Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-12-12

"Whv," said one of the GROWERS 10 me, II
dare not drive n nail in the house where |
live, put up shelf or change closet par
titiOn.'
"And If il were my house | shouldn't want
YOU driving nails in il, either | replied.
"Morcovcr, my friend, a woman in the next
block has lust told me that one OF the tie
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-plumbcr, car,
penter or gasiittCr-will bc on hand. No
waiting for days and days, no fighting with
the landlord
but Pullman makes me sign an iron clad
lease i'll which he has all the rights and
none He takes my rent out Of my wages
every month, too"
"The Lease YOU sign is Just such n one as ]
have TO sign in Chicago. And rs for the
rent, you want to pay it when it is due. do
you not"
These are samples Of the petty complaints
occasionally heard. More worthy of atten-
ton is the objection Ia the Pullman ilca OF
controlling everything. The residents have
no voice in local matters There are no home
politics, no CauCuScS, no town meetings.
Pullman attends Ia all affairs Of local gov
eminent and consults only his own wishes
This state Of affairs" say the critics, ais I'M
American. II destroys citizenship. What
safeguard is there left for the liberties Of the
the peoplcN Pullman answers with chal,
lengc To show wherein he does not well uSe
his power. ut is true" he says, that | am
master here. but do use my authority aTbi.
trnrily, am unjust, am | Negligent or indf.
fercnt To tho aiTuirs Of my peOplel Would
things he any better II we had local politics,
with the corruption, extravaganza and mis-
management surely fOllowingi In managing
this city pursue business principles through
out NV interests are identical with those oi
the tenants
Even the critics are compelled 10 admit
that Pullman is just and proper governor.
Things 60 right and not wrong. When they
go all wrong il will lie time 10 condemn the
controlling power. But OF those who indulge
in the scntiincntality that Pullman is fail
uro because tho public affairs are not man.
aged through the town meeting, the caucus
and the ballot bOX-bcCuuSo citizenship Is 10
prcssed--let me ask what proportion of work.
ingmen in any community really enjoy voice
in local government! How much better thnn
Pullmanism is that citizenship which give.
TO clique Of pot house politicians the actual
control Of things, and which fastens upon the
public treasury "A CoteriC Of chronic lcechcs:
How many workingmen in so-called self
bcttcrmcnt Of their morals, increase Of con
tent or happiness in their associations with
politicians, It may be un-Amcricnn 10 say
so, hut in local affairs except where things
are going all wrong and Tweed ring is a.
H. broken up, the precious right Of suffrage
j. largely dcluson and farce. Politics
too often means absence from home. neglect
of work, indul ,gcnce and idleness. Pullman
is fortunate in having no local politics, inas
much rs the one politician IL business man.
The only voter, the only taxpayer, the auto
Crat Of the town, n man whose interest in tho
towns prosperity aud in tho proper manage
ment of It's affairs is ut least equal to that Oi
all others combined. am not recommend.
ing a monocracy for New York, Chicago,
Kansas City, st. Paul or Buffalo. In Pull
man il is positive benefit to all concerned,
a hardship 10 none The social organization
Of Pullman is such that the mOnocrat 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 n do this is his own failure and ruin.
In this sprt Of union there lies the strength ~
the Pullman idea.
The critics have said that there was discon-
tent in Pullman. In what community II
there not discontent' SIuman mature Is the
same everywhere, and there IL no heaven on
earth. 4 dozen visits 10 Pullman and gen,
eral conversation with Us inhabitants Of all
Glasses have failed 10 disclose 10 me any evil
dencrs Of unusual discomfort Some work.
men grOwl at their wages and mt the foreman
and sthe company" But I have seen such
GROWERS in all factories. A few women com,
plain that their houses are not a. nice as they
thought they were going % be, but com.
plants Of the landlord arc by no means un-
usual even in the happicst Of towns which
are anything Int '-in-American.
wish 90 make the statement as emphatic
as possible that there Is In Pullman more gen
uine content among men, women and chill
tlrcn than in any other community Of tenants,
poor or well 10 do, with whose social life ]
am familiar
The critics are mistaken. There Is no dos
pOtism in Pullman, no unusual discomfort.
But-and here the critics who st down Pull
man as a failure may prick up their cars
there are no home owners. Here Is the secret
Of the little bit OF dry rot that has crept into
this social organization. Tho Pullman me-
chanic, who made one good step forward by
getting away from politics and pot houses,
now desires to make another by getting q
home of his own. In large community Of
money saving workers IL would indeed IL
surprising il there were not many with the
homestead ambition. Repression 81 home
owning is indeed TN American and one % the
defects Of the Pullman dea "a originally put
in practice But Pullman has already per
ceived this, am glad TO announce, and has
already applied the remedy. Just across the
railway tracks from that pretty station 10
acres Of ground have been plotted and put
upon the market. The tenants and operatives
over the way are rapidly buying lots, and
already some have erected their own houses
The company has also built number Of
houses, to be sold upon the inStallment plan,
with an insurance feature aided IL pur-
chaser dies after making but partial payment
upon the home The debt Is caBeeled and the
widow becones owner in full This Oppor-
tUnity for home getting gives 10 Pullman the
last requirement Of social perfection, &C social
perfection goes Ia this imperfect world The
critics ere wrong, and Pullman Is a success.
WALTER WELLNAH.
Only Wanted To BE Measured