The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1908-06-06
RAILWAY EMPLOYEES PROTEST

RAILWAY EMPLOYEES PROTEST.
Representatives OF the Railroad |
Brotherhocds recently appeared be-
lore the state railway commission and |
protested against any further reduc- |
uon of freight rates, predicatins their |
protest on the ground that further
reduction in rates would result in !
reduction of wages. There are sew
eral reasons for believing the protest
well founded. That the railroads
could maintain the present rate of
wages and pay dividends on fair
valuation, even if rates were material
ly reduced. is undoubtedly true. but
experience has taught that they would
not IL may be possible under the
law TO force equitable freight rates,
but it is not possible under the law
10 enforce an adequate wage sched
ule- And experience proves that the
wage-earnsrs are the first to feel the
effects of a decrease in dividends and
the last 10 feel the effects of an in
crease in receipts A reduction in the
freight rates now means that either
the dividends must be decreased If
the wage scale is to be maintained,
OF the wage scale must be decreased
If the dividends are TO be maintained
And when it comes to question be
tween wages and dividends only I
Iocl would guess wrong.
Clearly, if business men have a
right 10 protest against an increase
in freight rates that would result in
decrease in their net receipts. the
railroad employees have a right to
protest against a reduction in freight
rates that would result in a decrease
in their wages True the railroads
might squeeze some of the water from
their stocks. but it might also be pos
Sible for some merchants to sen on a
smaller margin of profit If the mer-
chants and producers who would be
benefited by q reduction in the freight
rates would consent TO reimburse the
railroad employees for any consequent
reduction in wages, perhaps this mat
ter could be amicably adjusted. But
as long as the farmers and merchants
are protesting that the rates are too
high and that they ought to he re-
duced in order to afford them wider
margin Of profit, surely no fair-minded
man will undertake to criticise the
railroad employees who want no fur
Their reduction in rates for fear it viii
decrease their already meagre wages.
Pehaps the shippers VINO are COM
planning of extortinoate rates could
find relief more speedily if they quit
asking the legislature TO help them
cut and proceed to organize among
themselves. A little Investigation will
show them that the Railroad Brother
hoods do not ask the legislature for
wage scale. They have organized
among themselves. and by concerted
action have managed to at least main
tain a fair average of wages during
the last ten OF fifteen years 1t is
rot difficult to imagine what the wages
would be today if the engineers. fire
men. brakemen, conductors and
switcnmen were unorganized. A
glance at the wage list of the section
men. who are unorganized. and the
salary list of the clerks who are
apt to feel above organizing Just like
common workingmen," would doubt.
less be Instructive
The Wageworker believes the Rain
read Brotherhoods were clearly within
their rights when they protested
against any move that threatened a
reduction in their wages. If they fail
il is a sure thing that their interests
will not be looked after by the farm
erS. the merchants and the graiI
buyers. And in this Connection The
wageworker hopes that the present
situation confronting the Railroad
Rrotherhoois will convince the gentle
men entrusted with their affairs tina
they would be better on today hal
they been bound by ties of amlfariol
{ with some three million other work
5 ingmen- Through their refusal to n
| nliate with the American Federation
of Labor the Railroad Brotherhood
E have put themselves in q positio
d where they cannot hope for any pal
: ticular sympathy from the million
L engaged in other Industrial pursuit:
Having elected to stand alone tn
brosherhoods cannot complain if the
are left to fight this battle alone
9 Some of these days. perhaps. me
r Who work for wages win realize Ii
necessity of standing together regar'
II less of trade. politics or religion
n When that day comes the producer