Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1892-08-11
The Homestead Trouble.


The Homestead trouble.
= Mr.. Oates, chairman of the sub
committee of the house which inves-
tigated the labor troubles at Home
stead and the connection of Pinkerton
detectives Herewith, submitted a re-
port to the committee which was not
agreed to. No member questioned
its correctness. its statements of
facts are conclusions of laws, but the
Republican members of the commit
tee would not assent to what he said
upon the tariff and the majority of
the Democratic members of the com
mittee thought 1t lmpolitic to make
any report until the entire investiga-
ton is complete, which could not be
done before the second session OF con-
gress.
The report prepared by Mr. Oates.
having been rejected, he gave it to the
public as his individual opinion. The
report begins with the negotiations
between the company, and the Anal
gamated association preceding the
! outbreak, the contentious of both sides
and finally an account of the disas-
trous ending in the attempt to land
Pinkertons.
The report says the Pinkertons who
surrendered were brutally and out
rageously treated, principally by
women and boys and Mr.. Oates is 10th
to believe any Of these women are ma
tive Americans. He says the indig-
mites to which they were subjected
was a disgrace to civilization. AIr.
Oates asks whether the Carnegie firm
was justified in equity and good con-
science, in proposing a reduction IN
wages.
I answer, he says, that Frick de-
clined to state the cost of a ton of
Bessemer steel billets and labor cost.
Men were paid satisfactory wages
but the work abbrevates the natural
period Of life and should be well paid
for. He thinks the company should
have some of the benefits of the prof
it's resulting from the use of improved
machinery.
He condemns the Mckinley law fol-
= its failure to benefit American work
men and says the promises made tc
operatives have been disappointing
Had Frick stated bottom facts to the
committee they would have agreed
that the proposition to reduce wages
was iustifable, but they took issue
: with him in his conclusion that the
tariff did not cause a decline il
prices.
, Oates fndsNthat the company to-
wards its employees was kind IN many
respects. It loaned them money al
low interest to build them homes anc
never foreclosed mortgages, but II
the negotiations officers did not exer
else patience, indulgence and solici
tude and Prick, who IS a business
man OF great intelligence, seems t.
udf0 OoOA wv SGO4A5 VI ODH 70 cAA~
somewhat autocratic: Oates IS per
S suaded that had Frick appealed t.
the reason of the employees and shown
the company's affairs, a reduction
s might have been made and no troubl
followed.
Mr.. Oates finds the Pennsylvania
= law contains nothing to prevent Fricl
from employing Pinkerton men a
watchmen at Homestead, but say
!. under the circumstances he shoul'
have not done So He made over
% lures to Plnkertons before negotla
tions with men were Interrupted an
e did not appeal to the county or stat
IS authorities in the first instance 70
1t protection.
Z Mr.. Oates condemns as unlawfu
- - the acts IN workingmen in turnini
away of the sheriff and as insultin
- the hanging of Frick In efigy. d
?, says the men had no right to resi-
s. the coming of Pinkertons.
In conclusion, Mr.. Oates finds tia
h. congress has no power over the quel
n u tions involved. The enactment of
r satisfactory arbitration law is we
at nigh impossible.