Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-25

IHE PTTTSBURG
/ remember one case where an hction
| was granted to restrain employees 6m boy
eotting firm. This was the case OF Brace
| Bros.
Q: Was the injunction granted' A. Event.
q. Then the course pursued by Brace
Bros. could have been followed by the Car
| negie Company instead of resorting to Pink.
ertonsf A. think it would have applied.
| 1t is hard to prove and hard to get an In
junction. 1t is much harder to obtain than
If the way was more practical. There Is
| generally great delay.
Q. Have you ever had any labor troubles
| In connection with your mining interests?
A. Yes, we had at one time. The trouble
generally originates between Organized and
non-unton labor. The union labor is al
ways aggressive and tries to force the nom
union to join.
Q. In the old days did you ever hear any
labor troublesG A No; bu: there were
always detectives and watchmen to guard
property in case of strikes.
O. Do you think it necessary to employ
armed lnen in connection with labor differ
ences? A. There is an urgent necessity for
such. 1t arises from our detective laws and
inefncient execution. If the laws were clear,
explicit and enforced there would he no oc-
casion for armed men, but as the laws are
IN tins State don't see how men can con-
duct large enterprises without them.
Too Much Party Politics.
Q. Can you explain why in this enlight-
ened State of Pennsylvania and in this the
close of the nineteenth century such care
less laws as these exist? A. In my opinion
there is too much party politics for the good
OF the people PreferInent for Office depends
on service to the party instead OF fitness for
the position. For instance, we seldom have
a Sheriff who can and will do his duty.
II 6elav
the military, the Governor learing he might
Offend some one.
q. Do you mean to say that the Sheriff
deIers dong his duty through lear of politi-
cal consequences? A. do.
e. Would the same suggestion apply TO
the Governor A. Why, OF course. The
master workman goes to Harrisburg and
says Here's so many thousand votes, and
we want SO and SO, and they generally get
it.
Q. Then the same thing applies to the
Legislature? A. Certainly it does They
spend too much time in looking after polit-
ical ends instead OF looking after the peo-
pies good. Our present Governor thought
during his first term was all right, but now
think otherwise. The growing evil OF our
time is class legislation.
Q. The attention OF this committee as well
as that of the whole country has been called
to the neglect or the Sheriff as to his failure
to secure posse commitatus? A. think
he could have secured one had he made an
earnest effort.
" 10 you tnlnR tne SheriH anc Carnegie
Company exhausted all their powers before
securing an armed body OF Pinkertonsf a.
think he did as he regarded his powers, but
1t was only in perfunctory way,
Councilman Robertson's Strike Experience.
A. G. Robertson, Select Councilman from
the Thirty fifth ward, came next as a wit
ness He said he had been a glsssblower
for 20 years, after that was elected to the
Legislature and then quit working for
living. He is now practcing law. He
helped to organize the Knights OF Labor in
this county.
By Senator Gallinger-Were you ever en-
gagged in any strikes? A. Yes, 1 managed
more rigid as to conspiracy than they are
now. The strikes were all against reduc.
tion of wages and We never experienced any
trouble.
Q. In those strikes did the question of ar
bitration or conciliation ever arise? A.
No; in those days they were never thought
Q. What is your position now as to volun-
tary Or compulsory arbitration? A. Volun-
tary arbitration is a dead letter, and as to
compulsory arbitration / do not favor it,
from my observations of its workings in
England. The Pinkerton system, to my
mind, is the outcome of the abolition of the
Coal and Iron Police system OF this State. l
want to say that, having served three terms
class legislation in this State it has been in
favor OF the corpol ale class and not of the
laboring class. Tie Legislature in 1891
passed an act allowing the Carnegie Com
s. 0O0 900 to SIS 900 900. 1t was not for them
in q direct way, but they could come in
under it.
William Weihe was recalled by Senator
PETER, who asked:
@. What has been the general effect on
labor and labor interests by strikes? A. In
some cases Denencmi. IN others not. 1t
and. great Einds, and in time the working
people may get legislation in their favor.
John A. Potter, superintendent of the
Homestead plant when the trouble began
and now chief engineer for the Carnegie
Company, was sworn. The testimony he
gave before the Congressional Committee
was identified by him. Senator Gallinger
asked him:
O. At what point did you meet the Pinker-
tons? A. At Ashtabula, o.
O. Why did you meet them theref A. Be-
cause l was authorized 10 do SO.
Q. Did you take charge OF them? A. No,
sir. They were in charge of their own peo-
pie until we arrived at Davis Island Dam,
where Colonel Gray took charge. he was
OF the Sheriff.
Q. Are you clear in your mind that the
of armed men for private pur.
poses is rightH A. ! have no opinion to ex.
press.
@ Whyf A. don't know why.
O. II you could have foreseen the result
would YOU have advised the employment of
the Pinkertons. A. No, sir.
By Senator Peffer-Do you regard the in
terests OF the Carnepies greater than the in
terests of the publlc2 A. No, sir, The in
terests of the public come first.
Q. Then why do you refuse to express an
don't want to be quoted.
Q. Have yor. As a rule, found the people of
Homestead peaceable9 A. There are all
classes there.
@. Is your declination to answer about the
of armed men because you are
a raid to cr1minate yourself and others? A.
No, sir. it is not. 1t is because do not feel
to express an opinion.
From Workers Standpoint.
David Lynch, heater at the Homestead
mill, was the next witness. He stated that
he had worked in the Homestead mill for
IL years and was Chairman of the Police
Board of the Homestead Councils. The re-
duction of wages affected him on the base
Of the scale.
By Senator Gallinger-Did the firm ever
go into an explanation as to why the reduc-
lion was necessary? A. Not that ever heard
Of.
@. Have you had any experience with the
A l helped escort them to
the rink.
@. Were they treated very harshly? A
lidn't consider it so. Our men who were
guarding them suffered as much from the
crowds as they did.
Q. Do you consider that it was outsiders
W no did most of the mischief? a. Yes sir,
1 great part of it.
Q. What is the general conduct Of the
working people? A. We only had three ar
rests i'll Hon. estead in six months previous |
to the trouble.
Q What's your opinion of the hiring of
armed men? A. It's very poor way OF set.