The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-02-11
UNDUEAssUMPTION OF AUTHORITY
The Employment of Armed Bodies by
Private individuals Is Calculated to
Create Disorder and BIoodshed-States
May Legisiate Against the Practice.

WASHINGTON, Feb 11.-Mr Gallinoer.
from the select committee appointed by
senate to investigate and report to the SEN
ate the facts In relation to the employment
Tor private purposes of armed bodies of
men. or detectives, In connection with diff.
ferences between workmen aud EMPLOYERS
submitted the report of the committee yes
terday. The committee found that even
the proprietors of the detective agencies
admitted the presence of so-called pinker-
tons at a strike served to unduly influence
the passions OF strikers, and the employ
ment of detectives In the guise of mechan-
les impressed the committee with the be-
lief that it is an utterly vicious system, re
sponsible for much of the i'll feeling and
bad blood displayed by the working
classes. The committee expresses the
opinion that II firms and corporations
would discontinue the employment of
armed men on occasions of threatened or
expected strike their interests would be
subserved.
No Need for Pinkcrtons.
ut strikes your committee" the report
continues, that If Mr.. Frick had acted
upon the views laid down by Mr.. Carnegie
in his article on The Results of Labor
Troubles in The Forum magazine, which
In a recent letter to the chairman of this
committee Mr.. Carnegie reafIirmed, and
had further extended negotiation with his
workmen, the Homestead strike might
have been avoided. The committee de
clares that the employment of a private
armed guard at Homestead was unneces
sary. There was no evidence, they say, to
show that the slightest damage was dom
or attempted to be done to property on the
part of strikers At the Bame time there
seems to be no excuse for the scenes oi
disorder an terrorism, for which the
strikers were themselves responsible
Laboring men should learn the lesson thnt
they cannot better their condition by VIC
lating the law" The committee reached
these conclusions:
First-Rightso of employers and workmen
are equal
Second-Employers have an undoubted
right, provided they fulfill their agree
ments, to employ aud dismiss a man At
pleasure.
Third-Workmen can legally organize
for mutual protection and improvement.
Fourth-When dissatisfied with wages
or hours they should attempt arbitration.
Fifth-failng in this they have right
to discontinue work either singly or in
body.
Sixth-IIaving discontinued, they have
no right, either legal or moral, by force o,
intimidation, to keep others from taking
their places, or TO attempt to occupy, in
jure or destroy the property of their en-
ployers.
Seventh-fn all controversies, arbitra-
ton having failed, reliance should be placed
upon the power and adequacy of the law.
Undue Assumption of Authority.
Eighth-Whether assumedly legal or
not, the employment of armed bodies of
men for private purposes, either by EN-
ployers or employed should not be re-
sorted to, and such use is an assumption
of states authority by private citizens.
Ninth-States have undoubted author
ity to legislate against the employment of
armed bodies of men for private purposes,
but the power of congress to so legislate is
not clear, although 1t would seem that
congress ought not TO be powerless to pre-
vent the movement of such bodies from
one state to another.
In conclusion, the committee SAYS that
its Investigations have led it to conclude
that the fault is not wholly on one side:
that middle ground seems to be in the di-
rection of arbitration Without making
any recommendations, but pleading for
arbitration, Uhe committee closes its report
by saying:
TO that end we bespeak the co-opera-
tion OF all patriotic citizens, and your com.
mlttee will welcome any legislation which
will lend to secure TO the laboring man
his every right, without depriving the EN-
ployer of his, for both are guaranteed by
the constitution aud laws Of the land"