The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-01-19
Quarter Million Of RailrOaders
Petition Commission to Grant
Higher Freights.
WESTERN LINES ADVANCE
WILL BE FURTHER DELAYED
Arbiters Want More Time to
Consider Equity of Pro
posed Additions.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1s.-Further
suspension Of the general advances in
freight rates by the western trunk
lines will be made today or tomorrow.
The interstate commerce commission
has suggested that the rates be sus-
pended from February l to March Is.
There is no doubt that this suggestion
will be accepted by the western car
riers, as it was by the eastern carriers
in order to afford the commission ade
quate time for consideration Of the
changes
Speaking on behalf of 100000 EN-
ployees actively engaged in railroad.
ing, p. H. Morrisscy, president of the
American Railroad Employees and In
vestors association, today presented a
formal statement to the interstate COM
merce commission in support of the
proposed advance in freight rates by
the railroads.
r. j. Dolan Of Chicago, general sec:
Brotherhood of Steamshovel Men, also
joined in the statement Scores of fa-
voring petitions from various branches
Of organized railroad labor were sub
mltted to the commission,
Employees Favor Advance.
In presenting the statement and pc
titions, Mr.. Morrissey said:
"These petitions and other expires
sions were secured without connivance
or coercion. They include both union
and nonunion men. They represent the
free expressions of the employees.
''lt might be urged.' suggested Mr..
Morrissey, "that these employees, not
having made a close investigation of
the financial situation, or an analysis
of the rate question, are not In posi-
ton to pass intelligently upon the
question.
the employees have good general idea
of industrial conditions in our country
and they have observed signs and con-
ditions which have impressed them in
a common sense way with the belief
that the railways are entitled to great
er compensation.
"In no other industry in our coun-
try is labor so largely employed as in
railroads, and there is none in which
so large a proportion Of gross earnings
goes directly TO labor.
Atwood Opposes Increase,
"The right of railway workers to
a voice on question that vitally con-
Germs his welfare cannot be denied; nor
can he remain disinterested when
theories are being exploited which in
volve his relation to his employer, his
safety, or the earnings that are the re
ward of the activities Of hSs brain and
Employees are vitally interested in
the earnings of the roads. 1t is the
concern of every man to know that the
institution which employs him is kept
in condition TO meet every obligation
to him. This may be styled selfish rea
sonine, but it is intensely human and
PRACTICAL -
An exhaustive argument against the
proposed advances in rates was sub
mitted by John II Atwood of Kansas
City, one Of the counsel for the ship
pers.
Laying down as promise that ii
was the duty of the government to es-
tablish interstate highways of com.
merce, he maintained that this duty,
as performed by railway companies,
was merely the exercise of delegated
power and that the authority so eNer
cised could be used only as the gov
arnment itself would use it.