The record-union., 1894-11-13
Snecial 70 the REcoRD-Uyroy.

Opportune.
Special to the RECoRD-UN1oN.
CHICAGO, Nov. 12.-The United States
Government report on the great railroad
strike in connection with the Pullman
strike was made public to-day. The re-
port, which is signed by the Federal
Labor Commissioner, Carroll d. Wright,
and his NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., John ID.
Herman of New York and Nicholas B.
Worthington of Illinois, is addressed to
President Cleveland, and abounds in
passages which will attract wide atten-
ton, particularly the portion referring to
She now famous General Managers AS
sociation, the association OF high railroad
officials that encompassed the defeat OF
the American Railway Union.
GENERAL MANAGERS ASSOCIATION.
The report says the capitalization Of the
twenty railroads directly repre-
sented in the General Managers Associa-
tion was 81, los, ,552, ,6l7. The number OF
employees was 22l ,097.
The commission continues: "This
voluntarily unincorporated association
was formed in 1886. In the constitution
the object of the association is stated TO be
lJhe consideration OF problems OF man
.agement arising from the operation of the
railroads terminating or centering at
tEhicago. 1t further provides that all
funds needed shall be raised by assess
pnent divided equally among the mem
bers. There are no limitations as to con-
sidering OF problems or funds, except the
Will OF the managers and the resources of
the railroad corporations.
Until June, 1894, the associations
u CT q flrrht
arbitrator lay dormant. Its roads fixed Il
Chicago scale for Switchmen, covering
all the lines at Chicago. In March, 1893,
the swltchmen demanded that pay from
each road. The association concluded
they were paid enough, perhaps too much.
Elaborate schedules OF wages were pre-
pared by each road and exchanged, with
the object OF letting each road know what
wages the other one was paying. 1t was
deemed wise not TO act upon the report
1t was distributed to mem bers in NOVem-
Der, 1895. This distribution alone enabled
the report to be used with efficiency as an
equalizer. AS the result, during 1S93-It
being then well understood as TO wages.
etc.-it was an incident of the General
Managers Association to assist each road
in case Of trouble over such matters, one
form of assistance being for the association
to secure men enough through it's agen-
cleS to take the places OF all strikers, re-
jductions were here and there made on
the different roads, the tendency and
effort being 10 equalize the pay on all the
lines.
1T is admitted that the action of the
association has great weight with outside
lines, and thus tends to establish one
uniiorm scale throughout the country.
The further single step of admitting lines
hot running into Chicago to mem bership
would certainly have the effect of com
'bInlng all the railroads in wage conten-
lions against all employees thereon.
Tho commission questions whether
any legal authority, statutory or other
wise can be found to justify some OF the
features of the association which have
come to light in this investigation. Ii we
regard It's practical workings rather than
us professions as expressed in its con-
stitution, the General Managers Associa-
ton has no more standing in law than
the old trunk line pool. 1t cannot in
corporate, because railroad charters do
not authorize roads TO form corporations
or associations TO fix rates for services
and wages, nor to force their acceptance
or 10 battle with strikers. 1t is a usurpa-
ton OF power not granted, and if such an
organization, necessarily from a business
or economic standpoint, is given the right
TO form and maintain it, it must come
from the State that granted its charter
In theory, corporations are limited to the
powers granted either directly or by clear
has been granted in either way III this
case. The association is an illustration
OF persistent and shrewdly disguised
plan OF corporations to overreach their
limitations, and TO usurp indirectly pow
ers and rights not contemplated in their
charters and not obtainable from the peo-
pie Of their Legislatures.
AN extension of this association, as
above suggested, and the proposed legali-
Zation OF pooling would result in an
aggregation of power and capital danger
Gus to the people and their liberties, as
well as their employees rights. The ques-
ton would then certainly arise as TO
which shall control, the Government or
the railroads, and the end would inev-
itaDly be Government ownership, and,
unless ready tor that result and all that it
implies, the Government must restrain
corporations within the law and prevent
them from forming unlawful and danger
GUS combinations. At least so long as
railroads are thus permitted to com bine
TO tix wages and for their Joint protec-
ton, it would be rank injustice to deny
the right Of all labor upon railroads to
unite for similar purposes.
lit should be noted that until railroads
set the example the great union OF rail-
road employees was never attempted. The
unions had not gone beyond enlisting
the men upon different systems in sep
.arate trade organizations. These neu-
ErallZ6 ana CD6ck 0acn OLl6r 10 some eX-
1ent, and have no such scope or capacity
for good or evil as is possible under the
universal combination idea inaugurated
by the railroads and followed by the
American Railway Union.
1.-The refusal of the General Managers
Association to recognize and deal with
such a com bination of labor as the Ameri-
can Railway Union seems arrogant and
absurd, when we consider it's standing
before the law, its assumptions and its
past and obviously contemplated future
action"
PULLMAN PALACE-CAR COMPANY.
Taking up the subject of the Pullman
Palace Car Company, the report says:
sUThis is a CORPORATION organized in 1867
with a capital of 81 900, 900. 1t las grown
until its present paid up capital is $685.
oO0,0O0. It's prosperity has enabled the
company for over twenty years TO pay
per cent. quarterly dividends, and III adj
dition to lay up surplus OF nearly S25,-
600. 900 of undivided profits"
Speaking of the town OF Pullman, OF
which the report says the company is
owner and landlord, the commission says:
ssrhe principal church and It's parsonage
are very attractive structures, put often
not occupied, because the rental required
is higher than any church society is
willing to pay to obtain the Gospel prlvl-
Iepes TO be thereby secured. In the Ar
cade is a tasteful library OF BOOKS, care
fully selected and cared for By the com,
many. Three dollars per year is charged
for its use, and as many as 250 persons