The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1892-08-13
HOMESTEAD TROUBLES.
THE COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE
SUBMIT THEIR REPORT.

The Report of Mr.. Oates Not Agreed to
the Northern Pacific Out-The None
tary Conference-Sons of Veterans,
WAsn1NGToN, D. c., Aug, 6.-Nlr. Oates
chairman Of the sub committee Of the
House which is investi eating the labor
troubles at Homestead and the connec-
tiou of the Pinkerton detectives there
with. submitted his report to the com
mittec, which was not agreed to. No
member questioned its correctness, but
the Republican member would not assent
to- what it said upon the tariff and the
minority Of the Democratic members Of
the committee thought it impolite to
make any report until the eutirc investi-
cation shall be completed, which could
not be done before the second session Of
congress. Therefore the postponemenl
Of the report was made until next
winter.
The report says the Pinkrrtons who
surrendered We're brutally and outrage
ously treated, principally by women and
BOYS. and Oates is 10th to believe that
any Ol IlleSe women arc Ilibl Nh !iNlhllCAllS.
l1n says the indignitics tp which they
We're subjected was a disgrace tn eivili
zation. Mr., Oates asks whether the
Carnegie firm was justified il equity ana
good conscience il proposing \ rcduc-
| tion of wages. Prick declined to State
/ tht cost Of aton Of I}esselnrr steel billets,
ana the labor it cost The men We're
| paiti satisfactory wages, but THE work
4 much abbreviates the natural period ~
] life and Should be we'll paid for Mr..
I Oates condemns the Mckinley laW for
I lt- failure to protect the American work
narn Had Tricl1 Stated tile bottom
\ facts tothe committee they would have
4 agreed that the proposition to reduce
! wages was justitiable, but they took is
suc with him il his conclusions that the
tariff did not cause decline I'll prices.
Oates finds further that the conduct Of
tile company towards its employees WAS
kind in many respects. 1t loans them
money at low interest TO build homes anc
never foreclosed mortgages: but in wage
| NEGOTIATIONS the officers did not exercise
patience. and Frick seems to have beer
i
cratic Mr. Oates is persuaded that il
Irick had appealed to the reason Of tbs
EMPLOYEES and shown the state Of the
r0mpany's affairs, a reduction might have
been made and no trouble followed
PENNSYLVANIA law contains nothing II
prevent Frick from employing l'inkertol
men as Watchmcn at Homestead, but lt
!, SAYS under the circumstances he Woult
not have done so, Frick made overture
to the I'inse before tile negotiation
: with the men were interrupted and die
Lot appeal to the country OF state atl
tllorties in the first instance for pro
taetion Oates asserts that Sheriff Me
| Cleary is Il very inefficient officer, bu
says had I'rick aided him and Joined i,
his appeal to the Governor instead OF en-
pioYing Pinkcrtons the state would lrayf
furnished sufficient force to protect tn
property.
MI Oates condemns us unlawful TIL
acts Of the workmen in turning ava,
the sheriff. lie said it was the pnrpoS
pi the Amalga1nated association to pre-
/, vent the employment Of non-union mel
and declares that no organization has TIL
rluht to enforce its wishes by strong
handed defiance Of the law. The mel
had no legal right to resist tho coming G
), the Pinkertons, and are answerlble t
the PENNSYLVANIA courts. In conclusion
the question involved.