The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1915-02-19
FILE PROTEST
AGAINST BILLS
Mcdowell Editors Claim
Full Crew and Expert
ence Measures Are
Unfair

The following protest sgsinst the full
crew" and "exp~rience'' railroad bills
has been made to the railroad commit
tees OF the house OF delegates and the
senate 10y the publishers OF Tn, Nc
Dowell Times. weekly newspaper pub
'ished m the interest Of the colored citi-
zens of the coal fields adjacent tn the
Norfolk 4 Western railway: Charleston
q z.tte.
keystone, W. Va Feb =, 1915.
To the Honorable Chairman and Mem
hers Of the Committee on Railroads.
Charleston, w Va.
Gentlemen:-A A. the publishers Of The
McD"~eii Times. a newspaper published
IN ~bat - commonly called the -'Bl ack
Belt and which enters the homes Of
nearly 3.'D members Of the Negro race
I'm the stat, and a. one of tho two mouth
pieces Of the entire 6l,UDo Negro@- &C
West Virginia, We must humbly protest
against the passage OF the bills known
AS the Full Crew" and Experience"
bills
Among the reasons for this protest are
these:
FIRST. The passage Of the "Full
Grew Bill will force out of employment
one hundred or more Negro porters. in
order u give employment to one hum
dred or more white brakemen. The
railroad companies will not continue in
the service the porters, if they are con.
| ID..llpd In aur,l.v an .,t,t.,;.1t
which they consider all unnecessary ex
pense
| SECoND- Its passage will cause a cut
IN wages which will more seriously ef-
iect the Negroes on the y. < w railway
than any other class, because there Arr
more than three hundred of the lower
grades of work and the lower grades are
always the first u get a wage cut, and
the largest share OF the additional cost OF
extra brskemen and conductors will be
met by Reductions in their salary and in
dismissals
THIRD These bills were introduced
by the brotherhood which does not
permit Negroes doing the same class of
work 10 become memiers, and has re-
peAtedly attempted To entirely eliminate
Negroes from all branches of the railroad
service
rot kTil. The Experience Bill''
VIII place the employment Of labor upon
the railroads into the hands of the
brotherhood and. judging the future hy
the past. the Negro railroad employees
cannot expert a square deal at its
hands
FIFTH Under this measure the
brotherhood will be able 10 dictate th.
employment Of only It's members and can
iorce its demands by threatening a strike
The railroads would Ice az it's mercy be-
cause they would not be able under the
Jaw, To employ any but "experienced''
men, and enough 10 run the trains in
West Virginia could no: be obtained
outside of the Brotherhood. The ex-
perience r~cord is Kept 10y the Brother
P hood, but only Of lie membe.s.
: SMITH such words as Non pro-
notable applies only t. Negroes AND
competent and experienced t. whites
IN railroad parlance.
/, These measures are not delate by a
desire for safety nor are they necessary.
II Tire word Of many men of hong expert
enee in railroad employment - worth
anything aud every Negro IN the eI.,,I.,x
"f the railroads Of West Virginia are
Opposed 10 their passage. because the,
knO" the enactment vi such laws will
iorce them out II the railroad service in
this state, A. IL has done i'm ohio. Illinois
and other states which have such laws.
That any organization Of laboring mer,
which discriminate against other laborine
men because OF their color. that DECLARE.
any class or race the God given right of
earning living by the sweat Of their
brow should not h. encouraged in their
uniairne-s AMI Pr,Ju,iice by the ls-gisla
ture OF the grcGs state IT West Nirxinia.
eiect~d Q" protect tire rights Of all rAoe-.
classes aOd cDlors alike
We mOst RESPECTFULLY submit this pro-
TT. winch not only has the endorsement
81 the Negro employees Of the railroads.
cut Of every informed Negro m the state
81 West Virginia, and pray that you
honorable representatives OF al the Len
p.e VII give nritl'er Sid nor encourage
n'ent 70 20 unjua. unfair, uncalled for
aud unnecessary treasure
RESPECTFULLY submitted.
wHirrICO q HILL.
i'ublid.trs
J.. Edward It'll, Legislative Agent.