The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-06-15
BYNUM AND THE PINKERT0NS.
The journal" as Usual. Misstated
the Facts i'm the Case.

To THE EDITOR-Sir: | notice that the
Journal charges that l voted against the
resolution for the investigation of the
Plnkerton detective agency As usual,
the statement OF that paper is untrue. I
voted for it, not against it, but took Occa-
sion, when the same was under considera-
ton, to call attention OF the house to the
fact that did not think that congress was
possessed of any power to legislate upon
the question. What 1 said appears thus
in the Record:
Mr.. Speaker, do not rise for the purpose
of making any serious opposition or in fact,
any opposition st all to the passage CT this
resolution, although l will state frankly to the
house thatit has not met and does not meet
nv approval.
/ haze been unable to see how congress he's
any jurisdiction over the question presented,
and have been unable to see whers any good
can come out of the investigation proposed.
On the contrary. desire TO enter my protest
against these indiscriminate investigations by
congress-. 1t seems as Il II Is only necessary to
make some assertion, TO allege that there has
been some obstruction 10 the mails or some in
reference, however remote, with Interstate
commerce, in order TO send out 81 investigating
committee with drag net TO ascertain sOme--
thing over which we have no control and can
grant relief. / believe investigated the
great strike on the Southwestern railroad sys-
TEN because of some interference or alleged
interference with interstate commerce, and
spent y, 600 or 5000 and did nothing.
We investigated the Reading railroad strike
because it was alleged that il involved 20 some
extent the question of interstate commerce,
and the result OF the investigation was report
from the committee that congress had nothing
10 do with the matter and could not remedy;
the evil. In fact all OF the investigations which
we have undertaken | can only call 10 mind one
result which has been accomplished and that
is the depletion of an already depleted treasury
and the exhaustion OF wel-nlgh exhausteds
contingent fund OF the house.
/ do not understand, MIR. Speaker, that SIM
ply because congress has power 70 regulate
interstate commerce IL thereby has !uris-
dictiOn to control the employees of railroad cons
panies engaged in interstate commerce, and
certainly il it has power TO iegislate upon the.
subject proposed 70 be investigated Il has this
power
l look upon this as o mere police regulstiOui
or power of the state. The state OF Indiana has
declared that no police power shall be con-
ferred on PinkertOn detectives; and IL the peo<
pie of the state of New YOrk do not desire SUCH
powers to be conferred upon them, Il is the
business OF the state of New York, or OF any
other state which entertains that view, TO reRu~
late II by its own legislative enactment. IL 10
not within the purvew Of congress; Il is not
the business OF congress 20 interfere with thu
police powers OF the several states OF the Union.
| believe that the time has come when We
ought TO squarely draw the line between the
powers conferred upon the general governments
and those reserved 20 the state, aud that We
ought to stop this indiserimiDaie investigation
where we clearly have no power TO legis ate.
/ am as much opposed to The use OF the Pink
erton detectives, for the purposes ALLEGED in
this resolution as other gentlemen, but 10 Is .
matter over which the states have exclusive
jurisdiction, and il the states want 70 regulate
il it is their business TO do so.
In addition l would say that called at
tention to the tendency of such legislation
because | believed il was dangeroue to tho
rights of the employees of railroads. If the
federal government can enact alaw Tor the
punishment of the PinkertoDs because the
railroads may be engaged IN CARRYING
interstate commerce, then the federal
government can enact law for the pun
ishment OF employees who may be charged
with like ofienses in the federal courts
The railroad corporations would nail with
satisfaction the recognition OF such
principle. They would rejoice that those
who might be charged with obstructing
the movement OF trains should be
amenable to federal instead of state pow
er. They would then be able to call upon
the federal authorities backed by the reg
uiar army to suppress and punish oifend-
ers.
The establishment or recognition OF
such a principle would be the destruction
OF every labor organization of railroad ems
ployes throughout the country. Truly,
w. ID. BYNUM.
Washington. ID. c., June 8.