Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-12-05

dare not drive nail in the houss where l
live, put up a shelf or change a closet par
tJiOn."
And if it were my house shouldn't want
you driving nails in IL. either | replied
Moreover, my friend, a woman in the next
block has just told me that one Of the de-
lights of Pullman life is the care the COM
pany exercises in repairing the houses
Everything is done promptly and perfectly
she tells me. Send word to the office, and
within an hour the wOrkman-plumber, car
penter OF gasfitter-will be on hand No
waiting for days and days, no fighting with
the landlord
But Pullman makes me sign an iron clad
lease, in which hs has all the rights and |
none. He takes my rent out Of my wages
every month, too
The lease you sign Is Just such q one as
have TO sign in Chicago And as for the
rent, you want to pay it when it is due, do
you nOtH
These are samples Of the petty complaints
occasionally heard. More worthy Of atten-
tiOn Is the objection to the Pullman idea Of
controlling everything. The residents have
no voice in local matters. There are no home
politics, no caucuses, no town meetings
Pullman attends N all affairs Of local gov
ernment and consults only his own wishes
This state OF affairs, ny the critics. as un-
American. Il destroys citizenship What
the people" Pullman answers with q chal-
lenge 10 show wherein he does not well Use
his power. 1T Is true he says, that | am
master here, but do | use my authority arbi-
trarily, am unjust, am l negligent or indif-
ferent to the affairs Of my peOplei Would
things be any better IL we had local politics.
with the corruption, eItrsvagance and mis-
management surely foliowingi In managing
this city pursue business principles through
out Ny interests are identical with those Of
the tenants
Even the critics are compelled to admit
that Pullman is Just and proper governor
Things go right and not wrong. When they
go all wrong il will be time 20 condemn the
controlling power. But Of those who indulge
III the sentinentality that Pullman Is . fail
ure because the public affairs are not man
aged through the town meeting. the caucus
and the ballot box-because citizenship Is re
pressed-let me ask what proportion of work
ingmen in any community really enjoy voice
i'll local government How much better than
Pullmanism is that citizenship which gives
10 a clique Of pot house politicians the actual
control Of things, and which fastens upon the
public treasury . coteris Of chronic leechesl
How many workingmen in so-cailed self
governed cities find benefit to their purse.
betterment OF their morals, increase of con
tent or happiness in their associations with
politiciansi II may be un-American TO say
so, but in local affairs. except where things
are going all wrong and Tweed ring is 10
be broken up, the precious right Of suffrage
Is largely delusion ard a farce Politics
too often means absence from home, neglect
OF work, indulgence and idleness. Pullman
is fortunate III having no local politics, mas
much as the one politician Is business man
The only voter, the only taxpayer, the auto
Crat Of the town, a man whose interest in the
towns prosperity and in the proper manage
ment OF its affairs is at least equal to that Of
all others combined am not recommend
ing a mOnoCrncy for New York, Chicago,
Kansas City, St Paul or Buffalo In Pull
man 1t Is a positive benefit TO all concerned
a hardship TO none The social organization
OF Pullman is such that the mouocrat or
whoever represents him must use his best
skill and energy TO keep all at work, all well
paid, all content, all healthy, all happy
Failure to do this is his own failure and ruin
In this sort OF union there lies the strength Of
the Pullman idea.
The critics have said that there was discon-
tent i'll Pullman. In what community is
there not discontent' Human nature is the
same everywhere, and there is no heaven on
earth A dozen visits 70 Pullman and gen
eral conversation with ies inhabitants of all
classes have failed TO disclose to me any evil
dences Of unusual discomfort Some woyk-
men growl at their wages and at the foreman
and the company" But l have seen such
GROWERS in all factories. A few women COM
plain that their houses are not as nice as they
thought they were going TO be, but com
plants Of the landlord are by no means un-
usual even in the happiest OF towns which
are anything but "Sn-American.r
| wish to make the statement as emphatic
as possible that there is in Pullman more gen
uine content amo~g men, women and chill
dren than in any other community Of tenants,
poor or well to do, with whose social life
am familiar
The critics are mistaken There Is no des-
pOtisIn in Pullman, no unusual discomfort.
But-and here the critics who set down Pull
man as failure may prick up their ears
there are no home owners. Here is the secret
Of the little bit Of dry rot that has erept into
this social organization The Pullman me-
chanic, who made one good step forward by
getting away from politics and pot houses,
now desires to make another BY getting a
home of his own. In large community Of
money saving workers il would indeed be
surprising il there were not many with the
homestead ambition. Repression Of home
owning is indeed un- American and one OF the
defects OF the Pullman idea as originally put
in practice. But Pullman has already per
ceiyed this, AMI glad to announce, and has
already applied the remedy. Just across the
railway tracks from that pretty station 40
acres Of ground have been plotted and put
upon the market The tenants and operatives
over the way arc rapidly buying lots, and
already some have erected their own houses
The company has also built a number Of
houses, to be sold upon the instailment plan,
with an insurance feature added II pur-
chaser dies after making but partial payment
upon the home the debt is Cancelled and the
widow becomes owner in full This oppor-
tunity for home getting gives to Pullman the
last requirement Of social perfection, as social
in An
critics are wrong, and Pullman is a success
WALTER WELLMAs
Not to He Hurried.
One day Beauregard, with several lesser
Il.