Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-11
START MADEBY THE HOUSE
But It Gives the Senate a Chance to
Get in Its Report Last.
GUESSING AT THE COMMITTEE
That Will Represent the Upper House in
the Coming Inquiry.
YOUNG MEN DISCUSS THE QUESTION
SPECIAL TELEGRArHrc LErTFR.l
BUREAU OF THE DrsrArCH, -
WASHINGTON, d, c., July 10.


1t is altogether probable that by the time
the Homestead Investigating Committee o.
the House gets down to work another one
Of the Senate will be on its way to Pitts.
burg It was suggested BY some Senator.
yesterday that it would be somewhat
strange spectacle to have two investigating
committees on the ground at once, and
probing in the same direction, but those
Senators were not Republican Senators.
In Congress the right hand is not sup.
posed to know what the left hand does, and
if the House appoints q committee to in
vestigate, that is no reason why the Senate
should not. The Democratic members say
it is absurd to have two committees. Re.
publicans say the Democrats would sing a
different song if the Senate had got its
work in first and its committee first on the
ground.
Politics VIII Creep Into the Affair.
Party politics, or rather the fear of party
politics, cannot be obliterated from this
matter. Doubtless the intention of both
committees will be to make the examina-
tion wholly bipartisan, and they may do SO,
but the Democratic House and the Repub-
lican Senate are each determined to have
their own investigators on the ground, each
to watch the other, and to counteract any
semblance of partisanship in the report of
the other.
It may prove fortunate that the Senate
committee is not first on the ground. If
the House committee begin before that of
the Senate, it will be expected to end and
make report before it, and If so, the SEN
ate will have the benefit of analyzing the
House report before making its own.
What the composition of the Senate COM
mittee will be is not yet known, though the
appointments may be made tomorrow.
Senator Quay could have the craftsmanship
if he would take it, but his health is SO
poor, and has been 30 particularly poor
within the last week or two, that he fears
to attempt to endure the strain.
Wolcott a Good Man to Name.
Wolcott has been suggested as tireless,
quick and penetrating man, superior in
these qualities to most Of the Senators, and
he can have the chairmanship If he will ac-
cept. But Wolcott complains that his law
practice is going to wreck on account of his
work in the Senate, and it is possible he
may refuse to assume the additional burden
of this investigation. He, of all others,
would be the man for the place. in SO far as
keen and searching examination of wit
nesses is concerned.
Senator Quay win undoubtedly be one Of
the committee, on account of his knowledge
of persons involved, of the business inter
ests concerned, and of trade disputes in
Pennsylvania and in general, and will give
all the aid he can to the committee. Senator
Carey, of Wyoming, Chairman of the Com
mlttee on Education and Labor; Senator
Jones, of Nevada; Cullom, of Illinois,
Chairman of the Committee on Interstate
Commerce, and Higgins, of Delaware,
Chairman of the Committee on Manufact-
ures, are mentioned as possible appoint
ments, though only four Republicans will
be chosen.
Palmer Better Than Voorhees,.
Of the three Democrats VOORHEES, will
certainly not be one, after his partisan
TRADE of last Thursday. Palmer, of Illi-
nois, is mentioned, because of the calm and
judicial manner in which he has treated
the subject, and because of his profound
study of the causes of industrial troubles.
Faulkner, of West Virginia, has also been
suggested, on account of the near relation
ship Of his State to Pennsylvania in in
dustrial matters, and George, of Mississippi,
Is spoken of as representative Of the far
South. All this, however, with the ex-
ception of Quay and Wolcott, is largely
conjecture to-day.
The extreme reticence of members of
Congress In regard to methods of settling
the dispute at Homestead is as remarkable
as it is commendable. Usually Congress-
man, especially one of long experience, is
ready with an opinion as to how the world
should be wagged in any department. of it,
but they seem to fear to touch this subject
at all.
Outside Interference Resented.
'I do not care even to express a con-
fidential opinion" said one grave and
reverend Senator to me to-day "I fear
even the appearance of attempting to ad-
wise. In a vitality serious matter Of this
kind outside interference always Is and
always should be resented. think it will
be found that the genius of the great county
of Allegheny and of the great State of
Pennsylvania is amply able to grapple with
the question, and it looks to me as though
The slow procedure of the authorities may
prove in the end to have been the way to
make most rapid progress"
On one thing, however, Congressman as
we'll as others seem to be agreed that the
of the Pinkertons was terri
ole mistake Indeed, the satisfaction that
has been expressed here at the almost ami
ailation of the Pinkerton people is some
hing phenomenal. All classes, whether in
with the workmen or whether
planning them, rejoice, not at the death or |
manning Of the poor fellows who were but |
eeking living in a way that seemed good |
% them, but at catastrophe which, if 1t |
las its legitimate result, will make it i'm |
possible tor private syndicate to keep o /
tanding army of myrmidons to send hither |
md yonder to shoot and club the protesting
employees Of rich corporations
A Legal subterfuge to Wipe Out.
And among Congressman who favor the
nactment Of law which will have the
fleet to abolish the Pinkerton system it is
he opinion that the act should make it
impossible for any man or corporation to
transport hired thugs from one place to an
ther to "keep the peace" even though
hey may be sworn in as deputies" in the
ounty where their services are wanted. It
recognized that this would be q mere
'gal subterfuge which would wholly vitiate
he main object Of the law.
But the Homestead affair has had another
feet which reaches much farther than the
uestion of the existence of the Pinkerton
ystem. 1t has led to a discussion Of the
eeper social question of the relations of
employed, such as has never
cen known before in this country. As
very reader of The DISPATCH knows, it
as been my fortune to write up the "labor
lovement," studying it ut short range in
lis and other countries at the request OF
HE DISPATCH; but In all my experience
have never known an occurrence which
all lad Il -f Oh rhnln