The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1893-02-15
HOMESTEAD REPORT
VIEWS OF SENATE COMMITTEE.
The Rights of Employer and Employed
Clearly Defined. A Strong Patriotic
Plea For Arbitration.

Mr. Galin ger, from the select committee
appointed by the National Senate to inves.
tigate the facts In relation TO the employ
ment for private purposes Of armed bodies
OF men or detectives, in case Of differences
between workmen and employees submitted
report TO Congress ON Saturday. The side
OF the detectives was presented by II differ.
ent witnesses, prominent among them he
ing the pinkertons themselves The part
played by the Pinkerton Agency in the late
Homestead strike was detailed by II. e.
fHck, Of the Carnegie steel Company, and
Robert A. pinkerton Of the Detective
Agency
The committee found that even the pro.
prietors ol detective agencies admitted that
the presence of the sO.Called pinkertons
served to unduly inilnme the passions OF the
strikers, and the employment of detectives
IN the punsr If mechanics impressed the
committee with the belief that II IL an NJ.
terly vicious system, responsible for much
Of the illfee'nr and bad blood displayed by
the working classes.
The committee expresses the opinion thai
II firms would discontinue the employment
Ol armed men on occasion. uf strike their
Interests would be better subsorved. The
committee declares that the employment Of
private armed guard nj Honest, nd was
unneCe sary. There was no evidence, they
say, To show that 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 and terrorism for whic the
strikers were themselves responsible; labor
ng men should learn the Lesson that they
cannot better their condition bv violating
the law or resisting lawful authority,
TnE CoMMITrrE's CONCLUSIONS
first-- Rights of employers aud workmen
are equal.
Second - Employers have undoubted
rights, provided they fulfill their agree.
ments, TO employ and dismiss men at
pleasure.
rhird-Workmcn can legally organize for
mutual protection and improvement
Fourth-When dissatisfied with wages
or hours they should attempt To arbitrate.
Fifth-Failing in this they have right
to discontinue work either sinrly OF in n
body
slxth-IIaving discontinued. they have no
right legal or moral. by force or .ntmida-
or 10 attempt TO occupy, injure or destroy
the property OF their employers.
Sev,nth-in all controversies, arbitra.
tion having failed, reliance should be
placed upon the power and adequacy of the
law.
b,
the employment OF armed bodies Of men
for private purposes, either by employers
or employees, should not be resorted to and
such use IL an assumption of the States au.
thority by private citizens.
SintlI-States have undoubted authority
70 legislnte against the employment Of arm
cd bodies Of men for private purposes, but
the power of Congress To so legislrte IL not
clear, although II would seem that Congress
ought not TO be powerle>s To prevent tn,
movement of such bodies from one State tc
another,
In conclusion the committee says that its
Investigations have led 1t to conclude that
the fault Is not wholly on one side, that
middle ground seems 10 be in the direction
Of arbitration, Without making any recon
mendations, but pleading for arbitration
the committee closes its report by saying
ITO that end we bespeak the cooperation o
all patriotic citizens, aud your commtte,
will welcome any legislation which viii
tend TO secure to the laboring man his ever,
right without depriving the employer of his
for both are guaranteed by the Constitution
and the laws of the land"