St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-02-11
PinkertoniSm Condemned by
the Select Committee Of
the Senate.
Passions Of Strikers Inf AIMED
by the Presence of the
Detectives.
Frick Recommended to Fol-
low the Views Of Andrew
Carnegie.
In It's Report the Committee
Makes a Plea for Apbi-
tpatiOn.

WASHINGTON Feb. 10.-Mr. Gall
niger. from TIE select committee APP
pointed by the senate to investigate
and report to the senate the facts in re-
latiOn to the employment for private
purposes of armed bodies of men, or de-
tectiveS in connection with differences
between Workmen and employees, sub
mitted the report of the committee to-
day. The committee foand that even
the proprietorS of the detective agencies
admitted that the presence of the So
called PinkertonS at strike served to
unduly int1ame the passions of the
strikers and the employment of de-
tectfveS in the guiSe of mechanics i'm
pressed the committee with the belief
that it is an utterly vicious system, re-
sponsibe for much of the i'll feeling
and bad blood displayed by the work.
ing classes. The committee expresses
the opinion that if firms and corpora
tionS would discontinue the employment
of armed men on occasions of threat
ened or existing strikes their interests
would be better subserved. 1t strikes
your committee, the paper continues,
that if MIR. Frick had
Acted Upon the Views
laid down by Andrew Carnegie in his
article, zine Results of the Labor
Troubles" in the Forum magazine,
which, in recent letter to the chair
man of this committee, Mr.. Carnegie
reatfrmed, and had further extended
negotiations with his workmen, the
Homestead strike might have been
avoided.
The committee declares that the en-
ployment Of a private armed guard at
Homestead was unnecessary. There
was no evidence, 1t says, to show that
the slightest damage was done or at
tempted to be done to property on the
part of the strikers. At the same time
there seems to be. no excuse, for the
strikers we're themselves reSpon-
sible; laboring men should learn the
lesson that they cannot better their
condition by violating the law OF resist
ing lawful authority. The committee
reached these conclusions: l. The
rights of employers and Workmen are
equal. 2. Employers have an undoubted
right, provided they fulfill their agree
ments, to employ nd dismiss men at
pleasure. 3. Workmen can legally Or
ganize for mutual protection and i'm
provement. 4. When dissatisfied with
wages or hours they
Should Attempt to Arbitrate.
5. Failing in this, they have a right to
discontinue work, either singly OF in a
body. 6. Having discontinued, they
have no right, legal or moral, by force
or intimidation to keep others from TAX
ing their places, or to attempt to occu-
ply, injure or destroy the property of
their employers. z. In all controver-
sizes. arbitration having failed, reliance
should be placed upon the power and
adequacy of the law. s. Whether
assumed to be legal or not, the EN-
ployment of armed bodies of men
for private purposes, either by
employers or employees should not be re-
the states authority by private citizens.
9. States have undoubted authority to
legislate against the employment of
armed bodies of men for private pur-
poses. but the power of congress to so
legislate is not clear, although it would
seem that congress ought not to be
poWerleSS to prevent the movement of
such bodies from one state to another.
In conclusion, the committee say that
its investigations have led it to con-
clude that the fault is not wholly on one
side, that middle ground seems to be in
the direction of arbitration. Without
making any recommendations, but
pleading for arbitration. the committee
closes its report by saying: ITO the end
we bespeak the cooperation of all patri-
otto citizens, and your committee will
welcome any legislation which will tend
to secure to the laboring man his every
right without depriving the employer Of
his, for both are guaranteed by the con-
StitutiOn and the laws of the land"