The Portland daily press., 1889-02-27
ONLY A FIREcRAcKER.
Mr.. TIllman's Report on the Reading
Troubles

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26.-The bombshell
which Mr.. Tillman was to explode in his re:
port concerning the Reading strike is only
fire cracker after all, only one member of
the congressional committee being willing to
signl 1t. Mr.. Fillman had the document
printed in tie New York Herald las the re-
port of the congressional investigating COM
mittee.
NEW YORK, Feb 26.-The Herald pub
fishes extracts from the forthcoming report
of the Tillman congressional committee, APP
pointed to investigate the Reading railroad
strike, and states that the committee uses
the following language: "Mr. CorbiE was
in absolute command of the Reading Rail-
way and Coal Companies. His will was
supreme and his orders final. In addition
to the Reading, he was an executive officer
of the Morgan syndicate in its known rela-
tions to the Jersey Central and in its I'M
known relations co other anthracite roads.
The first OF January was at hand when the
syndicate would take possession of the
Reading and when new year OF anthracite
business would open. In what position did
he find himself? The closing year had full
filled his expectations The scheme of reor-
ganization had been executed. and the
stockholders had donated $12. 900, 900. The APP
to wonderful profit, the coal company alone
making an apparent change Of $2,500, 600
The coal tonnage, which during the first half
of the year was from 100000 to 65O,OO0 tons
month, became in August 100000 tons; in
September, ia, 900; October. 76S, 600; Novem-
Der. 10000. aggregating 100000 tons under
the per cent. advanced wages to miners.
The forthcoming report with which the
100,000.000 loan was TO be floated would be
bright as a rainbow. But after the report
had hn0rx H.
placed, the immediate necessity for
rose tints would have passed. Besides. on
the supposition that virtual combination of
the anthracite roads existed, as to which the
committee have not shadow of a doubt,
the Reading had fully supplied If not ex-
ceeded It's allotted tonnage, in which case
the time had come when 1t must reduce the
output. total suspension of mining was
less expensive than working half time.
When no coal is mined no royalty Is paid,
and the 100000 to 100000 otherwise paid
for wages remain in the company's treasury.
Furthermore neither the Reading nor the syn
dictate could afford to permit the Lehigh
miners to succeed. The result would make
permanent advance in the wages of both
regions, aggregating many millions a year,
which now the carrier takes as freight rates.
Such result would lessen earnings and have
a bad effect on railway securities And
back OF this lay another question of even
greater Importance to railways and Wall
labor and organized capital. The effect upon
the treasury of the company during the
strike is worthy of notice. 1t saved In the
payment of miners wages, royalty and rail-
way men not less than $1,000, 900 month.
1t also saved the s per cent advance
of wages permanently. 1t is not necessary
to detail the effect of the lockout upon the
100000 mining population in the two regions,
upon the $500 railway employees nor upon the
consumers OF coal. That one man, as presi-
dent of railroad corporation, should have
the power to produce such effects at will is
dangerous to the welfare of the republic"