The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-11-13

American Railway Union The re
fusal OF the General Managers Assoc
citation to recognize and deal with
su ch a com bination of labor as the
giant and absurd when we consider It's
Standing before the law, its assumP-
ton and its past and obviously con-
/ templated future action"
The Great Pullman Strike
Taking up the subject OF the Pull
man Palace Car Company. the report
says:
This is corporation organized IN
1867. with a capital stock of 81, 600. O0O-
1t has grown until its present paid up
capital is $50, 600, OoO It's prosperity
has enabled the company for over
twenty years to pay two per cent
quarterly dividends. and, in addition,
to lay up a surplus of nearly S25, OOO,-
900 of undivided profits"
Speaking of the town of Pullman,
Of which the report states the com
pany is owner aud landlord, the com
mission says:
The Gospel Comes High at Pullman
The principal church and its par
sonage are very attractive structures,
but are not often occupied because
! the rental required is higher than
any church society is willing to pay
to obtain gospel privileges to be
secured thereby In the arcade is
tasteful library Of books, carefully
selected and cared for by the co M
pany. Three dollars per year IS
charged for its use, and as many as
$50 persons a year out Of from 1000
to 5, 600 employees and residents have
at times, availed themself of its OPP
portunities- 1t is possible that the
air of business strictly maintained
there. as elseW here, and their ex-
clusion from any part IN its manage
ment prevent more universal and
grateful acceptance of its advan tage
by employees. AS rule, people. even
when empl Dyes. prefer inde pendence
to paternalism in such matters
Some witnesses swear that at
times for the work done IN two weeks
they received in checks from four
cents to 81 over ahd above their rent.
The company has not produced its
checks in re buttal. During all Of this
reduction and its ate ndant suffering
none of the salaries of the officers,
managers or superin tendents were
reduced. Reductions IN these would
not have been 50 severely felt, would
have shown good faith. would have
relieved the harshness of the situa-
ton and would have evinced genuine
sympathy with labor in the disasters
of the times.
The Company's seIashness.
I'm its statements to the public
which are in evidence, the company
represents that its object IN all it did
was to continue operations for the
benefit Of its vorkmen and Of trades
people in and bout Pullman, and to
save the public from annoyance of
uninterrupted travel The commits
sion thinks that the evidence shows
that it sought to keep running main
" for its own benefit as manufac-
turer; that its plant might not rust;
that it. competitors might not in
wade its territory III we exclude the
estheti and sanitary features at
Pullman, the rents there are from
twenty to twenty five per cent higher
than rents in Chicago or surrounding
towns for similar accommodations.
The esthe tic features are admired by
visitors, but have little money value
to the employees, especially when
they lack bread
Employees Demand Not JustifiabIe.
1.-THE demand of the employees for
the wages Of June 1898, was clearly
unjusfifiable- The business of May
1894, could not pay the wages Of J une,
1898. Reduction was carried to excess,
but the company was hardly more at
fault therein than were the employees
IN insisting upon the wages of June,
1898. There was little discussion as
to rents. the company mainta ming
that its rents had nothing to do with
its wages and that its revenues from
its tenants was no greater than it
ought to receive.
1.-THE company had a legal right to
take this position, but as between
man and man the demand for some
rent reduction was fair and reasOna-
bic under all the circums stances. Some
slight concession in this regard would
proba bly, have. averted the strike
provided the promise not to discharge
men who served upon the committee
had been more strictly regarded The
strike occurred on May IL and from
that time until the soldiers went TO
Pullman, about July A. 800 strikers
were placed about the company's
property, professedly to guard it from
destruction or interfere nee.
The Blame for the strike Placed.
THE policy" the report says. ssof
both the Pullman company and the
Railway Managers association, IN
reference to the applications to arbi-
trate. closed the door to all attempts
at Cancellation and settlement Of diff
ferences. The commission IS i'm
pressed with the belief, by the evil
dence and by the attendant circum-
stances as disclosed. that a different
policy would have prevented the loss
Of life and great loss Of property and
wages occasioned by the strike"
The report declares the ARRIVAL of
troops at Chicago was Opportune and
says that policemen sympa thized
with strikers rather than with the
corpora tions cannot be dou bted, nor
would 1t be surprising to find the
same Sc ntimenc rife among the mill
tary. These forces are largely re-
cruited from the la boring classes
Indeed, the danger is growing that
in strike wars between corporations
and ernDlOveS military drtv will l1lti-