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Show R. R. UNIONS FOR FREIGHT INCREASE. Hitherto the labor unions have always fought the railroads and other corporations as their enemies. Now the four big organizations of railway workers have set a new example by siding with the railroads. rail-roads. v; At a big convention they voted to urge the government to allow the railroads to increase their freight rates. Unless freights are increased, in-creased, they say, the roadroads cannot afford to increase wages. And if the railway business becomes stagnant, the hundreds of other industries in-dustries vhich depend on them will also suffer and many men will be thrown cut of work, they argue. 1 Instead of laboring to keep prices down, therefore, they have jumped to the support of the corporations which they have always before worked against. Higher freight rates mean higher cost of living liv-ing for everyone, but the railway employes begin to see that their interests and those of their employers are the same. And the consumer con-sumer must foot the bill. The railway unions have placed the matter before the president at Washington. They say that they will use their voices at the coming com-ing election to elect men who will carry out their plans. The presf-dent presf-dent has replied that the railroads will receive a "square deal," but he does not like this idea of being threatened. Many people think that the unions have made a great mistake in thus siding with the railroads as against the public and forcing1 the matter into politics. |