The record-union., 1894-07-07

freight movement or of local passenger
service on trains where the Pullman serv-
ice has not been customary. That this is
true. because the Southern Pacific Com
pany stands ready to operate all trains
heretofore operated to which no Pullman
cars have been attached.
On the other hand, the representatives
OF the striking force have refused by ex-
pilcit declaration to permit any trains,
freight or passenger, to run over the road
unless an adjustment is first had between
the Pullman Car Company-oyer which
it is admitted the railroad has no control
whatever-and that company's employees
in distant Illinois town. Or, unless the
railroad company abrogates its contract
with the Pullman Company regardless
of legal obstacles and restraints. and if
need be buy out the Pullman one-fourth
interest in the sleeping cars used on the
Southern Pacific lines.
1t will be seen, and the strikers COM
mittee will concede it. that there is made
no claim that the railroad company has
the power to compel an adjustment be-
tween the Pullman Company and it's en-
ployes. Nor ia it claimed that the rail-
road company can compel the Pullman
Company to sell out. Nor is it. nor can
it be explained how the buying out of
Pullman-if that were possible, or could
be done without sacrifice of the vital
principle underlying ownership and con-
trol-and the payment to him of hard
coin or its equivalent. is going to punish
him, as is the avowed desire of the
American Railway Union, or how that
payment would accomplish any good
whatever for the cause of labor. We
confess that this branch of the strikers
proposition excites smile because of its
inconsistency.
So then it is clear, and we call the at
tention of the striking workmen to the
fact, that the refusal TO permit freight
service to be rendered to the people OF
| California puts the responsibility upon
them for discontinuance OF the service.
There was nothing better understood by
the workmen than that the one de-
mand was and has been that the railroad
company refuse to haul Pullman cars in
its trains. The railroad company de-
olares that it stands ready to operate at
once local passenger lines, and to give
full freight service to the people with
trains heretofore operated to which no
Pullman cars have been attached.
If this offer is finally and conclusively
refused, the logical, Irresistible and un-
impeachable conclusion must be reached
by every unbiased mind that the re-
sponsibility for the incorporation of such
trains rests wholly upon the striking en-
pleyes of the company. There is simply
and emphatically no escape from this by
any reasoning being.
IF the refusal to permit the operation of
trains to carry the commerce of the
State, trains in which Pullman cars are
not hauled, is persisted IN, there can be
no other reading of its meaning than
this, that new power. one unknown to
the Constitution and the laws, autocratic
in character and backed by physical
force. is to be maintained within the
Government, that may direct when
the commerce of the country shall be
paralyzed, how long the paralysis shall
continue, when industry shall rust and
trade stagnate, that there shall be no re-
dress for damage done in consequence.
and that this power shall be so far-reach-
ing that no human activity may escape it,
and all industry, business, production
and creation shall be subject to its will.
Of course if 1t were possible for such q
power to exist within free government
without its consent and without limita-
ton or hindrance, then there would be no
other government than that autocracy
and freedom would go to it's grave.
We are not ready to believe that the
people of the American Republic, espe.
cially that body of them within the ranks
of organized and unorganized labor, are
prepared to accept any such possibility
in place of the government of our fathers
and the institutions of liberty.
But referring again to the ease with
which freight traffic may be resumed. we
call the attention anew, for emphasis, oi
every member of the striking force now
obstructing freight movement in Califor-
MIA to the inevitable logic of the position
in which denial to freight to move places
them, namely, that 1t puts the response
bility for the deplorable resulting injury
to production, trade and industrial busi-
ness in Califorsia upon them; it puts to
them directly this question: Are you
prepared to say to the people who are
rightly clamoring for resumption OF
service and demanding relief from pres
ent painful tension, "Yeu shall not have
it2u
TIE REooRD-UNIoN is daily publish
ing to the full extent of the mechanical