The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-08-07
LABOR TROUBLES
Committee Investigating the
Homestead Riot Reports.
CONTINUED UNTIL NEXT SESSION
Committee Finds that Both sides Are Equally
TO Blame, and That Congress Has No
Jurisdiction IN The Matter.

WASHINGTON, Aug. g. Oates, chairman
of the subcommittee Of the House which is
investigating the labor troubles at Home-
stead and the connection Of the Pinkerton
detectives herewith, submitted q report TO
the committee, which was not agreed to.
No member questioned its correctness, but
a Republican member would not assent to
what was upon the tariff, and a majority Of
the Democratic members Of the committee
thought il impossible to make any report
until the entire investigation was com
pleted, which could not be done before the
second session Of Congress. Therefore
PosTPoNEMENT OF THE REPORT
was made until next winter
The report says the Pinkertons who sur
rendered were brutally and outrageously
used, principally by women and boys, and
Oates is 10th TO believe that any Of these
women are native Americans de says the
indignities to which they were subjected
were q disgrace 10 civilization. Oates
asked whether the Carnegie firm was lusti-
fed, in equity ana good conscience, in pro-
posing reduction IN wages, said: "Erick
declined to state the cost Of a ton Of Bes-
sener steel billets and the labor cost. The
men were paid unsatisfactory wages, but
Ile WORK mucn
ABBREvIATEs THE NATURAL PERIOD OF LIFE
and should be well paid for" He thlnks
the company should have some Of the bene-
fits and profits resulting from the use of
improved machinery. He condemns the
Mckinley law for failure to benefit the
American workmen, and says the promises
made 10 the operators have been disap-
pointments. Had Prick stated the bottom
facts to the committee, they would have
agreed that the proposition TO reduce the
wages was justifable; but they took issue
with him In his conclusion that the tariff
did not cause decline in prices.
Oates finds further that the conduct Of
the company towards the employees was
kind IN many respects. 1t loans them
money at low interest to buy homes and
never foreelosed mortgages; but in the
wage negotiations the officers
DID NOT EXERCISE PATIENCE.
and Prick seems to have been too stern,
brusque and somewhat autocratic. Oates
Is persuaded that if Frick had appealed to
the reason of the employees and shown
them the state of the company's affairs a
reduction might have been made and no
trouble followed.
The Pennsylvania law contains nothing
to prevent Frick from employing Pinker-
ton men as watchmen at Homestead; but
says that under the circumstances he
should not have done 30. He made over
lures to the Pinkertons before the negotia-
tions with the men were interrupted, and
did not appeal to the county or state au-
thorities in the first instance for protec-
ton. Oates asserts that Sheriff McCleary
is very inefficient officer, but says had
Frick aided him and joined in his appeal TO
the governor, instead of employing Pink
ertons, the state would have furnished
sufficient force TO protect the property
Oates condemns as unlawful the acts Of
the workmen in turning away the sheriff,
and says it was the purpose of the Anal
gamated association TO prevent the en-
plOyment of non-union men and declares
that no organization has the right to en-
force its wishes by strong-handed defiance
Of the law. The men had no legal right to
resist the coming Of the Pinkertons and
are answersble to the Pennsylvania courts
In conclusion. Oates finds that Congress
has no power over the questions involved.