Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-10-26
TAFT THE CHAMPION OF
ALL WAGE CUTTERS
CONTINUED from Page One.)

the decision cutting wages of railroad
employees, Of which the following are
extracts of his opinion:
"The employees have no legal rights
which are about to be violated by the
order complained of. If they
are not content with the wages, they
are not compelled TO accept theni and
may retire from his employment.
i Z They have no standing in
this court to call for an adjudication
of any rights. = TIE receiver
is the agent of the road in operating
the road. = Their appeal is
exactly like that of an appeal by an
employe to an employer, except that,
while an employer may be moved by
consideration of charity, the court is
limited in the exercise of its discre-
ton, to such action as may be consist
ent with the preservation of the prop
erty and its due administration in the
interests of those who own it, $
AS already stated, the order was made
with the court; ana, in the absence of
a strong showing TO the contrary, the
court must presume that the order was
well made The order must therefore
stand and so into force tomorrow.
federal Reporter. Vol. 62, page $500.
Contrary to Precedent.
Judge Taft's wage cutting decision
was contrary to precedent in federal
cases, fact that is driven home by
United States Circuit Judges Caldwell
and Sanborn, who in the case of Ames
ct al, VS.. Union Pacific Railway com.
pany ct al, from Colorado. dated Feb.
is, 1894, which decision was before
Judge Taft at the time. held that en-
ployes are entitled to just and reason
able wages. Their decision follows:
ut is suggested that upon this ques-
ton the court ought to be governed
by the recommendation of majority
| of the receivers. The suggestion is
without merit in this case, for several
reasons: Four of the five receivers
are not practical railroad men. and
are rot familiar with the subject. Two
| OF them are lawyers, residing in New
York; one a merchant, residing in
| Chicago, and one q railroad account
ant, having, doubtless, a thorough
knowledge of the books of the com
pany, but knowing nothing about the
wage schedules. These four gentle
men are eminent in the line of theil
professions and pursuits. and entirel,
capable of managing the financial af
l n 1x-Ii III
purpose they were doubtless selected
! but their opinions upon the subject O
wage schedules are confessedly of lit
tie value. The court shares in thei
anxiety to have an economical admin
listration of this trust, to the end tina
those who own the property end hav,
liens upon it may get out of it wha
is fairly their due; but, to accomplish
this desirable result, the wages of tn,
mon must not be reduced below a rea
lsonable and just compensation 70
Their services. They must be pal,
fair wages though no dividends ar
lpaid on the stock and no interest pal,
on the bonds. (Fedcral Reporter, vo
62, page 10Y. The recommendation o
the receivers to adopt their schet
ules cannot be accepted by the cour
for another reason. That schedul
was adopted without affording to tn
men or their representatives any OF
portunity to be heard s. 7@ TIL
men could have small hopes of fai
and impartial hearing after the recei,
ers had prepared new schedules be
hind their backs which were declare
by the receivers and the court to
| 'prima facie. just and reasonable
This was very much like first hangin
man and trying him afterwards
Whatever MAJ be the legal right of
railroad corporation to reduce tn
wages of its employees or discharg
them in body. without giving Their
an opportunity to be heard, a court Q
equity will not act in that manner o
approve the action of its receiver
who have acted in that manner. L
the opinion of the court, the allow
onces made by the schedule now II
force are just and equitable. The en-
ployes, with families to support, ar
seldom more than few days wage
in advance of want; and If their pres
ent wages were materially reduced
they could not live The highest an