St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-08-28
"Yon have paid your regular diyi-

Yes, sir; per cent"
"Ihat Is something like
S2,SOO,0OO I'm Dividends
you have paid out for the year?''
fes; but that includes the latter
part of the worlds fair season, which
was exceptional"
Let me ask you, Mr.. Pullman,
whether you do not think company
that pays dividends of s2,SOO,0OO could
not afford 10 share the losses of its EN-
ployeS who have worked for il so long?"
Ihe manufacturing businessl is
separate from the business of the
sleeping car company. / see no reason
why should take the profits OF the
4,2Uo Stockholders i'll the Pullman
Siceplng Car company and pay men a
higher rate of wages than was
paid In other parts of the country
LOT the same work, or than
was paid by other companies
ior Tie same work. Because we have
oeen careful and accumulated surplus
90 not see that it is a reason we
should take the surplus now and pay it
out for exceptionally high wages"
HAS the Pullman company during
the years of its prosperity ever adj
Vanced the wages of its employees vol
untalily?"
Il do not know as to that. 1t has
aiwayS sought to pay fair wages, and
the tacS that we have never had but one
strike is pretty good evidence that the
men nave been satisfied"
wv hat do you see that is objection
aDle IN submitting difference like this
TO arbitration?"
There are some matters that are
proper subjects for arbitration, such as
a disputed title. But there are others
that are impossible of arbitration.
Cannot Arbiirate
on question where l know the facts to
be thus and so. The question as to
whether our shops should continue to
run at loss is thing that could not be
arbitrated."
why was 1t impossible?''
Because it violates the principle that
man has right to manage his own
business"
Suppose the arbitrators were to say
TO you: We see you are losing money.
put these men have been with you
long time, you can afford to share their
losses; we think you shonld at least pay
them living wages What would you
say to that?"
"My point at the time was to work
with the men and secure the diSburSe-
ment OF tine large sums involved in the
contracts, and lose money for the coin
pany II the men would agree to bear
tnelr share in a reduction of 20 to 25 per
cent of their wages"
Judge WOrthington wanted to know
wherein it was wrong to take the money
of the stockholders and pay higher
wages when the management was
ready to take contracts at loss, orsto
take the stockholders money to keep
the plant going. Mr.. Pullman SAID the
execution of contract at a loss was
better for the plant than to let it lie
idle.
49," interrupted Mr.. Herman. '.you
had that i'll view as well as the employ
ment of the men. You did not want to
stop the plant because you knew that
would be loss to stockholders, aud you
ala not want to scatter your men be-
cause you knew it would be difficult to
get force together again that would do
economical work?'
.Yes.n 3
"Was Hour salary Reduced, t."'
Mr. Pullman?''
He said his salary had not been re-
duced.
Nor the salaries of superintendent
and foremen?'
No"
"Why?"
Mr.. Pullman said 1t was not good
policy to reduce the salaries of high
officials, because men of their caliber
were not easily replaced, and would
not stand reduction of any considera-
BILE amount.
BY this time it was growing dark and
the commission was anxious to get Mr.
Wickes started, SO Mr.. Pullman was
excused with the understanding that
any supplementary statements he
might wish to make would be received
when he chose to appear.
AFTER paying some attention to what
ne called the miSstatement as to wages,
Mir. WIckes rehearsed the story of the
STRIKE and the part ne played in it.. He
said the discharge of the members
OF the grievance committee after
ne had promised that they
should not be molested for their
part in the committees work
was altogether without his knowledge,
and was not intentional OH the part Of
the minor officials who had laid them
OIL. In support of his declaration Mr..
Wickes presented the affidavIts of the
foremen who had laid off the commit
teemen. averring that the discharge had
come IN the ordinary course of the COM
pany'S business and was due entirely to
lack of work in the department where
the committeeman were employed.
Witness said he had agreed to remedy
the so-called shop grievances wherever
they were proved true, and had begun
the work OF investigation when the
strike was preclpitated and ended the
investigation.
The balance of Mr.. Wickes' evidence
was mainly corroboraIive of the state
menrs made by Mr.. Pullman.