The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1894-11-17

Interstate Commerce Commission.
Chicago, Nov. little report of the
strike commission TO investigate the
causes leading 1T to the recent great
railroad strike rvas made public to-
day. The report IS addressed to Pres
ldent Cleveland. who appointed the
commission, and 1t is an exhaustive
document, containing about 5000
words.
The report first takes up the general
managers ASSOCIATION, shows that
twenty-four roads ccntcring in Chicago
combined to ''equalize" wages, which
meant in many cases a reduction.
The report declares that the %associa-
ton has no legal existence, and says
that the employees did not combine,
and no such order as the A. II. U. vas
thought of until the railroads COM
mitted to combine, then they should
doing the same thing.
AS regards the Pullman company the
report shows what enormous Profits
"SiC III INV "o6SS WIZ L
duced but rents We're not. The meth
cd of operating the town Of Pullman
is explained, showing that the en-
plOyes are not, as a rule. well treated.
The report says that while the Pull
mai company claimed that it kept it's
works running at Il loss merely to
furnish work for its employees, the
facts are that it sought to keep run
ming mainly for it's own benefit that
it's plant might not rust, that it's com-
petitors might not invade it's territory,
that it might keep it's cars in repair,
that it might be ready for resumption
when business revived with Il live
plant and competent help, and that it's
revenue from it's tenementS might con
tinue.
Some slight concession Ill regard to
rents might have prevented the great
strike. The Pullman strikers are com
plimented for their digniticd, manly
and conservative conduct during the
strike, there having been no property
destroyed at Pullman.
The report favors arbitration. and
says that if the Pullman company and
the railroads had shown the slightest
disposition to conciliate no lives would
have been lost and millions of dollars
worth of property would not have been
destroyed. The commission says that
there was no evidence that the officers
of the A. II. u. participated in or adj
vised intimidation, violence or dcstruc.
ton of property.
The calling Of troops to Chicago was
1t was shown that the
militia in many cases sympathiZed
with the strikers, and the commission
thinks that the THE will come when
the militia must be recruited from
other than labor classes.
The real responsibility for the dis
orders rests with the people and with
the government for not adequately
monopolies and corpora
tons, and for failing reasonably to
protect the rights of labor and redress -,
it's wrongs. Labor unions have come |
to stay, and "is it not wise to fully
recognize them by law, to admit Of
their necessity as labor guides and
to conceive their usefulness,
increase their responsibility and to
prevent their follicS and aggressions by
upon them the privilege en-
joyed by corporations. with like proper
restrictions?"
The Recommendations.
The commission therefore recon-
That there be a permanent United
States strike commission of three menu
with duties and powers of investi-
cation and recommendation as to dis
putcs between railways and their en-
DlOyeS similar to those vested i'll the
Interstate commerce commission as to
rates, etc.
That, as an interstate commerce act
power be given to the United States
court to compel railways to obey the
decisions of the commission after uln-
mary hearing until attended by tech
nicalities, and that no delays in obey
ng the decisions Of the commission be
allowed pending appeals.
st. That whenever the parties to a con-
in a matter within the juris-
liction Of the commission are one or
more railroads on Il side, and one or
more national trade unions incorpor-
tied under charter SCI of the United
States statutes of 1856, or under
state statutes, upon the other, each
side shall have the right to select q
representative who shall be appointed
BY the president to serve as a tenn
oorary member of the commission in
hearing. adjusting and determining
hat particular controversy.
(This provision would make it for the
interest of labor organizations to incor-
Jdor:dte under the law and to make the
commission a practical board of con-
citation. 1t would also tend to create
in the commission and to
give to that body in every hearing
he benefit of practical knowledge of
lie situation on both sides.J
That during the tendency of a pro-
before the commission inau-
,urated by national trades unions or
BY an Incorporation of employees it
shall not be lawful for the railroads to
discharge employees belonging thereto
except for %inetticiency, violation of law
lr neglect Of duty; nor for such unions
such tendency to order, unite
a, or aid OF abet strikes or boy
colts against the railways complained
If; nor for a period Of six mouths after
l decision, for such railroads to dis
any such employees in whose
places others shall be employed, eX-
,ept for the causes aforesaid; o for
any such employees during q like peri
I'd. to quit the service without giving
thirty days written notice of intention
do SO, nor for any such union or in
corporation to order, counsel or ad-
yise otherwise
That chnnter SGT of the United