Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-12-18
Southern Pacific Does Not Per-
nit Its Men to Run for Office
Without First Filing Resig-
nations.
DEMERIT SYSTEM is
BONE OF CONTENTION
Men Dislike Rigid Rules En-
pIoyed Putting Into Effect
Safety First" Policy of
Railroad Company.

Chicago, Dec. l1.-The engineers
who have been testifying for a week
before the railroad wage board of
arbitration, passed from the scene to-
day and the stories of the fremen and
hostlers began. Witnesses told of the
81 "a day earned by Chicago hostler,
and the SO a day by n Texas fireman.
who said he got most Of il shovellng
COAL
Politics, in which Il was intimated
that the railroads curtail the civic
rights OF the men, figure In the pro-
ceedngs
Wanted No Officescekers.
Warren $. Stone. representing the
engineers as counsel, read into the
record the case OF j. c. Conklin, a
railroad employe OF Tucson. Ariz.
conklln's friends wanted him to run
for sheriff. Stone said, but he was
compelled to withdraw when he re-
ceived u letter from a superior stat
ing that IL he desired the office, he
must resign from the road. He spoke
of another case where a Southern Pa
cific engineer had been a member of
n school board for fifteen years. but
was compelled TO resign by his em-
ploycr.
That" said Stone. was in the
days when the Southern Pacific car
ried California around in its pocket.
When the state wriggled out, the rail-
road concluded they did not want any
of their men in the game either.
Candidacy Against Rules.
Another case was that OF H. T..
Cole. who aspircd to the Nevada leg,
islature. Stone said, but was Informed
by the Southern Pacific management
that il was against the rules. H. Q.
MARTINI n fireman of Clovis. y. NJ.
and employed by the Santa Fe. testi-
fled that similar pressure prevented
one Nichols, conductor on the Pc
. cos division Of the road. from seeking
re-election to the Texas legislature
John Hanly OF Chicago was the last
of the engineer witnesses. He testi-
fled as to conditions on SUBURBAN
roads. He leaves his bed at 5.5o
o'clock i'm the morning every day In
the week, he said, and gets back nome
around Z o'clock al night lie earns
Sl4l month
While he was on the stand there
was quite a debate between stone
and w l.. Park, vice president OF the
Illinois Central and a member OF the
board of arbitration. Stone stated that
the southern Pacific was very severe
IN the innictlon of demerit marks
against cngincmcn. Park pointed out
that this road prides itself on com
parative freedom from accidents thal
the road last year showed the best
record in this respect of any OF forty
two roads in competition Tor the
Hartman safety first prizes, ana
that the railroads had been criticized
by the Interstate Commerce commls-
sion on the ground that much loss
of life on railroads was due to disfe-
gard of rules by employees stone
replied that the men merely want
square deal' and that, as matter
Of self preservation, safety mrs. ID
the primary article in their creed.
Martin, the New Mexican iireiiiali'
told Of the experiment of the santa
Fe in putting in an assistant hrenla''
10 helm one OF their big engines up "a 2
scventy-one-mile grade In Texas, ~
said the company saved money py ~
as the assisted trains were NOT oelas ,
ed and overtime money saved lfu,,' .nn
tho whole crew more than onset Tue
wages Of the assistant