The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-07-16
IN CONGRESS-.
The Affair at Homestead Receives
Attention.
Tho President is Greatly Concerned over
the Unfortunate Situation-No Appear
Has as Yet Been Made to tho
United States for Troops


WASHINGTON, July THE first Of
fetal recognition in congress OF the
trouble at the Homestead, Pa, mills
appeared Wednesday, when Represent
ative Caminetti introduced resolution
calling for the appointment OF a select
committee to investige them. Preced-
ing the resolution is a long preamble,
reciting in effect that the republican
party has contended that one of the
main purposes of its tariff legisla-
ton was the protection of Amer
lean labor. and the increase of
paw to the wage-earners in pro-
tected industries; that, contrary there
to- industries protected by such legisla-
ton have, in many instances, instead
of increasing the pay of wage-workers,
actually materially reduced them; that
the Homestead mills, controlled by A.
Carnegie and his associates, operating in
an industry which has received the
fostering care of said legislation to
such an extent as to typify it as an
example of the result thereof, from
whatever standpoint it is viewed,
has promulgated an order reducing
wages of employees ranging to an
extent, it is alleged, of from 90 to 60
per cent; that contrary to the position
assumed by said party that the protec-
ton so afforded regulates the price of
labor, it is stated by II. G. Frick, mana
ger of said mills, that "We made the
scale to suit trade and mechanical con-
ditions, and gave no thought to the po-
litical cause or effect, nor the tariff"
that following this announcement the
employees have refused to accept such re-
duction, and a strike is at hand, and it is
asserted in the public prints that armed
men, boats carrying guns, stockade,
having attached thereto pipes enabling
hot water and steam to be turned on at
moments notice, and surmounted
with wires capable of being charged
with electricity, all these supplemented
with strong search lights hay - been re-
sorted to by scid company to enable it
to enforce its reduced scale of wages,
thus inaugurating n condition of feudal
despotism. The resolution thereupon
calls for the appointment of select
committee of five members to investi-
gate and report on the causes of this
strike, the conditions producing the
same and the effect of such legislation
on wages and labor.
The resolution was referred to the
committee on rules.
The house committee appointed to in
vestigate the Pinkertons will hold its
first meeting on Friday. The president
has received frequent press bulletins
during the day from Pittsburgh about
the riot. He is seriously concerned at
the grave turn which the situation has
assumed. Up to the time of leaving
Washington Wednesday afternoon he
had not been officially advised of the
riot by any of the state authorities.
Gen. Schofeld said Wednesday after
noon that no appeal had been made to
the military authorities to aid in sup
pressing the riots at Homestead, and he
did not think it would be necessary.
He said that the state military of Penn
sylvania was a most efficient organiza-
ton, and that it would be an easy mat
ter to concentrate at least 6,000 thor
oughly reliable and well disciplined
state troops at Pittsburgh or at any
other given point at short notice. He
said that the government could not in
terfere in the matter unless the govern
ment of the state should inform the
president that the case was beyond the
control of the state and municipal au.
thorities
He explained that such a case arose
during the Pennsylvania railroad riots
of 1877, when the state militia was un.
able to cope with the rioters, and thai
it became necessary to invoke the aid o.
ederal troops.
General Schofeld said he did no
think the present trouble would reacl
the magnitude of the riots of 1877, but
even if they did, it is not likely that TIN
government would be called upon.