Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-08-08
CENSURE FOR BOTH.
Oates Report on Homestead
Was Double-Edged.
SALIENT POINTS OF THE DOCUMENT

Each Party to the Tt onble to Blame at
Diferen Periods-Census Figures That
Should Cause the Marrying Young Man
to Hustle-A ShOrtness in the Stock of
Possible wives-Eirst Assistant Post
master General whitfejd Will Resign
to Accept Another Situation-Omcial
News Notes.
WASHINGTON, Aug. s-Oates' report on
the Homestead trouble, which was sup
pressed by the full committee on the
ground that it did not cover all the
grounds of the investigation, says that had
Frick stated the bottom facts (the cost OF
making a ton of steel billets) to the COM
mittee they would have agreed that the
proposition to reduce wages was justifia
BILE; but they took issue with Frick in his
conclusions that the tariff did not cause a
decline in prices. Oates finds further that
the conduct of the company towards its
employees was kind in many respects. 1t
loaned them money at low rates of interest
to build them homes, and never foreclosed
a mortgage The men were paid satisfac-
tory wages, but the work much abbrevi-
ates the natural period of life, and should
be well paid for. He thinks that the COM
pany should have some of the benefits of
proved machinery.
Frick Wasn't Sufficiently Suave.
But in the negotiations the officers did
not exercise patience, indulgence and solic-
itude and Frick. according to Oates opin-
ion, wss too stern, brusque and somewhat
autocratic. Oates is persu AIDED that If
Frick had appealed to the reason of the
employees and shown them the state
Of he W. aff flir ha rod n ri
might have been made and no trouble
would have followed. Sheriff McCleary,
he asserts, was very inefficient, but had
Frick aided him and Joined in his appeal
to the governor instead of employing
Pinkertons the state would have fur
nished a sufficient force to have protected
the property.
As 10 the Pinkertons.
The Pennsylvania law contains nothing
to prevent Frick from employing Pinker-
tons as watchmen at Homestead, but
Oates condemns their employment under
the circumstances. The company did not
appeal to the county or state authorities
in the first instance for protection. The
report says that the PinkertonS who sur
rendered were brutally and outrageously
treated, principally by women and boys,
and Oates is loath to believe that any of
these women are native Americans. He
saws that the indignities to which they
were subjected were disgrace to civiliza-
tion.
The Strikers and the Law.
Oates coudems as unlawful the acts OF
the workmen in turning away the sheriff
and in hanging in effigy Frick and Potter.
He says it was the purpose of the Amalga-
mated association to prevent the employ
ment of non-union men, and he declares
that no organization has a right to enforce
its wishes by force and defiance of law.
The men had no legal right to resist the
coming of the Pinkertons and are answer
able to the Pennsylvania courts.
No Help from Congress.
In conclusion Oates finds that congress
has no power over the questions involved.
The enactment of satisfactory arbItra-
tion law is well nigh impossible. As tC
whether congress has the power to regu.
late or suppress Pinkertonism Oates says
he has no conclusion to express until the
completion of the Investigation next ses
sion