The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1910-06-18
WILL RAILROADS GET
MORE time IN WHICH
TO SlAY EMPLOYEES

WASHINGTON. d. c., June H.
While the daily press is devoting con-
siderable space to the sham battle be-
tween the government and the rail-
roads over the increased freight rates,
representatives of the railroad broth
erhoods and the companies, now in
Washington, are a9gressively engaged
in bitter fight over the outcome OF
com otfve boi1ers u - =
p This bill issnot very imp portaihtt s4to}
the 'newspa pers. -: It only provides far
the saVing of human life. NJ: :,
But to the: railroad workers and.
their wives and children this measure
is the most important piece of legfs-
lation pending before congress, And
to the railroad companies this bill
means less profits. ~
Quick to take advantage of. every
opportunity, the supporters Of the
boiler inspection bill with the aid Of
Senator La Toilette availed themselves
Of the excited situation in the senate
when the insurgents were trimming
and disfigurlng the railroad rate bill,
and drew promise from. Senator
Elkins, chairman of the committee
on interstate commerce, that the
measure desired by the railroad work.
ers would be favorahly reported by.
his committee.
Another strange turn in the course
of the boiler inspection bill in the last
few days was the unexpected an
nouncement Of Senator Kean, of New
Jersey, that he will vote for the bill.
Senator Kean has lately received
great deal of unpleasant notoriety in
the labor press for the little game he
played in holding up this bill in the.
committee. ':~';'*' =
But the railroad lobby is on the
job. This is the way they are meeting
the sudden turn Of affairs, according
tc one of the legislative representa-
tives of the railroad brotherhoods:
THE plan was to knock the bill in
the head in the senate, and the house
was given no marked attention by the
gentlemen Of the railroads. Thinking
that things were fixed to kill the bill,
many regulars did not hesitate to
write their constituents that they
would support the bill. So the game
Of the railroads now is a play for
time.
'They now turn to the house COM
mittee and ask for further hearings
They also advocate that the interstate
commerce. commerce: commission
make an investigation to. advise con-
gress as to whether or not the bill is
necessary. . -. =
1.-The first hearing before the house
committee began January 2s. If a
research was wanted, why did they
not ask for it then? The report
would be in by this time. It's game
| of put-off, that's ALL"
Now that the railroad lobby is ap-
pealing Of the house committee on in
terstate commerce for delay. Repre-
sentative Mann. of Illinois. chairman
Of the committee becomes the ,"man
Of the hour 1t appears now that
| this lieutenant Of, Cannon favors the
railroads play for time, although dur
| ing the time. the senate committee
was fixed, he gave out the impress
sion that he would support the boiler
inspection bill. ~ + Is. i ,z.s.
| The other day word was received
from Edwardsville. ILL.,, that an engine
Ton the Troy and Eastern railroad blew
UP, and that the engineer and fireman
and q switchman were killed. These
fdaily fatalities are the reasons why
tthe railroad workers want the bill for
government inspe ton OF loco.botive
boilers @ passed during the present ses-
sion Of congress- q They ask: :5sI i.
| VIII Mann give the railroads more
time to- carry a on this rut hless
slaugh 3