The morning call., 1894-11-13

liberties. as well as employees and their rights.
The question would then certainly arse as 10
which shall control. The Government or the
railroads, and tile enc would be Government
ownership. Unless ready for that result, and
all that Ii implies the Government must re-
strain corporations Within the law and prevent
them forming unlawful and dangerous combi-
nations. Al least so long as railroads are thus
permitted TO combine and fix wages and for
their joint protection, 1t woult be rank in1us-
tice 10 deny the right of all Dor upon railroads
10 unite for similar purposes.
1t should b. noted that until the railroads
set the example. The great union OF railroad
employees was never att mpt d. The unions
had not gone beyond enlis:ing the men upon
different systems in separate trade organ
izations. These neutralize and check each
other to some extent, and have no such scope
or capacity for good or evil as is possible
under the universal combination idea inaugur-
ated by the railroads and followed by the
American Railway Union. The refusal Of the
General NJ nagers' Association to recognize
and zeal with such a combination OF labor as
the American Railway Union seems arrogant
and absurd when we consider its standing be-
fore the law, its assumptions and its paG and
obviously contemplated future action.
Taking Ip the subject of the Pullman
Palace Car Company the report says:
L DIS is a corporation CISdnlLtu III 1oOI Will
a capital OF 81, 600, 900. 1t has grown until its
present paid up capital is S36,OO0,000. It's
prosperity has enabled the company for over
twenty years TO pay per cent quarterly diyi-
dends, and in addition TO lay up surplus OF
nearly S25,000,000 OF undivided profits.
Speaking of the town of Pullman, of
which the report says the company is
owner and landlord, the commission says:
The principal church and its parsonage are
very attractive structures, but often not occu-
pied, because the rental required is higher than
any church society is willing 10 pay TO obtain
the gospel privileges to be thereby secured. In
the arcade is a tasteful library OF bo0Hs, care
fully selected and cared for by the company.
Three dollars per year is charged for its use.
and as many as $50 persons year out Of 1000
10 5000 employees and residents have at times,
as stated by the librarian in charge, awaited
themselves Of its opportunities. Ii is possible
that the air Of business strictly maintained
there as elsewhere and their exclusion from
any part Of its management prevent more uni
versal and grateful acceptance of It's advan-
tages by employees as a rule, even when en-
plOyeS prefer independence TO paternalsm in
such matters.
The company pays physician and a surgeon
by The year 10 furnish TO injured employees
necessary treatment and drugs. 1t is, how
ever, also a part Of bis employment TO s. cure
from the injured party written statement as
TO the cause of injury, and IL is his custom TO
urge the acceptance of any offered settlement.
II suit follows, the doctor is usually witness
for the company. We have no evidence that
the doctor has ever abused his confidential re-
lations toward the Injured employees, but the
system is admirably conceived, from business
standpoint, TO secure as speedily as possible a
settlement OF claims for damages upon terms
offered by the company and 10 protect the COM
and iror oefiItc
AS a result OF the Pullman system aud It's
growth when the depression of 1898 came,
morally calling for mutual concessions 10
low wages and rents, we find on the one side
very wealthy and unyeldng corporation, and
upon the other multitude of employees of COM
paraively excellent character and skill, but
without local attachments or any interested re-
sponsibity in the town, its business, tene-
menIs or surroundings.
Inc conditions err ated at Pullman enable the
management at all times 10 assert with great
yigor its assumed right 10 fix wages and rent,
absolutely, and 10 repress that sort of indepen-
dence which leads to labor organizations and
their attempts at mediation and arbitration of
strikes On the other hand it is an economic
principle generally recognized that the shutting
down OF such plant and the scattering OF its
forces usually result in a greater loss than
that exhibited by the continuance OF business.
The Pullman Company could hardly shut down
for seven aud half months at a cost and loss
OF less than l Per cent upon its capital and sur
plus
To continue running was for its obvious and
unfair advantage so long as 1t could divide
losses equally with its labor. The men at Pull
man claim that the company during 1898 and
1894 set the pay through experts so that with
their forced loss OF time al average man could
earn little more than The rent of his house,
owned by the company. The company alleges
that it simply readIusted prices OF piece work
10 suit the necessities of the times.
Some witnesses swear that at times for the
work done in two weeks they received in
checks from cents 10 81 over and above
their rent. The company has not pro-
duced its checks in rebuttal. During all of this
reduction ana its attendant suffering none OF
the salaries of the officers, managers or superin-
tendents were reduced. Reductions IN those
would not have been so severely felt; would
have shown good faith; would have relieved
the haTshness OF the situation, and would have
eyinced genuine sympathy with the laborer in
the disasters of The times.
In its statement to the public which are
In evidence the company represents that its
obj ct in oil il did was to continue operations
for the benefit of its workingmen and OF trades
people in and about Pullman and TO save the
public from The annoyance of Interrupted
travel. The commission thinks The evidence
shows that it sought to keep running mainly
for its own benefit as manufacturer; that its
plant might not rust; that its competitors
might not invade its territory; that it might
Keep its cars in repair; that 1t might be ready
Tor resumption when business revived with a
live plant and competent help and that its
revenue from its tenements might continue.
If we exclude the esthetic and sanitary feat
ures at Pullman, the rents there are from 20 to
rs per cent higher han the rents In Chicago or
surrounding towns for similar accommodations.
The esthetic features are admired by visitors
but have little money value 10 employees, espe-
cially when they lack bread. The company
makes all repairs and heretofore has not COM
PEELED tenants TO pay for them. Under the
printed leases, however, which tenants must
sign, they agree to pay for all repairs which are
either necessary Ordinary wear aud damages
by the elements not excepted) or which the
company chooses to make.
The cOmpanys claim that the workmen need
not hire It's enements and can live elsewhere if
they choose is not entirely tenable. The fear
OF losing work keeps them in Pullman as long
as there are tenements unoccnpied, because
the company is supposed, as a matter OF bust
ness, to give preference 10 its tenants when
work Is slack.
While reducing wages the company made no
reduction IN rents. Its position Is hat he two
matters are distinct and that none of the
reasons urged as justifyiug wage reduction by
IL as an employer can be considered by the
company as landlord. The company claims
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