The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-07-11
ChicagO's Trial.

A year ago the city OF chicago WIS III Holi
day attire, and the Worlds Fair was In the
hey-day OF success. Hundreds OF thousands
of strangers crowded the already busy streets
of the great Western metropolis, ana chicago
To-day this great city is in q turmoil OF riot
GUS excitement: Its business crippled, is
people alarmed, and the future more omin-
GUS than the present 1eaa Al tn1s mas Of otsn Zen
American Railway Union, of which President
Debs ia the head and controlling spirit Pres.
ident Debs talks fair enough, ana oeciates S a,,a
that the Railway Union contemplates no Vlo-
lence towards anybody, and II the railroads
can supply the places OF the stri king members
of the Union they will not be forclbiy resist
ed. But in the face Of this fair talk the wreck,
Ing Of trains, the tearing up OF tracks, and
rioting among the strikers is OF constant oc-
ourrence and recurrence.
The trouble grew AZ has been pelore stateo,
out of difference between Mr.. pullman ana
the employees OF his car works at Pullman.
reduction having taken place In their
wages, they demanded the re- e-establishment OF
the old scale of prices. President pullman
himself appeared before the meeting of work.
men, and gave them full and frank state
ment OF the condition Of the company's pnsl.
ness. He showed them that IN order 70 get
ployed he had bid for work at prices below
the actual cost Of construction. He explain
ed that the com mpany was not only mol recelV-
em mployed, but was actually not receiving as
much for the manufacture OF cars as 1t cost
10 make them, notably the ftty.hVe Long Is,
land cars, which was the first large order OF
passenger cars let since the great depression,
and which was sought for by practically all
the leading car builders in the country.
my anxiety" said President Pullman, "to
secure that order, 80 as to put as many men TO
work as possible was such that I put In bid
at more than $500 per car less than the actual
cost to the company. The 800 stock cars
refrigerator cars now under construction for
the same company, will result In loss OF at
least Sl2 per car. and the twenty-five cars Just
built for the Lake Street Elevated Road show
loss of $40 per car"
In spite of this frank and conciliatory show
ing on the part OF President Pullman, the
Pullman employees decided 10 60 out on q
strike. The pay rolls at the time amounted
by the strike, 80 that during the period Of
little more than six weeks which has elapsed,
the employees who quit their work have de.
prived themselves and and tn their comrades OF earn
AS President Pullman was only trying TO
provide work for the men. even at loss, they
have done by striking just what 1t was to bis
which he would not do. The large number
of extra cars which were made for the
Worlds Fair travel have placed the supply
far In advance OF the demand, 30 that the
strike instead OF proving hardship on the
Pullman Company, Is simply cutting of the
income of the strikers.
But it is at this point that the strike passes
beyond the legitimate bounds OF strike, and
entrenches upon the business Of the whole
country, Interstate commerce, and the car
rying OF mails. Instead OF leaving the Pull
man strike to take care or Itself, When the
American Railway Union discovered that
the Pullman Company was not worrying
over the strike. but that the strikers were The
only sufferers, having cut off their noses TO
spite their own faces, President Debs thorght
TO show his power. He notified the Pullman
authorities that unless they acceded 10 the
demands Of the strikers he would declare
boycott OF Pullman cars on every railroad In
the country hauling sleeping cars, and stop
purpose Dur of this was to incommode the public
and embarrass the railroads 80 that the
weight of public opinion would be brought to
bear on the Pullman Company TO force It TO
make settlement with Its striking en-
ployes.
But the general strike OF the Railway I'm.
ion, which President Debs declared was to be
80 orderly and pacific, has been marked by
through freights, the Interruptions OF the
malls the destruction OF property and much
personal violence. The officers OF the law
have been derided and resisted, and the
have been filled With rioting mobs.
| Nothing could be more unJusti1able than
| the Interference with the railroad business OF
the whole country because Of a disagreement
between the Pullman company and lts en-
ployes about the price TO be paid for work
In the company's repair shops. What have
! the employees OF the railroad q thousand miles
| from Pullman TO do with the difference be.
les? And why should the traffic OF the
whole country be disturbed, thousands OF
dollars OF perishabIe freights be lost:
and the mail communication be interfered
| with
| But this Is still not the worst, for when the
officers OF the law were called upon 10 pre-.
serve order and 10 protect trains that had
been manned by Others the strikers resisted
| with violence the legal authorities, tore up
tracks wrecked trains, and In various ways
proved themselves enemies OF law and order,
and removed themselves without the
pale Of sy ympathy OF any law.abiding citizen:
They have made an appeal to the military
| power necessary, and have inaugurated mn
era Of disorder and lawlessness which exceeds
anything In extent this country has hereto
| fore known.
Nobody questions the right OF any employ
or set Of employees to quilt work whenever
they are unwilling to accept the pay that is
offered for their services. Their right to do
this is clear and undlsputed. But when
| these strikers, who refuse TO work at the
price paid, violently prevents others from
| taking their places. who are willing TO ac-
cept the terms offered, right then they 60 be-
yond the pale OF right and enter upon pale
Of awlessness which is indeiensible. The au.
thority of the law, which Is bound to pro-
| tect citizens in peaceful pursuits OF their bus
mess, here interposes It's strength, and the
strik ers find themselves In the role OF lawless
rioters. IL Is this unhappy predicament inioo
which President Debs has led the railroad
employees OF every company involved In the
strike. and 1t is probable that before the law
| is through with him he may understand the
difference between men quitting WORK them
selves and forcibly preventing others from
working who are willing to take the place OF
the strikers.