Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1910-09-30
union men BACK
UP EMPLOYERS.
Appeal to Taft to Allow RAIL-
roads to Raise Rates.
DEMAND A SQUARE DEAL


ness Toward Companies That Pay
the Wages-Represen $4,000 Work
men.
The most significant council of rail
road employees ever held in this coun
try instructed, at the Amsterdam
Opera House In New \ ork, the chiefs
OF the four great organizations of rail
road workmen to 60 to Washington
and appeal to the government of the
United States for a square deal to
their employers.
The meeting was characterized by
the brotherhoods themselves as the
most momentous since the first spike
was driven into the first road for these
reasons: 1T was the first out and out
pronouncement that the interests OF
employer and employees are Identical
1t was the first time the power of the
unions have ever united to back up
the railroad companies by going direct
to the government. 1t marked, as the
leadersSbf the brotherhood agreed, the
growth of spirit of fairness and mu
the wages 1t served notice that, while
the brotherhoods are not minded to be
tags for any political party, they in
tend to scrutiniZe the attitude of can
didates for Office particularly for fed
eral oflice) as to how employers as
well as employees shall be treated by
the lawmakers and law enforcers.
5000 Delegates Present.
Three thousand delegates, represent
ing the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers, the Brotherhood of Loco
motive Firemen and Enginemen, the
Order of Railway Conductors and the
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen
gathered at the Amsterdam Opera
House, listened to speeches from War
rem S. Stone. grand chief of the engi
neers; A. b. Garretson, president OF
the conductors; w. G.. Lee, president
of the trainmen; p. H. Morrissey, pres
ident of the American Railroad In
vestors' and Employees association; G.
H. Sines. vice president of the train
men, and other executives.
The delegates came with the au
thority from 100000 railroad workmeD
on sixty-three railroads east of the
Mississippi river. and they represent
ed 100000 voters dependent for
livelihood on the railroad companies
After a four hours conference they
addressed a memorial to President
Taft, the interstate commerce commits
sion and all national and state law
making bodies. The memorial contains
resolutions which support the proposal
of the railroad companies that they be
permitted to make a reasonable in
crease in rates.
The brotherhoods didn't take action
suddenly or tumultuously. The pro
posal to stand by the companies had
been talked over for several months
in all the lodges. 1t had been threshed
out thoroughly, and the delegates
came to the council with one idea IN
mind, that the employees were in the
same boat as the companies They
were In absolute harmony on all of the
principal points brought up at the
meeting. These were that:
Everything the railroads must buy
had gone up in price and the only
thing taat they sell has gone down.
The companies are required to make
a greater outlay every year for per-
fected service, safety appliances
wages and supplies.
The rates now permitted are too low
to enable the companies to make q
fair profit, pay fair wages or to con.
tinue to provide high class service to
the public.
The employees can obtain fair wages
only by supporting the Companies in
an appeal to the government to au
thoriZe railroad increases which ex
perience has shown to be necessary.
The companies need the backing OF
their employees, especially in view OF
the constant agitation of manufactur
ers associations, jobbers, middlemen
and politicians for still lower rates.