The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-08-19
PINKERTON'S THUGS.
To be Investigated by a Senate Com
mittee Of Seven Select United
States Senator's.
RIGHTLY CALLED "ENFMITO or MANKIND"
The Facts to be Brought to Light About
the Employment Of Armed
Bodies In Labor Troubles.

On Wednesday Of last week the vice-presI-
dent laid before the senate the resolution
reported from the committee on education
and labor for the appointment Of a select
committee Of seven senators on the employ
ment Of Pinkerton detectives In labor
troubles.
Mr., Sherman stated the reasons why he
thought the question should not be taken
up now. In the first place, the house of
representatives had already, In a very fair
and dispassiOnate way, taken up the ques-
ton and examined into the matter. Then
the subject involved to some extent the
domain of sovereign state. The Offense
referred to in the resolution had originated
In all old and well ordered community.
The third reason why 1t should not be acted
on now that the senate itself was half.aliye
and half dead, waiting TO close It's session In
peace, and with hardly enough senators
present to constitute q quorum. Still he
was bound to say that the principal question
raised as to whether any man or corpora.
ton might employ armed men was a very
important one. He doubted whether any
corporation had a right to hire such JAM
zaries. He hoped tn It the resolution would
be allowed to 20 over till next session
Mr.. Palmer replied to Mr.. Sherman's OBJ
jections and favored the proposed investl-
CATION, saying that the Importance Of 1t
could not be Overstated. The country
would be startled at the amount of informa-
ton that would be collected as to the extent
to which such dangerous semi political and
anni military ni11tiOua ragnnngihIa
neither to God nor man, were employed.
They ought to be hunted down as "enemies
Of mankind"
Mr.. Vest also favored the proposed inves-
| tigatiOn, and said that the Pinkerton force
had ceased to be detective bureau and was
now standing army. He described the
foray and raid made by the PinkertOn force
into bliss ourl when the homestead Of the
james brothers was surrounded, and when,
in the most cruel and cowardly manner,
hand grenades were thrown into the house
where women and children were sleeping.
Mr.. Quay said that II the select committee
could 90 to Homestead and influence the
adjustment as to wages II would be welcome
there, otherwise the people of Homestead
were not anxious for 1t.
Mr.. Gallinger did not think that there
was any force In Mr.. Sherman's objections.
| II was full time, he believed, that congress
should, by bill or otherwise, protect the
people Of the country from invasion Of an
| Illegal, unauthorized and murderOus mob
Of men.
Mr.. Call also favored the investigation on
the ground that invasion of o state by the
| PlnkertOn forces was "treaSon" within the
constitutional definition of the term.
Mr.. Sanders cOntended that the first ques-
| ton presenting itself In the matter was the
question Of Jurisdiction and where the au-
thority rested to prevent the passage Of
armed men intent OH specific errand as
described In the resolution. lie thought,
however, that the inquiry might be made
| useful. 1t would be a contribution to good
government II 1t should be found that con
gress had no power to prescribe remedy,
but that absolute and supreme power was
In the states themselves.
Mr.. Morgan stated that the trouble at
Homestead arose from the fact that foreign
men from other states, collected from the
slums OF the large cities-tOughs and vaga-
bonds--had been hired to take possession Of
works where Homestead people claimed
they had a right to he. The people had
been faith tul, diigent in business, econOm-
ical and frugal, and they had conceived the
idea that they had right to fix with their
employees a certain basis OF wages.
Mr. Hawey argued that the questions In
yolyed were capable OF settlement within
the lines of state power, but said that there
we're no panacEa, no nOstrum, no modern
invention that would settle them. They
They could ultimately only be settled by
common sense on the part OF the employer
and common sense on the part Of the EN-.
ployed There was but one effective rem
edy for them-"The Golden Rule" The
remarks OF MIR. Palmer some time since,
al Al rlsFnaO anfi1inl
to stay there and be employed there, were
exceedingly dlstasteiul to him. They had
no such right. But the employer who
would turn out such men who had been so
long in his service was "beasV and a
"brute."
He was replied to BY Mr.. Palmer, who
claimed that the organization OF labor
should be encouraged and not discouraged.
The organization which owned the Home
stead works, with capital Of $11sOOO,OOO,
had actually forbidden, so far az 1t could,
the organization Of labor. He had, on a
previous occasion, asserted the right OF the
| owners Of the property TO control It; nut he
had also asserted the right Of the laborers
to employment. Even the senator from
Connecticut, (Mr. Hawley,) admitted that
they had moral right to be employed. He,
| (Mr. Palnier,) had gone no further than 10
| assert that moral right. His object had
been to intimate to the senate and 10 the
country that moral right Conceded by all
who criticised HIM must be, in some way
or other The did not know,) clothed In legal
forms. The difficulty consisted In defining
| It. All that he had meant to assert had
been conceded, that those men had moral
right to employment dependent upon their
conduct. All the elements Of labor not
now organized had the right to organize,
and ought to organize, and ought TO be en-
couFaged TO organize. The Carnegie com.
pany had refused that right.
After furthur discussion the resolution
was adopted without a division. II pro-
yided select committe Of seven senators to
investigate and report the facts In relation
TO the employment, for private purposes, Of
armed bodies Of men or dectiyes In connec-
ton with differences between workmen and
employers; the reasons for the creation Of
such organized bodies Of armed men, their
character and uses; where, when, how and
by whom they have been employed aud
paid, and under what authority.
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