St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-02
THE HOUSE.
A Committee to BE Appointed to
Investigate the Reading Strikes.


ceeded, in accordance with previous Or
ders, to the consideration of the report
of the committee on commerce, relative
to the proposed Investigation of the
Reading strike. Mr.. Clardy, of Missouri,
chairman of the committee on COM
merce, said that, after careful exam
inatiOn of the matter, the majority of
the committee had been satisfied that
the original resolution offered by Mr..
Anderson. of Kansas, for congress
ional inquiry ought not to be adopted.
He briefly Sketched the origin of the
railroad strike and the subsequent strike
by the employees of the Philadelphia and
Reading Coal and Iron company, whose
stock, he said, was neld mainly by the
stockholders of the Reading company.
There has been no testimony before the
committee showing that interstate
traffic had been interfered with on the
Reading road a week or an hour, with
the exception of brief interruption at
Port Richmond on account of the re-
fuSal of the men to obey the lawful Or
derS of the superintendent. On the
contrary. he thought it appeared affirm
atively that there had been no sort of in
reference with or interruption of inter-
state commerce.. 1t had been stated
that the Reading company, in making
allotmentS of cars to mining companies,
Disseminated in favor of some COM
panieS and against others. This was a
matter which was entirely within the
jurisdiction of the interstate commerce
commission. Any person who was ag-
grleved could secure an audience by
knocking at the door of that commits
sion. 1t was also stated that the Read
ing company and the Philadelphia Coal
and Iron company were practically one
and the same, and this was in violation
of the constitution of Pennsylvania. Ii
this were true, the remedy was to be
found in the state courts of PennSyl-
yania.
Mr.. Rayner. of Maryland, did not be-
lleve in halfway measures on this sub
ject. When mOn0polieS combined to
drive the ranks of labor to the Starva-
ton point, that labor had an equal right,
by every natural law of justice, to COM
bine and strike for living wages. He
said thiS-nOt in the spirit of demagOg-
ism, for he had neither the arts or as
pirationS of a demagogue-but because
he believed it to be the living truth.
[Applause.l He was the moral foe of
violence in all its forms, but he was the
friend of labor, and its sovereign power
should be existed in every peaceful way
to assert and vindicate its rights. The
Reading road had broken and violated
solemn compact it had made with its
employees, and now it commanded them
to surrender under threat of proclaim
ing to the American people that this
great tributary of commerce should be
closed and that not ton of traffic should
be frelghted over its road. Should this
be done? He, for one, said never. Con-
gress had the power-beyondt that which
belonged to the interstate commerce
cOmmiSSi0n-tO bring this great mOnOp-
oily to bay. The Reading company had
Incorporated a legal fiction known as
the Philadelphia & Reading Coal and
iron company, Differed by the same Off
GERS, controlled by the same agents as
the Reading Railroad company, and
under the mask of this legal fiction, the
railroad company was now violating the
constitutional provision Of the state that
chartered and created it.
MIR. RaynOr, continuing, quoted from
the argument made by Mr.. GOWan,
counsel fer the Reading railroad, before
the supreme court, in the case of the
state Of Pennsylvania against the Read
ing Railroad company, in which he took
the ground that the state had no right to
tax its freight, and that congress alone
could regulate its commerce. Now, said
Mr.. RaynOr, when congress was seeking
to investigate its traffic. the company
said that congress had not that power,
because it was a state corporation.
Mr.. O'Neill, OF Pennsy lvania-Doe
the gentleman know that any of these
corporations are seeking to prevent this
investigation?
Mr.. RaynOr-IeS, sir. We have the
evidence here of $4,000 starving men,
turned out in the dead of winter, with
dependent families. Applause.
Mr.. O'Neill-I did not ask as to that.
1'asked whether you know that the
Reading railroad company are seek
ing to prevent this investigation. say,
for one. they are not.
Mr.. Rayner-Then why not allow the
investigation? Why not adopt the resol-
ution?
MI. o'Neill-We will adopt it. Jap
Mr.. Rayner-If you will adopt it, 1
am done. Loud and long-continued
calls of ''vote! voter'l
Mr.. Rayner-I wish to add but word.
This reference to the interstate COM
merce commission amounts to nothing.
You might as well refer it to the Chinese
embassy OF to the public printer; you
will get it back just as soon. Laughter
and applause.
After some delay the various PROPOSE
tions were consolidated into the follow
ing resolution, which was adopted with
out division:
Resolved a special committee
of five members be appointed to investi-
gate forthwith the extent, causes, and
effect upon interstate commerce, of the
continued failure by the Reading rail
road company to transport such COM
merce, and to report to the house, by
bill or otherwise, for consideration at
any time, such legislation as is necessary
to secure to the public the regular and
complete execution by railroad COM
pany of its obligations to serve as COM
mon carrier of interstate commerce;
and to Investigate differences existing
i'll the Lehigh and Schuylkill region of
Pennsylvania, between the corporations
mining coal and the miners: and further,
to Investigate all facts relating to min
ing corporations and individual miners
of anthracite coal, in connection there
with; and report the same to the house,
with such recommendations as the COM
mlttee may agree upon
The house then adjourned.
Mr.. Cox, the speaker pro tem.. states
that the committee will probably be APP
pointed by Mr.. Carlisle, but that he will
confer with that gentleman this even
ing, for the purpose of learning his