Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1916-11-04
han s2s4, 900, 900 to ,sos. ooo. 600.

creased SO that she, in spite of the
tremendous drain on her resources
exports more TO US than she did two
years ago. Unquestionably after the
end of the war. we shall be flooded
with goods from the other side.
Not only is the industrial organiza
ton of the European powers more eff
ficient than the world of commercial
production has ever been, or known
but some of those powers have entered
into a tariff protection alliance by
which they hope TO master their home
markets and the foreign markets OF
the world.
The British trade congress within
sixty days has passed tariff protee
ton resolution and abandoned their
historic free trade policy.
Friends. there will be lard times
then, difficult problems to meet in any
event. but there will be the very gray.
est crisis if the hard times are to be
met merely by the adroit elocution that
is the only weapon of the White House
today.
The Adamson Bill.
Now word to you men here as to
the Adamson bill-the law passed
without any investigation whatever. to
raise the wages of the men engaged in
work on the railways of the country.
1 very greatly respect the brother
hoods. I am very proud of the fact
that 1 myself am a honorary member
of the Brotherhood of Locomotive En-
gineers and Firemen. When 1 was
president it was my good fortune &c
stand by the brotherhoods. so TAR as
1 can recall, on every question where
they were concerned. I stood by them
because they were right. I said then
and I meant what 1 said, that just
as long as they were right I would
stand with them, but that I would
stand with no man whenever that man
was wrong
THE other day in Kentucky the
chairman of the meeting at which
spoke. the man who introduced rcc.
was himself d locomotive engineer. and
he reminded me of a couple of Incl
dents that occurred when 1 was presi
dent, which for the moment, had com
pletely slipped my memory, but which
came back to me as soon as he spoke
of them.
Toward fhe close of my administra-
ton, 1 twice had to use the power OF
the executive branch of the govern
ment on behalf of the railway en-
course of a suit to determine the con-
stitutionality of the workmen's COM
pensation act This law was opposed
by the railroads. 1 thought it an in
justice that law so signally benefit
ing the wage earners should be de-
cided at the expense solely of some
crippled man who would have against
him all the resources of a great cor
poration, able to hire the best trained
legal ability. Therefore, thru the at
torney general, 1 interviewed and the
government assumed the burden of the
suit and successfully maintained it
We now have the workmen's compensa-
ton act in interstate commerce, in con-
sequence largely of this act.
Cites L. & N. Case.
Shortly afterwards, toward the end
of my term, the Louisville & Nashville
railway announced to its employees
that it intended to make ten per cent
cut in their wages. This meant a very
serious blow to the men concerned,
and the possibility of far-reaching labor
disturbances. The officials OF the
brotherhoods came to see me about it.
1 decided that in such a matter the
public was gravely concerned and that
il such action were to be taken by the
railroads it was only just and proper
that there should be full investigation
by competent authorities who would be
able to tell US just what the railroads
were earning. what they could afford
to pay. and did pay their management
and their stockholders and what they
received in the way of rates and ex-
pended in the way of wages to their
employees.
In other words, 1 felt that we had
a right to know all of the conditions.
obtained by careful investigation, so
that the public and its governmental
representatives might be informed of
the equities in the case and in condi-
ton to take whatever action was
necessary. L accordingly directed the
chairman of the interstate commerce
commission to send experts down to
examine the books of the company and
in an open letter to the attorney gen.
eral 1 announced my intention under
the Erdman act of providing for an
investigation by disinterested and
Trustworthy men. The announcement
of this action put stop to the intend
ed move and the l. G N people in
formed their employees that there
would be no cut in wages.
It ask you to consider just what I
was doing. 1 was not prejudicing
their cases. / did not say there should