Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1908-08-19
EMPLOYEES
AND REPUBLICANISM
Chairman YOkum Tells What
COnfrOntS Them.

New York, Aug. 18.-(SpeciaD -
Railroad employees, according to B.
F. Yoakum, Chairman of the Executive
Committee of the Rock Island Frisco
lines, are losing every day through
the present depression in trade
$1,OOO,OOO a day, or $25,OOOOOO a
month. One-quarter of them, or
about 100000 men, are out of employ
ment and are living on their rapidly
diminishing savings They will not
forget this on election day, Mr.. Yoa-
kUm says.
Construction on 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
living The railroads are purchasing
supplies at the rate of $500,000:a00 in
stead of $1,250,000,000 a year. These
facts, Mr. Yoakum believes, will have
a marked influence upon the political
situation at the November elections.
Mr.. Yoakum has been speaking late
ly in Texas and st. Louis. and urged
taese that the most important ele-
ment in the present industrial condi-
tions was the enormous losses in
wages and the stagnatien caused by
the stoppagc of the development of
the country. He has considered this
phase of the present crisis deeply.
Being asked how he believed the
railroad men of the country would
vote, Mr. Yoakum would give no di-
rect answer, but left the reply to in
ference after stating conditions. He
evidently does not believe they have
any reason to support the Republican
ticket.
In speaking of the effect of hard
times on the railroads, Mr.. Yoakum
said:
Hard items are now costing rail-
road employees $25,000000 month or
$1,000,000 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 de-
ficit of $1,000,000 is shared by the
entire population of S5,000,0000 peo-
pie 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 400, 900 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,
II have been asked HON the rail-
road men will vote in November
Frankly | do not know, but | be-
lieve I know of what they are think
ing. They are thinking of the next
Winters fuel, clothing bills, and keep
ing their children in school. They
are wondering what will be done to
remedy the present industrial condi-
tions and stop the appalling loss from
enforced idleness.
THE more than a million and a
half of former railroad workers have
in mind that one-fourth of their num-
ber are out of jobs or on short pay.
They are thinking of their lost Jobs
not worrying over foreign policies or
tariffs on imports, or how this oGv-
ernment shall deal with the Philip
pines, and such questions, which the
Government authorities and Congress
must deal with
The railroad employees are more in
terested 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 ears, 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