Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1909-08-27
BIG RAILROAD CLUB
Aim Is to Further Legislation
For Benefit OF Workmen.
WILL PARTICIPATE IN POLITICS

Movement insugurated at Cleveland
O., to Organize 100000 Railway En-
pIoyess Of the United States-Con-
SAINT Of Road Chiefs Given.
A country wild. movement 20 organ
ize the i,JuOOUU railroad employees of
the United States into political clubs
was recently inauguratcd ut Cleveland,
U. Although the plans for extension
are still in u preliminary stage, II Is
said that some of the leading railroad
companies are behind the movement.
According TO the Origiuatnrs of the
plan, organizations will be formed ~
every important railway center IN the
United States for the purpose "l EJECT
| Ing men to the various state IeglNla-
lures and TO congress who viii further
legislation looking to the b"tierment
Of the railroad men aud work Ia re
peal any that is adverse to their al
terest.
| The movement is said to be- entirely
| distinct from connection with the pres
ept railway brotherhnuds, whose pur-
pose Is to look after the relations OF
the employees 10 their employers or
the American Railroad Employees and
Investors association, with headIuar-
ters In Chicago. The organization I'M
doubtedly will try to exert some lhllu-
ence in politics. and 1t is intended To
| lat l.
roads and their men.
Mann Pledge Their Support.
Cuyahoga county. o.. WAS selected
as the place to launch the movement
Seymour Davis, conductor on the
Lake Shore and Michigan southern
railway, Is one Of the prime movers OF
the project. aud he is being seconded
by Arthur L. Grills assistant station
master at the Cleveland Union depot.
Already more than 5000 of th" rail-
road men who live within the tuNa-
hoga county limits have pledged their
support to the movement. Nithin a
few days meeting OF these men VIII
be called. the entire plans Of the or
ganization will be laid before them.
and the Cuyahoga County Railroad
Mems Political cub will he formally
organized and Incorporated.
The approval and cooperation of the
officials of the railroads having impur-
tant offices In Cleveland have already
been obtained by the men who are
leaders In the movement. and it is de
clared that their active support has
been promised.
Purpose Of the Club.
The purpose Of the club is set forth
In the papers which those in the prof
ect are asked to sign. as follows:
We. the undersigned. railroad men. res
idents OF Cuyahoga county, o.. herebS
; propose the organization of the Cuydhogs
Railroad Mems Political club and agret
to become active members OF such asso
citation, the purpose OF which snail be tt
, secure united action on our part IN the
. nomination of fair and impartial men Il
executive and legislative offices. to urge
the enactment OF all measures of heneh
, to our common employment and TO WORT
for the defeat or the repeal of all ieglsa
ton hostile thereto.
The objects which 1t Is intended t
attain by the promotion of the organ
! ization are still further explained III ;
statement issued by Arthur T. GIRLS
who has long been active in CleveIant
city politics, In which he says:
I This movement is really a move
ment Of the common people, the work
ing people, to elect men who will rep
resent the interests of the workin;
$ classes 10 either their state legisla
n lures on in congress. men who vii
a have the backbone to resist the mon
eyed class I'm loading US down Will
;. taxes and the like.
: The railroad men are workinSmeu
men Of the common people. Living i
becoming more costly for them ever
day, and so we thought it was tim
for something to be done TO eject mel
r to office who would not forget the
owed their election 10 the workin
z people the minute they entered Til
a legislature and toady to the trusts
a The eagerneSs with which the 800
q signers to the pledges have put thei
names down seems to show that thi
a organization will fill long felt want
o To Go All Over Nation.
l. "As soon as this club is formal
8 launched In Cuyahoga county. whic
d will be within a few days, we Sha
e start similar clubs throughout tn
country. There are So many thou
D sands Of ralroaders in the Unite
i States that the organization of til
9 railroad mems political clubs is boun
:. to have a great deal of influence i
Q elections. and we mean to make thi
J. influence felt. to use 1t in the best il
= terests Of the common people Whe
We have our national orgaui2atiu
complete we shall be able to put hon
est, efficient men into office.
I'VE obtained the consent and NJ
proval of the railroad officials. @
course. before going after pledges.
Is our belief that our organization wi
be the first step in making he polit
q clans realize that 1t is the commo
people who govern elections and tina
the men whom they elect owe it t
them to serve their interests, not ,hos
Of the very rich Chicago RecorC
Herald.