The Cape weekly tribune. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1914, 1914-10-16
RAILROAD MEN
CAMP AIGNINCFOR
FULL CREW Law
Measure Passed By Legisla-
ture and Approved By Ma
i0r to Be Voted On Oct. 3.
RAILROADS FIGHTING
TO DEFEAT MEASURE
Statute Was Upheld By United
States Supreme COurt---Chaffee
the Battle Ground.

Chaffee, Oct. 14-Railroad men liv-
ing in this city especially brakemen,
are making a thorough campaign of
Southeast Missouri in an effort to get
the people to approve the "Full Crew"
law which was passed at the last ses-
sion of the State Legislature.
The measure passed both branches
of the General Assembly and was
signed by Governor Major, but the
railroads, under the initiative and
referendum, are submitting the ques-
ton to the people for their approval
or rejection, and the measure will be
voted upon at the coming election.
This county is the home of many
hundreds of railroad men and they
have induced candidates for office to
champion their cause. Railroad men
in this city are optimistic over the
outlook, but they are not permitting
the belief that victory awaits them to
cause them to become overconfdent.
C. Wadlow, and John Taylor are
really in charge of the campaign here,
but among those who are actively
working for the measure, are, J. Nor
ris, A. B. Carter, A. E. King, E. Smith
and E. j. -Herold. Edgar Summers, a
son of the sheriff of Cape Girardeau,
is handling the work in Cape Girar-
deau.
Some of the reasons given for the
passage of the "Full Crew" measure,
and which are being sent to the voters
of Southeast Missouri, are contained
in the following document:
Roalroad trainmen, not including the
engineers, firemen, and a large per-
centage of conductors, have paid out
in the State of Missouri since Janu-
ary l, 1890, the enormous sum OF
S1,215, 100000 to members Of their or
ganization who have died or to fam
lilies of members who have been killed.
This sum of money is not the only
class of employment. And these men
are asking the people of Missouri to
vote for the "Full Crew Law" which
will do much to prevent accidents and
deaths largely caused by the fact that
the trains are undermanned.
This sum of money is not to only
tax that is put upon the trainmen
They are also compelled to pay assess
ments each month for the maintenance
of railway hospitals; which are not in
cluded IN the above amount.
It has been assumed by many that
the railway hospitals are maintained
bv the railroads for the benefit of the
employees. On the contrary, the hos
pitals are maintained by the employees
who are assessed certain part OF
their salary every month, which in the
aggregate amGnts to tremendou:
sum annually.
Did you know that every seven min
utes a railroad man is killed or wound
ed?
1t is fact of record.
Did you know that the trainmen o
Missouri have dug down in their owl
pockets and paid out $1,215, ,000.0'
since January /, 1890, to assist th'
wounded, to bury the dead and reliev'
the hunger of widows and orphans
thus diverting this enormous sun
from the ordinary uses of commerce
You may think this does not affec
you But it does, unless you are i
the coffin or wooden leg business.
If the lives and limbs of these me
could be saved, the thousands of do
lars that are paid out to alleviate tn
suffering and for funeral expense
would be spent by the men who ear
the money, for the comforts their fan
lies need.
You may think the railroad traiI
men can afford to lose this sum.
You think, perhaps, they are wei
paid individuals.
The truth is this:
The railroad trainman's pay ave-
ages in Missouri just % cents pt
hour for his skilled labor, and if /
ever makes enough money to clotf
and send his children to the publ