Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-09-07
THE MEN, The R. R. AND THE PUBL Ic

The Santa F'e Railroad has refused
10 comply with the eight hour day and
the question will be before the courts
tor settlement. OF course, the Santa
Fe IS merely the test road in the test
case.
Ihls means that the matter will be
thTeshed out before the people. and
that the following months will furnish
course Of instruction and study for
the public thru the press reports of
Ike litigation
That the public will come TO con
c'usions, and that demands will be
made for certain Legislation to prevent
| a recurrence of the conditions which
| brought terror to the homes and rho
| shops and the factories Is sure. AS
| between the railroad managers and the
| men, their dispute is incidental twill be
| lost sight of in the case between the
people and the possibility OF future
contingencies of disaster.
In the years past railroads and their
agents had taken over the legislatures
Of certain states. In Iowa the repre-
sentauves Of the railroads. political
agents chosen for their ability s poiit-
lcal organizers, censored candidates
and practically controlled legislation
Those conditions brought about re-
volt Tho "a
railroad machine. 1t was from the ar
rogance Of those organizations CT
| special interests that lobbyist laws
were born, commissions created, ard
| the demand for restriction Of corpora
| ton activities in politics became a COM
nand. II grew from the nucle! of
states to a national questionable rate
law, with the fierce struggle that pre-
! coded its adoption by congress.
The people take over their own when
| conditions force their attention. What
ever we may may say or ina CINE az
to the influence of any and all organi-
cations, in the end the people of the
United States is the great collective
compelling force and the last court OF
| appeal,
So the organizations that have but
lately forced legislation upon the con-
greas Of a special character for a
| limited class have in the very act and
instance lost the power to coerce legis-
! ,ation by threat. That the so-called
| eight-hour law was enacted under alb
solute coercion is unquestioned. It
was choice between national disaster
and submission, and the result was
submission, humiliating to the last
degree TO the American people.
The public has lost sight Of such
justice as may belong with the wage
advance because of its humiliation OF
surrender and its resentment against
the buccaneering methods whereby the
advance was obtained.
Argument on the eight hour day,
pro and con, has been dropped. Dis
cussion Of the situation deals mainly
with the helplessness OF the country
against threats to throttle all business
and abolish all commerce unless the
demands of an organization whose
members, thru the accident Of employ
ment control the arteries of prosperity
are complied with Immediately and
upon set day.
Congress has jumped from fryine
pan into fire. The president and tn.
brotherhoods have had their way. Tn.
people who are to pay are formulating
their demand upon the same body.
congress is to set wage scale for Ont
class of men, it may set wage scales
for other organizations which,. by rea
son of opportunity and affliation will
those who hold opportunity, are stront