Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-09-29

penses. X this proposed increase for a
FEW employees decreed by congress I'M
der pressure Of the president, is sus-
tanned by the courts. what will follow?
The city of New York is dealing
now with the first fruits of action
without consideration, something new
for congress, something new for a
president to ask OF congress. Where
will this end? Four men represented a
class. limited class, a we'll paid class,
a much better paid class than many
others in the carrying business. Con-
gress did not consider, and it has set a
dangerous precedent without know
ledge of all the facts, or any of the
facts. Fifty millions of dollars added
to freights and fares for few railway
employees, and those already the best
paid, without word about facts, tho
farmers to pay the bills.
WHO WILL COME NExTf
WHO Cd mes next to try this holdup
game on congress? Four men did 1t
this time. What a wrath now stalks
in the land. Roosevelt settled q coal
strike by appointment of a committee
to get the facts and find where justice
would rest and then arbitrate, with a
committee from several walks of life,
but OF broad minded men whose de-
cision satisfied the country and the in
terests affected. That is old fashioned.
The new method Is to threaten the
president with anarchy. hold a watch
on congress, scout such things as facts
and arbitration, hoist freights and
fares and snap your fingers at the peo-
pie. Who comes next, and for how
much.
THE eight hour day for all the rail-
way men is not what was demanded; It
was more pay for the well paid few.
The railway divisions are already
and can only be changed at
great expense. The trainmen have in
many instances purchased homes at
division points and a change would en-
tail great expense to them. The law
enacted will increase the compensa-
ton of members of the brotherhoods
about 20 per cent. About 20 per cent
Of all the railway employees will come
within the scope Of this law. 1t is
demand on the party by the brother
hood chiefs for the privilege of fixing
their own pay at the expense Of all the
lower salarL led employees. the shippers,
and the producers Of the country
POSITION OF FARMERS.
THE farmers are unorganized, unable
to restrict their labor to eight hours q
day, obliged to sell the produce of
their labor at prices affected by the
ordinary influences Of supply and de-
mand. 1t is entirely antagonistic to
their interests to have a small group
Of men employed by the railways al
lowed to fix their pay for carrying the
produce of the country at the cost OF
the producers and consumers. The
farmers as class have maintained
that the owners OF the railways must
not be allowed to make a monopoly of
but must permit their charges
to be supervised by public authorities.
They will no more submit to arbi-
trary action at the hands of the en-
ployes than at the hands Of the man
ayers.
THE controversy is not new. It has
been in the public mind for half CEN
tury. Congress. after long elaboration,
has established the interstate COM
rnerce commission to judge between the
people and the carriers. This has
brought peace on this subject until this
by few well paid employees,
and the retreat of the executive and
congress from their posts as guardians
Of the public veal.
THE farmers will be put under the
harrow later. A few million dollars
may be scraped from trackmen, clerks,
and the like, but only a be-
ginning has been made. 1t will not
stop there. The appetite Of the taxing
power grows on what 1t feeds upon. 1t
brought about the French revolution.
It invited Cromwell in England. 1t en-
battled the farmers in New England
who fired shots heard round the world
and resulted in our great republic.
will it destroy the republic? 1t has
compelled congress and the president to
enact a .subterfuge. Nothing so menac
ing has occurred in this generation. We
have had headstrong presidents and
foolish congresses. but never before
have they bowed down before so little
or started anything with such large
possibilities for far-reaching mischief"