The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-08-25
PULLMAN STRIKE HEARING
TESTIMONY BEFORE THE LABOR
 COMMISSIONERS.

General Manager St. John Said That the
 General Manngers' Association Never | Kept a Black List of tho Men Who
 Took Part in the Strike.
 Chicago. Aug. 24.-General Manager St. John resumed the stand at the open
 ing of to-days session of the National Labor commission. Questioned as to the existance Of a blacklist. Mir. St. John said the General Managers asso- | citation had never kept record of the men who took part in the late strike. | That was matter for each individual
 road. The witness then read a certi- fled report made by the Rock Island roads detectives. The assertion is made in this report that Vice President Howard of the A. k. U. openly coun- selled violence at a mass meeting Of railroad employees at Blue Island. In one place the report reads: "Howard said he would like to see Pullman hanged; that he was the worst enemy
  ferred to him in obscene language In another place the report declares Howard counselled his followers If they were opposed to use the round end of a counpling pin."
 "These things are sufficient" said Mir. St. John, ito show that the strikers counselled violence. It Is with great re- gret that read this report, but 1t has to be done In order to give our side fair showing"
 Mir. St. John then submitted set of books compiled for the General Man. agers' association, showing the amount of wages that were paid men on each road. He testified that only once had common wage schedule been prepared by the association. This had been pre- sented but 1t was not accepted. It only attempted to fix the question of what would be fair wages under certain con- ditions.
 "The Rock Island road has no de- sire to do its employees an injury" said Manager St. John. "No man has ever been refused hearing before me. When employees have a grievance 1t is their duty to go to the officer immedi- ately over them, and If he does not give them fair hearing they can go to the next higher, and from him to the next higher and so on. It is just like court of law-you begin with the lowest court and go on up"
 "Yes, but in that case" observed MT. Herman, "the court acts as an inter- mediary between the two contending parties. It is not one ofthe contending parties itself"
 John M. Egan, who was strike man. ager for the General Managers asso- citation, took the stand and corroborat- CT MT. St. Johns statements. In ex- planation of the overtures from the A. R. U. through the mayor not being re- ceived, he said:
 "I told the mayor did not think he ought to be messenger boy for such a body, and did not think the general managers should receive such commit nication. thought it a great piece of cheek on the part of the A. R. U. peo- pie after they were whipped to dictate the terms of their surrender" Had the troops been removed?" asked the chairman. "No, sir"
 "Then why did you consider the mat ter settled?"
 "We needed protection for our new men,"
 Upon being cross questioned Mr. Egan practically admitted that the commun- ication was returned simply because 1t was signed by officers of the American Railway union.
 Judge Worthington asked: "Did you think 1t derogatory to the honor of the mayor to bring a respectful, peaceful overture looking to the settlement of a strike that was costing the city hun dreds of thousands of dollars?"
 "I did at that time"
 "Did your association make any effort 1 to settle this strike other than by eorce?"
 MT. Egan could not say. He thought the general managers did not care for a | peaceful settlement on the basis pro- posed by the American Railway union | officers.
 "Was it not a matter of general con- currence among the general managers that the strike should be crushed out l
 
 T could not say as to that"
 MT. Egan did not know of his own personal knowledge. whether strikers took part in the riots or not. In his re- ports he had always designated them as "strikers or their sympathizers"
 MT. Egan thought as a solution of the problem that licenses should be issued by the United States to employees. He wanted those employees uniformed. He thought both employees and rail- roads would be benefited by this plan. The railroads should also insure their men and at the end of certain time pay over to them their money with interest. A heavy penalty should be im- posed on railroads if they broke their agreement and in case of employees do- Ing so they should forfeit their li- ,enses."
 "How would you fix scale of 
 T would have the employees of such railroads meet with the officers and fix a schedule of wages. think there would be no trouble in this"
 MT. .Egan thought the cause of strikes was the agitation of labor leaders 'ather than any real grievances. Tt is charged" said MT. Herman, "that you rave used money to employ men to burn ,ars?"
 Considering the source from which hat statement came 1t is the vilest kind of 8 lie. consider 1t on parity