Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 85, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 January 1915 — LETTERS FROM OUR READERS [ARTICLE]

LETTERS FROM OUR READERS

The Wrong End. We have listened to the wail of the railroads. We have heard their organized ,S. O. S. They tell us that they cam no longer afford to give us the old two-cent per mile rate; that the installing of ihq signal-block system, the steel coaches, etc;, etc,, has caused them much extra expense. ■" -» ... 1 Is it not a fact that any thing that lessens the loss of life to the traveling public and the railway employes is also an economy financially to the railroads? Is there not more travel today than there was yten years ago? If the rate of travel expense is raised , from two cents to two and one-half cents per mile will it not mean that every factory hand, every day laborer that must from necessity ride to and from his work pay that much more for car fare every working day of his life? This also includes, widows and orphan children that are so employed. Is it true that all the Indiana railroads are discharging laborers and even threatening for some reason to close their shops for a time, as the Monon has already done? If so, it is only the old story told again. Now if these railroads are honest in their efforts to economize, why not begin at the other end and reduce the salaries of their army of high-priced officials? I am told that railway presidents in Indaina receive a salary in excess of the pay of the vice-president of the United States. 1 am told that even a railroad no larger than the Monon pays its president $25,000 per year in salary. This would mean more than SBO pei day, counting 300 working days in the year. Besides this you must remember there is a small army ot other high-salaried officials. Now 1 do not hear any proposal from these railroads to cut in two the salaries of these high-priced officials, but I do hear the proposal to force the poor day laborers, the widows and the orphans of this state to pay more for the privilege of a ride, and I hear they even threaten to turn out into the Minter's cold mechanics and factory men if this two and one-half cent rate is not made a law, ■' t _ We used to have a three-cent letter postage. Now the government gives us ji two-cent rate, and they do not ask for a raise either. Perhaps this government could run the railroads so that we could always enjoy the two-cent per mile rate or even less. , A short time ago the writer shijp ped a carload of live stock from Wheatfield to M.t. Ayr, a distance or 28 miles on one railroad only, the C. & E. 1. He enjoyed the sweet privilege of paying S3O freight for this short haul. It takes the •farm hand one month of labor to earn this amount, but it would not pay. the salary of a railroad president even one-half day.' Let the high-priced officials live in luxtfry and turn the factory men and the day laborers in the winter's cold. Is this economy?

EVERETT HALSTEAD.