The morning journal-courier., 1908-03-16
SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS.

SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS.
 It may be an exaggeration to as- sert that the evidence begins to mul- tiply showing decided tendency on the part of the country to modify somewhat the aggressive and radical attitude of halls of legislation towards public service and interstate com merce agencies. but it is not an ex- aggeration to say that more temper has set in. It is not so much a ques- tion of the public suddenly desiring to back out from the task of punish ing evildoers as it is a question of the public facing the inevitable conse- quences of a government policy which is not thought clearly out. It Is not a question of the sincerity of Presi- dent Roosevelt's purpose, but a ques- tion of the intelligence with which thte crusade is being carried on. Now that the hand of depression rests heavy upon the business interests of the nation. men are finding that mod eration in prosecution Is essential to a permanent cure; that yearning desire to treat all evildoers alike, while 1t Is creditable, should not con fuse the only effective measures which can be used to promote business in tegrity.
 Dispatches from Washington state that there has been a marked change in the attitude of. organized labor to- wards proposed railroad legislation. Five chiefs of national organizations of railroad employees are in that city seeking to counsel the congress of the United States to move slowly in the task set it of batting the railroads of the country further than they have been baited. They fear that the re- suit of too much government control and direction will be reduced reven- ues, which in words of organized la- bor spells reduced wages for the, em- ployes. They are reported as saying that the railroads are seriously em- barrassed in attempting to live up to the present wage scale and that the organized employees are opposed to any legislative enterprise which will increase that difficulty. There are twenty-five bills before congress seek ing in one way and another to furth- CT regulate the business of rail- road management, and the labor chiefs see in them the likeli- hood of their becoming new source of injury to them and their associa- ates. In other words, it is all we'll enough to bait the railroads of the country as phase of political agta- ton, but when batting takes the shape of legislation of an interfering character the undertaking strikes at the pocket nerve of all who are en- gagged in the railroad business, the stockholders. the officials and the em- ,Iayoa. po ono avoopao Tho onprao ton is so close between a righteous measure of independent management and prosperity that to disturb it means lower means of subsistence It has from the first been inevitable that sooner or later the labor chiefs would see and realize this connection; it is significant in the highest degree that they should journey to Washington and testify voluntarily to it's impress sive and burdensome existence.
 President Mellen is quoted as say ing that if the present depression con- tinues additional steps will have to be taken to protect the property of which he is the administrative head. The New Haven company has al- ready considerably simplified its ser vice. It is running fewer trains, pas senger and freight, than it has run in a long time It has discharged a large number of men for whom it has no need. It has cut the wages of the salaried men of the first and second class. beginning with the president and stopping with those in receipt of less than two thousand dollars year. If this proves to be insufficient the next steps must be in this order: First. a reduction in the dividend rate; there is no moral law which jus tifies the common immunity of stock holders. Second. an increase in the carrier rates, legitimate source of additional revenues. Third. a cut in the rate of wages paid. As busi- ness proposition this method of meet ing depression cannot be disputed Nay more, it is the only fair method that can be suggested because t puts the burden first on the shoulders of those best able to bear 1t and post pones the imposition of the burden upon the shoulders of those least able