People's voice., 1892-08-12
OATES REPORTS.
The Troubles at Homestead Re-
viewed at Some Length.
rhe Investigation Not Completed = Mr..
Frick Shown to Be One of Those Men
Who Cause Strife-Mr. Oates
Individual Views.
The Homestead Troubles.

The Homestead Troubles.
WASHINGTON, Aug. S.-Mr. Oates,
chairman of the subcommittee of the
house which investigated the labor
trouble at Homestead and the connec-
ton of the Pinkerton detectives there
with, submitted a report to the com
mittee which was agreed to. No mem
Der questioned its correctness. Its
statements of facts are conclusions of
laws; but the republican members of
the committee would not assent to
what he said upon the tariff aud
majority of the democratic members of
the committee thought it impolitic to
make any report until the entire inves-
tigttion was completed, which could
not be done before the second session
Of congress. Therefore a postpone
ment of the report was made until next
winter.
The report prepared by Mr.. Oates
having been rejected by the committee,
he gave it to the public as his individ-
hal opinion of the matters investigated
The report begins with statement of
the movements OF the subcommittee
followed by description OF the works
at Homestead, the number ofemployes,
the rate of wages, the negotiations be-
tween the company and the Amalga-
mated association preceding the out
break, the contentious Of both sides
and finally au account of the disastrous
ending of the attempt to land the Pink
ertons. The report says that the Pink
ertons who surrendered were brutally
and outrageously treated, principally
by women and boys, and Mr.. Oates is
oath to believe that any of these women
are native Americans. He says that the
.ndignities to which they were subject
ed were disgrace to civilization. Mr..
Dates asks whether the Carnegie firm
was justified in equity and good con-
science in proposing the reduction in
wages.
81 answer" he saws, that Mr.. Frick
declined 10 state the cost of ton of
steel billets and the labor cost The
men were paid satisfactory wages, but
the work much abbreviates the natural
period of life and should be well paid
for"
He thinks that the company should
have some Of the benefits of the profits
resulting from the use of improved ma
chinery. He condemns the Mckinley
law for its failure to benefit the Ameri-
can workmen and says. the promises
made to the operatives have been dis
appointing Had Mr.. Frick stated the
bottom facts to the committee they
would have agreed that the proposition
to reduce wages was justifable,
but they took issue with him in
his conclusion that the tariff did not
cause decline in prices Mr.. Oates
finds further that the conduct of the
company toward its employees was kind
in many respects. 1t loaned them
money at low interest to build them
homes and never foreclosed mortgages:
but in the negotiations the officers did
not exercise patience, indulgence and
solicitude, and Mr.. Frick, according to
the report, who is business man of
great intelligence, seems to have been
too stern, brusque and somewhat auto
cratic
Mr.. Oates is persuaded that had Mr..
Frick appealed to the reason of the en-
ployes and shown the state of the COM
pany's affairs, the reduction might have
been made and no trouble have fol-
lowed. Mr.. Oates finds that the Penn
sylvania law contains nothing to pre-
vent Mr.. Frick from employing Pinker-
ton men as watchmen at Homestead.
but says that under the circum-
stances he should not have
done so. He made overtures to
the Pinkertons before the negotiations
with the men were interrupted and did
not appeal to the county or state au-
thorities in the first instance for pro-
lection. He asserts that Sheriff Nc
Cleary is a very inefficient officer, but
says that had Mr.. Frick aided him and
Joined in his appeal to the governor, in
stead of employing Pinkertons, the
state would have furnished a sufficient
force to have potected the property.
Mr.. Oates condemns as unlawful the
acts of the workmen in turning away
the sheriff and as insulting in hanging
in efigy Messrs. Frick and Potter. He
says it was the purpose of the Amalga-
mated association to prevent the en-
ployment of non-union men, and he de-
clares that no organization has a right
to enforce its wishes by strong handed
defiance of law. The men had no legal
right to resist the coming of the Pinker-
tons and are answerable to the Penn
sylvania courts. In conclusion Mr..
Oates finds that congress has no power
over the question involved. The enact
ment of satisfactory arbitration law
is well nigh impossible. As to whether
congress has the power to regulate or
suppress the Pinkerton men, Mr.. Oates
says he has no conclusion to express
until the completion of the investiga-
tion next session.
Demands Acceded To.
OMAHA, Neb., Aug. Sat o'clock
Saturday afternoon word was received
from Boston that the Union Pacific di-
rectors were willing to leave the mat
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