The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-02-16
PINKERTONISM.
Evils Pointed Out by the Sen.
ate Investigators.
PASSIONS ARE INFLAMED,
Employers Urged to Arbitrate Wage Diff.
oulties with Workingmen

carnegie quoted Against He, ErtCk-Tht
Rights OF Employer and Empioys
Clearly Denned-The Committee APP.
pointed to Investigate the Homestead
Outbreak Make Their Report.
I WASHINGTON, Feb. 11.-Mr Gallinger.
from the select committee appointed by
the senate to investigate and report tc
the senate the facts in relation to the
employment for private purposes Of
armed bodies of men, or detectives, in
connection with differences between
workmen and employers, has sub
mitted the report Of the committee.
The investigation of these subjects
allowed the inquiry TO take a wide scope
The side of the detectives was presented
by fourteen different witnesses, prom
inent among them being the Pinkerton:
themselves. The parts played by the
Pinkerton agency in the late Homestead
strike were detailed by Mr., II, G. FriCk
of the Carnegie company, and Mr.
Robert A. PinkertOn, of the detective
agency, and eight other witnesses
Directly bearing upon the questions OF
labor and labor strikes appears the testi
AnOuO VI StNtlllttI NlLltSStot anu lt
garding the power of the courts to in
terfere to prevent labor strikes is set out
in the testimony of four witnesses
Fifteen additional witnesses bear testi
mony on the subject of arbitration and
other parts Of the inquiry pursued by
the committee.
Private Guards Cause Wage Riots.
The committee found that even the
proprietors of the detective agencies
admitted that the presence Of the So
called Pinkertons at strike served tC
unduly infame the passions of the
strikers and the employment of de-
tectives in the guise of mechanics i'm
pressed the committee with the belief
that it is an utterly vicious system, re-
sponsible for much of the ill-feeling and
bad blood displayed by the working
classes. The committee expressed the
opinion that if firms and corporations
would discontinue the employment OF
the armed men on occasions Of threat
ened or existing strikes their interests
would be better subserved.
ut strikes your committee, the report
continues, THAT if Mr.. Frick had acted
upon the views laid down by Mr..
Andrew Carnegie In his article, THE
Results of the Labor Trouble in The
Forum magazine, which, in a recent
letter to the chairman Of this commit.
tee, Mr.. Carnegie reaffirmed, and had
Further extended negotiations with his
workmen, the Homestead strike might
have been avoided.
The committee declares that the EN-.
ployment of private armed guard at
Homestead was unnecessary. There
was no evidence, they say, to show the
slightest damage was done or attempted
Up be done property on the part of the
strikers. At the same time, there seems
to be no excuse for the scenes Of dis.
order and terrorism for which the strik.
ers were themselves responsible. Labor.
ing men should learn the lesson that
they cannot better their condition by
violating the law or resisting lawful
authority. The committee reached
these conclusions:
The Committees Conclusions.
1. Rights Of employers and workmen
are equal.
2. Employers have undoubted right,
provided they fulfill their agreements,
to employ and dismiss men at pleasure.
8. Workmen can legally organize fol
mutual protection and improvement.
q. When dissatisfied with wages or
hours they should attempt to arbltrate,
8. Failing in this they have a right to
discontinue work, either singly or in
body.
9. Having discontinued, they have nc
right, legal or moral, by force or intimi-
datiop, to keep others from taking their
places or to attempt to occupy, injure
or destroy the property of their en-
ployers.
2. In all controversies, arbitration
having failed, reliance should be placed
qpon the power and adequacy of the
law.
8. Whether assumedly legal or not the
employment of armed bodies of men for
private purposes, either by employers OF
employees, should not be resorted to, and
such use is an assumption of the states
authority by private citizens.
Congress Ought Not to BE Po,verless.
8. States have undoubted authority to
legislate against the employment of
armed bodies of men for private pur.
poses, but the power of congress to sc |
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 says that
It's Investigations have led it to conclude
that the fault is not wholly on one side,
that middle ground seems to be in the
direction of arbitration. Without max.
Ing any recommendations, but pleading
tor arbitration, the committee closes its
report by saying:
"To that end we bespeak the co-opera
fion OF all patriotic citizens, and your
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 guar.
hnteed by the constitution and the laws
of the land"