Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-02-11
BOTH SIDES WRONG
Gallinger's Report on the
Trouble at Homestead.
ONE DECIDED OPINION EXPRESSED

And That Is Opposition to the Pinkertons
No Recommendation Made, But Ar
bitration Favored-Changes In the Law
Proposed in the New Pension Bill
Some Remarks on Deserving and I'm
deserving Pensioners-Hawaiia An
nexers Interview Foster and Are Hope
ful-Denial of a Bond Issue Report
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11.-Gallinger, from
the select committee appointed by the SEN
ate to investigate and report to the senate
the facts in relation to the employment for
private purposes of armed bodies of men,
or detectives, in connection with differ
ences between workmen and employers,
submitted the report of the committee yes
terday. The committee found that even
the proprietors of the detective agencies
admitted that the presence of the so-called
Pinkertons at strike served to unduly in
flame the passions of the strikers, and the
employment of detectives in the guise of
mechanics impressed the committee with
the belief that it is an utterly vicious sys-
TEN, responsible for much of the i'll feeling
and bad blood displayed by the working
classes.
was All w
The committee expresses the opinion
that if firms and corporations would dis
continue the employment of armed men
on occasions Of threatened or existing
strike, their interests would be better sub
served and declares that the employment of
a private armed guard at Homestead was
unnecessary. There was no evidence, they
say, to show the slightest damage was done
or attempted to be done property on the
part of the strikers. At the same time
there seems to be no excuse for the scenes
of disorder or terrorism for which the
strikers were themselves responsible; labor
ingmen should learn the lesson that they
| cannot better their condition by violating
the law or resisting lawful authority.
Rights of the Disputing Parties.
The committee reached the conclusions
that the rights of employers and workmen
are equal; that employers have an undoubt-
ed great, provided they fulfill their agree
ments to employ and dismiss men at
pleasure; that workmen can legally organ
ize for mutual protection and improve
ment; that when dissatisfied with wages
or hours they should attempt to arbitrate;
| that failing in this they have q right to
discontinue work either singly or in a body;
| having discontinued they have no right
legal or moral by force or intimidation to
keep others from taking their places or to
attempt to occupy, iniure or destroy the
property Of their employers
Makes No Recommendations
| After declaring that in all controversies
the law should be relied upon, and that
whether legal or not Pinkerton guards
should not be employed, the report con-
| tinues: Estates have undoubted authority
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 it would seem that con-
gress ought not to be powerless to prevent
the movement of such bodies from one
state to another In conclusion, the COM
mittee says that its Investigations have led
it to conclude that the fault is not wholly
on one side, that middle grouLd seems to
| be in the direction of arbitration. Without
making any recommendations the commit
tee closes its report with plea for arbitra
ton.