The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1911-12-08
LAFOLLEHE ON RAILWAY MEN
Paws This Class of Workers A Richly De-
served Compliment

tanned from quotation from the Con
gressional Record of May IA, 1906,
when his amendment to the railroad
rate bill, which was then pending, was
offered. Mr.. LaFollette said:
Mr.. President, in legislation for the
protection OF railway employees certain
elementary facts should be considered.
The employment is an extra hazardous
one. From the very character OF the
business a railway employee is at the
mercy of every other employee with
whom he works. He can exercise no
choice of association. He is bound to
work with his co-employee, whatever
his character. He is part of a system.
He may be placed in great jeopardy
through the carlessness Of fellow
servant, and yet be compelled to ac-
cept the risk, or imperil others whose
safety depends upon his self sacrifice.
The personal safety and lives OF
the public and the property OF the pub
lie depend upon the fidelity and cour-
age OF men employed in the railway
service. The proper safeguarding OF
railway employees is matter OF public
. Al
concern. 1t is plain proposition that
in proportion as the liability OF the rail-
way company is increased, for the acts
and defaults of its officers, agents, and
employees, in that degree will be Sc
cured greater diligence and care upon
its part, and hazard to the public thereby
lessened."
That amendment failed Of adoption,
but later in that session Mr.. LaFollette
secured consideration of and forced to
passage an employers liability bill ap-
licable to those employed on railways
engaged in interstate commerce.
In the closing days of that session
Mr.. LaFollette forced to consideration
his bill to limit the hours of men en-
ployed on railway trains engaged in in
terstate commerce. He held the floor
one whole afternoon, compelling roll
call after roll call to determine whether
the senate would take his bill for con-
sideration. Each time the roll would
be called upon the question the vote
would disclose an absence of a quorum.
The vice president, Mr.. Fairbanks,
would gravely announce: No quorum
is present. The secretary will call the
roll.' The roll would be called and
quorum disclosed, only to melt away
into the cloak rooms when the yeas
and nays were again called. Five
times that afternoon there was call Of
the roll to determine the presence of
quorum, and 1--WE times there was a
vote taken upon the question of agree
ment to the motion to take up the bill
for consideration. 1t was agreed to
upon the last roll call.
In the course of the debate which
followed Mr.. LaFollette said:
THE railways have asked again and
again for legislation placing reasonable
limit upon the number of hours of con-
tinued service beyond which they shall
not be required to run trains. 1t is
argued that it can be left to contract
between the railway companies and
their employees. Every man who is
at all familiar with the relations existing
between railway employees and their
companies knows perfectly well that
whenever an engineer is called to take
out his engine, whenever the call is
made upon the train crew, no matter
whether they have been on duty to the
limit of human endurance, with scarcely
an hours rest, they must respond to
that call. Shey cannot argue the mat
ter with the railroad company. They
cannot refuse to 60 out. This legisla-
ton is demanded because it is just to
faithful, intelligent, and courageous
army of men and is reasonable in its
terms.
Furthermore it is demanded be-
cause the public is deeply interested.
1t is vital to all who travel that the men
who operates the railway trains of this
country are in the best physical and
mental condition. With scarcely an
exception, every afternoon as the hands
Of the clock point to the hour of five
some senator rises to entreot those in
charge OF legislation for an adjourn
nent Thew find themselves weary