comply with the provisions Of the nine
hour law. The operation of the law will
mean the employment by railroad COM
panies Of several thousand additional
operators and the closing of a large
number Of small stations on the prin-
cipal systems. Disseminating OF rail-
way service at many points, 1T is
thought will induce at least temporary
inconvenience to travelling and shipping
public in order to reduce operating ex-
penses, which now seems necessary; the
operating officials Of railways believe
this the only way that they possibly
can meet the situation with which they
are confronted.
During the hearing of applications
for an extension of the nine hour law
by the interstate commerce commission
some astonishing statements were MADE
by the operating officials of important
railroads. A good many lines owing to
a reduction in their revenues and to
their inability to command the cash
necessary to meet their pay rolls have
been forced during the past four months
almost to the point of asking for re-
ceivers. In the opinion of railway Off
Gals expressed at the hearing under
oath and in private conversation this
condition does not seem to have been
due to enforcement Of regulatfve laws
or to the incapacity Of railway manage
ment. Most Of the railway officials at
tribute the difficulty to the unfortunate
banking situation which developed last
September. The railway did not feel
the stringency in money until the first
OF November; In fact the month of Oc-
tober was one of the best in the history
of the business of American railroad
ing.
Then without the slightest warning"
nv,6
eral manager Of the Rock Island ex-
pressed it, I'VE were plunged from
prosperity to adversely. A year ago our
system could not handle the traffic Of
fered us. Today we have 1000 idle
cars. Five months ago we suffered
suffer from a congestion of empty cars
What is true of the Rock Island is
true also Of scores of other railroads.
One railway official ventured the state
ment that in the country today there
were 100000 idle freight cars and one
line which he instanced was declared to
be hauling empty cars backward and
forward because 1t had not yard room
or sidings to accommodate them.
Not a single official of single rail-
way line who appeared before the COM
mission, expressed the belief that the
present industrial depression would be
lasting. In the testimony of nearly ev-
cry witness before the committee there
was a note of confidence because nearly
every one of them practically believe
the stringency in the money from which
the country has suffered Is not due to
fundamental causes. They point out
that the crops were good last year;
prices excellent; that industrial enter
prises throughout the country were
f1ourishing. 1t was merely the inability
to command ready cash and the hoard
ing of money by panic stricken indf-
t,I, sud f11<t
remarkable depression from which all
have suffered. They practically uni
forrnly express confidence that the re-
turn of prosperity will be almost az
sudden as was the coming Of adversely
and in their arguments as to the en-
forcement of the nine hour law they
pointed out to the commission that such
a return of prosperity might seriously
embarrass them in complying with the
law, because it would render 1t difficult
to command the services OF competent
operators in sufficient numbers to meet
the needs of prosperous conditions.
With four or five exceptions no import
ant railroads in the country have indf-
Gated any intention to reduce the wages
of their employees. AS Chairman Knapp
Of the interstate commerce commission
expressed it:
$50 far as I am informed, there is no
concerted action on the part of the
American railway companies to reduce
wages Instances Of an intention to
change the scale Of wages have been
given but they can be said to be In no
sense general
Such railroad companies or their en-
ployes as may take advantage Of the
Erdman act to secure the mediation Of
the chairman of the interstate COM
MERGE commission and the commission
er Of labor will be accorded every OPP
portunity fairly to present their case to
the government officials 1t will be the
effort of Chairman Knapp and Prof.
Neill anicably to adjust the differences
between the companies and their en-
p1oyes Their efforts will be purely con-
ciliatory as aboard arbitration. Any
decision which they may reach In
given case will not be binding upon
either party to the controversy. They
expect however, to be able to adjust
such differences as may be presented to
them. on the facts now in their possess
sion. without serious difficulty.