The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-01
THE READING STRIKE.

House Cominercs COMMITTEES Requests the
Interstate Commission Investigate.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 3I.-The House COMMITTEES
on commerce, upon motion of Mr.. Davis, OF
Massachusetts, reconsidered it's action on the
Anderson resolution referring the question OF
investigating the Reading railroad strikes to the
Interstate-commerce Commission at meetiu G
this morning. and adopted a resolution. by a
vote of to g. requesting the Intersta.e-com-
merce Commission TO investigate these strikes
The resolution to be reported was drawn by Mr.
Davis. and differs from that originally intro
duced by Mr.. Anderson by requesting an inves-
tigation at the hands of the Interstate-commerce
Commission. instead of leaving the question
with the commission without any recommends.
ton.
The report of the minority of the COMMITTEES
which was to-day presented to the House by
Mr.. Rayner. is signed by himself and Messrs.
Anderson, of Kansas; Tarsney, of Michigan,
Anderson of Iowa, and Lagan, of Louisiana. It
states that the effect of the majority report will
be to lay the original resolution on the table.
Congress has right to investi gate this subject
because the Reading Railroad Company is q
common carrier, transporting commerce be-
tween the States. Conceding the right of the
Interstate-commerce Commission to make an
Investigation, that fact does not deprive Con-
gress of it's Jurisdiction in the premises. and the
evils complained OF will have reached their cui
minatlon before the Interstate-commerce Com
ter. The railroad company. the report
says, has formed an ostensibly in
dependent company to carry on its
mining operations, but that company
is substantially the railroad company, controlled
by its directors and managed by its officers and
agents. The vital questions underlying this con-
troversy whether the railroad company is
shielding itself under the charter of the coal and
iron company, to produce coal famine and
raise the price of coal, and is there a combina-
ton or conspiracy between the two companies.
actually one and the same, to enable the railroad
company. indirectly to escape its duties
common carrier, and is the railroad company. in
pursuance OF system of allotment made by the
Anthracite Board of Trade discriminating
against individual operators in the mining
gions Congress has power to expose the con-
spiracy, if there be one. The fact that labor has
pervades the Lehieh and Schuylkill regions, is
only incident of this trouble. The report
concludes follows:
We believe that the contract made between the rail-
road company and its employees is misleading, and
believe that the miners deceived the proper
to be placed this agreement at the
upon the contract ITSELF which has been given to the
public by the president of the road, and which is
has right to say that the contract is at end be-
cause organization is in charge OF its affairs,
tract has also terminated and the road has right
insist that the miners must continue work under the
speedily. The Interstate commerce Commission IS
not in the habit of taking matters of this sort
motu, and a mere request amounts to nothing The
adoption of the majority report would be justif-
cation of the position assumed by the railroad
pany and the of all concerned would be best
served by prompt action and decisive measures if the
investigation iustfes the
READING, Pa, Jan. 31.-The company brought
down from the mines last night and to-day $50
loaded cars. From the number of mines work.
ing there should be produced not less than 1900
cars per day. The business men, manufactur-
ers, furnace men, and local coal dealers every
where, are beginning to view the situation with
alarm Fourteen furnaces have been banked up
blown out, and others will likely follow if
they don't get relief speedily
PoTTsvILLE. Pa. JAM 3L-When the men
employed at Glendower colliery near Miners
vile, came out from work, last night, they were
met at the mouth of the slope by a large crowd
of women from the adjacent Heckshervile col
liery, who besought them to stand by their
striking brethren, and offered if they would Ito
share their last crust with them" AS an earnest
of the good faith the women offered them a SUBJ
stantial contribution which they had brought
with them. consisting of bread, meat and pota-
toes Little or no attention was paid to the
novel appeal.