New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-25
HOMESTEAD INVESTIGATION.
FURTHER TESTIMONY BEFORE THE SENATE
COMMITTEE.
Ex OFFICIALS OF THE AMALGAMATTD aSsoOIA.
TION DESCRIBE THE TROUBLE BE-
TWEEN THE CARNEGIE COMPANY
AND THEIR wORKMEN.

u The warriors phases Of the HOmcs' cad and oileT
labor troubles with rcfercHce to the employment Of
armed detectives by propry-ovners. and Is directing
the inquiry as TO form an opinion rs 10 the bc@t
BE- pursued 10 prevent riot and bloodsh d.
The first witness examined Captain ". l.. Rodgers,
Of the steamer Lttr Bll who described the fight at
Homestead or July g.
Mr.. Wciho. until few weeks ago president Of the
Anal gamafcd Association. was next called. lie was
asked TO give an account Of his rfc which he did
after which ne explained the teclnlcalitlcs IN The
sliding scale lie believed that the state Of thc steel
market would have warranted the Carnegie Company
in paying the rate of demanded by the worhmcn
at Homestead. The Amalgamatod Assoclatlon he de-
clarcd wa, always I'm favor Of arbitration and their
policy Away one % Cancellation. Tho strikers would
not have fired upon United states troops militia
they did upon the Pnherton hargcs. Pnlcrtons
hated by the worldncmen. Continuing Mr. Wche said
II The Carnegie Company had kept up tho conferences
with the Amalgamatcd commItte. inSiead Of issuing
an uiimatIm, n settlement could have been Effected
by July l. The practice Of employing armed detec
dives d, ring srik>. said the witness Is bad the
work.ng gmcn regard IT an Interference with their
rights
william G.. Roberts. Of Homestead. ex.yico-prcsidcnt
of the aganated Associa,t,l told Of the reduction
I'm wages and Of the number Of men affected.
scua;or Gallnrcr asked Did you believe in the
cessation Of work 10y the men"
Il did
How did the conference OF June 30 come alfu'i7
at was at the time Of convention. and we
wished - make request for a conference II
did not last very long
DO you mean say that the average of wages
paid by the Carnegie Steel Company Is lower than
that paid BY other steel mills"
"Yos. sir
Did YOU as workman approve of the yar'nu,
steps taken by the workmcn IN tAis strike
III yon mean the action on july certnniy did
not
What did your people think Of tho employment Of
Iankcrtons'"
"we look upon 1t as mn unfair Of forcing
into submission. The workmen look on all extra
wa,chmen with suspicion. ms they usually try 70 get
Places
Whs; do you as a workman think 81 tho en-
ploymcnt Of such detectives to masquerade as work.
men In order to spy upon you a, they are charged
with donGl7
II wouldn't work for u firm that would do IT,
The witness said that the Carnegie company has
black n,t and cvciy aprucalr,'s record +, examined
before De Is employed.
To what cause d. You ntrihute that river bank
troualc'" asked Senator Galiinser.
The hatred - the worinefncn all over the c"un.
ty far tho rnhcrton, caused IT,.
What do you think Is tie solution Of these labor
problems l7
"ArbIi;atlon. II compulsory
"Nou don't think the United states can come into
a State ana tnke away ih" states powcr'''
Il think they can
81 wish they could. What viii be the result to the
Amalcamatcd and other unions by the settlement Of
this strike !'
81 don't think It win have a bad result. 1t Will
bind the close; together. as It shows what they
mast expect In the future
Do You think there any danger to the property
Of the Caincs.: Company rom thr men
40. sir
Do YOU think the offer on the part Of the men
to care for the property Wa made in good faith -
certainly know It wa,.'
How do yor think an Arbitration Board should be
appointed" ?"
~ thf Government, and the submission To 1t Of
aucst tons in di- putc should be- made compulsory
Mr. We.hc was recalled, and said that he was In
favor OF resiIic ing Immigration: paiuM relief
for labor troubles He also favored more strict en
forccment Of the Anti Contract Labor law. which hc
said WAS being evadcd II not openly violated.
Foreign laborers Will accept lever wages than
Amcrcan,l'
Yes SIR
Thomas Mellon, a banker of this city, testified that
an Injunction woud not have answered In the Home
stead case Il, delay too great. The witness had
had some experience in handling strikes In the mining
regions, and thought armed watchmcn or detectives
necessary from the fact that the Jaw, of rcnno vanld
arc defective and execution Is inefficient
Can you cxp!'ln why, in this enlightened state
century such laws cAlstl' asked senator GaD'g.r.
In my opinion" the witness replied, there is too
much party politics for the good Of the people Pre-
fcrment for Office depends service rather than lit
ness for tne position. We seldom have sheriff who
can and will do his duty. There also too much
DELAY In Galine out tie military. the Governor fearing
he might offend some one.
III, duty through fear Of political consequences -
L do The same apples TO the Governor and to
the legislature"
4, -rls Councilman and pNt Mem.
Ter Of the legislature, said he had been elsw0fker
for for aa many yas in tH, STATE mad been in favor
- tle corpO a;c clas,. Witness thought If dn inJunc
lion p.oceedng had been sought by The Carnegie Com
many and the lfnkcrtOns not brought here, there
would havc been no trouble.
mill when the uOublr ic.an, and now chief engineer
Of the Carrcsic COMPANY was s%on ,,.,......,, .,
asked senaIo. Gaing-i.
Al A~htabua.'
d. Wby did you meet them there ?"
Ne aii,c authorized 10 do sO.7
lid yOu ,akc cha - OF tlcml'
No Sir. Thcy Mcie In 'hlrge OF their people
,p,i We arrived at Davis Island Dam. when Colon
Gray took charge lie WAS representative of the
'" Was he deputy ,hcrn''
think he was there as representative Of the
'"'r'p bid Gray swear in the rinkcrtons In your
prcsS%nee sen" sir
How long did yoa anticipate trouble at Home
stead :"
"Whai led yol 10 believe 1t p
II lad talk, with the men,
mid Won have detectives In tie works reporting
the savings and doiUgs OF the men -
81 never did.
Did nny else y
meyer knew u such thing
Where was the fist shot fired 'front.'
From the shore al Homestead The shooting
continued for some time
g do YOU know who gave the command TO the men
on the lmfge- 10 fire y
didn't hear any command"
witness thought all means had been exhausted be-
,ore 1he P1nkcrtons called In. The only knowl
adce he had that the men intended TO damage the
nroperty Of the company was from past experience
Ehe witness refused 10 state whether he clear
,sat the emuIoxment Of armed men was right.