The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-12
Illinois Central Follows Suit in
Employees Petition.
Officials Enlist Trainmen in
Effort to Convert Passengers.
AN APPEAL TO 10000.
President Winchell Furnishe,
Argument in Article.
Other Items of General Interest
in Traffic World.

Chicago Aug. 12.-PassengefS travel
irg over many of the leading railroad
systems soon may be entertainec. ca
route by dissertations from the con-
ductors and other train employees on
the advantages to be derived from al
lowing the reads to advance freight
rates if the advice of prominent rail-
way executives to their employees is
followed.
Strong efforts are being made to en- :
list the efforts of the rank and file of
railroad men in the rate propaganda. In
a pamphlet just circulated among the
40, 0O0 employees Of the Illinois Central
ty Vice President w. L. Park an ap-
real was made to the employees to
study the railroad question and discuss
it among themselves until thew are
thoroughly converS2nt with the actual
conditions from the financial viewpoint.
Having done this each employee was
urged 20 try to convert during the
course of a year three or four men who
are now opposed to the railroads.
Conductors Can Make Converts.
The conductor can make a friend
quite frequently of an entire stranger
nv showing him a little extra atten-
tion," Mr.. Park declared, and he added
that this was quite true also of the
agent and station employees who daily
come into contact with the public.
In dd lition to other such pamphlets
circulated by the roads many railroad
presidents are making use of the COL
umr S of the various employees maya
zines maintained by the larger railroad
systems to convey their rate argu-
ruents and the employees are urged to
circulate the ideas expressed.
The latest argument of this kind is
a brief article from the pen of B. l..
WinchelI, president of the Frisco sys-
tenn which occupies the first page Of
the Frisco Man for August, just is
sued. Mr.. Winchell takes the position
that if the roads increased their unit
prices for transportation they could
employ more men. Incidentally, he
criticises some CT the figures useG by
shippers.
b. l.. WinchelI's Argument.
Think this over he urges. 1T may
interest the business men if you tell
them that the railroads had 10000
fewer men on the pay roll in 1909 than
in 1907. They surely want these 1884,
900 men to earn and spend money.
Some of our friends do nlt use fig
ures fairly, but most of them do not
mean to be unfair; they don't know or
don't think. A good deal has been said
about the enormous Increase in net
earnings of the railroads for the fiscal
year ended June 30, 1909 1t is widely
stated that the increase was over 93
million dollars, without any IurlHer
facts.
ASK the next man who mentions
this fact if he knows that the compare
son was made with the figures of the
poverty stricken year 1908; ask him if
he knows that compared with the year
1907, there was an actual decrease in
net earnings of more than 10 millions,
and that but for the actual retrench-
ment Of expenses resulting in TO work
for some and in lcssened work for 9th
ers, closirg Of shops, decreased pur-
chase of rails and ballast, etc, the de-
crease, compared with 1867. would have
been a great deal more serious. The
operating expenses of the roads were
decreased $133, 000,0 900.
Railroad Earnings Decrease.
THAT is to say, the population and
general development of the country in
creased is or 20 per cent from 1907 to
1909, but railroad gross earnings fell off
$l46.000,000, and net earnings decreased