River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-08-23

credited the rent to her sister When She
asked for reetihcation she was refused. She
had not yet been evicted.
Frank p. Mcdonald, locomotive engineer
onthe Chicago Great Western was next called
He said that sometimes he was compelled "a
remain on continuous service from sixty 70
seventy-two hours without rest. Mr.. McDon-
aid went into an extended account of the
trouble on the Chicago and Great Western. II
was caused by a refusal of the company 10
restore wages. which had been cut.
Mr.. Mcdonald said he opposed the recent
strike because he thought the American Rail-
way union was not strong enough 10 fight the
general managers In the hard times when SO
many men were cut OF work. He did not think
the strike wou- he successful He voted for
the strike only because he was SO instructed
by his local union.
Il am opposed TO strikes In general" said
Mr.. Mcdonald, but when the federal govern
ment Will do nothing for US, and we have nc
weapon hut the STRIFE, we must use it. II IL
were not for strikes tie railroad men in this
country would be working for one-half the pay
they are now getting"
Asked what he knew about the stoppape OF
mail trains the witness said that the Chicago
Great Western mail train No on June q
last was killed by the management Of that
road and its crew was used TO take out an ex-
cursion train TO st. Claire. This mail train
was obstructed by the railway managers and
American Railway union
Mcdonald told how it was impossible for
him to obtain employment after the Burling-
ton strike, when he was blacklisted The COM
panys influence was used against him. he said
even TO the extent OF protesting to Gov.
Francis, OF Missouri. against McDonald's APP
potntment as oil inspector at st Joseph, Mo
Miss Jane Adams, superintendent OF Hull
house and member of the board Of Cancellation
of the civic federation. was next called She re-
cited the efforts of the civic federation 10 bring
about settlement OF the trouble The EN-.
ployes OF the A. r. U. were always willing and
anxious to arbitrate, but Pullman and his on
.ials would say TO the committee only that
they had nothing to arbitrate.
Arthur NJ. Wilson and Nettie NJ. West, en-
ployes Of the Pullman company, testified as tc
the reduction in wages.
ii. w. Pearson, real estate agent who oper-
ates at kensington Roseland, Southwest
Pullman, and other localities adjacent TO Pull
man, said houses which rented tOr sl7 in Pull
man could be had for Sl0a month Ia Kensing-
ton. In all cases, in his judgment. rents were
about 20 TO 100 per cent higher In Pullman
than in the adjacent towns.
The commission adjourned to 10 O'Clock
Monday. Application has been made the com
mission TO hear statements by Representatives
of unorganized labor. All persons who thini
they can give the commission any Information
as TO the conditions of labor, organized or un-
organized, will be heard.
President Debs' Testimony.
CHICAGO, Aug. 22.-On the fifth day
of the proceedings President Debs told
his story. After relating the situation
as he found it early in May. Mr.. Debs
said he was satisfied that the employees
were justified in striking, and he re
solved to do all in his power, under the
law and in justice, to help right Their
wrongs. Mr.. Debs then recited the
history of the strike, relating the va
rious attempts to induce Pullman to
submit to arbitration.
Mr. Debs denied that he had sent OF
ordered sent any infiammatory .ele'
grams. Explaining the teiee ram
Save your money and buy a gum" he
said it was written by a clerk named
Benedict to former employer al
Butte, Mont, as joke and nothing
whatever to do with the strike.
Mr. Debs severely criticised Gen,
Miles for calling at the offices of the
General Managers ASSOCIATION on the
day he came to Chicago as being vul
carly out of place, and maintaining thai
his only duty here was to maintai'
order and preserve tae peace.
Continuing Mr.. Debs desired the commits
sion TO understand that he as president of tn,
american Railway union did not and could no
order strikes which we're decided on by tn.
local unions themselves. II am not Sinking
any portion OF my responsibility" said he. ''.
heartily concurred in the action taken and IL
had had voice in the ordering OF the strike
would have ordered it,"
give days after the strike was declared we
had the railroads completely beaten and al
our mercy. as we believed continued he
They were paralyzed They could not get
men TO take the places OF our men who
were out. Then ] and my associate Of
ficials were served with a sweeping in.
junction issued by the United States courts
restraining US from performing our functions
as officials OF the American Railway union
Similar injunctions were issued at all ter
minal points. A few days afterward we were
arrested for alleged contempt Of court We were
unable to direct the men. and that defeated the
strike.
1--WE protested against the presence OF the
federal troops. We did not object to state
troops or the police If l am correct, all the
trouble, except some minor disturbances took
place after the arrival of the federal troops
the coming of whom angered and infiamed the
men. The police have reported to me that our
men were entirely law-abiding."
Did your men lntimidate other men not
members of the American Railway unionY
asked Commissioner Wright
I'VE did not. intimidation Is against the
policy OF the American Railway union We
told our men that we had the right TO quit
work and there our rights absolutely ceased
that other men had the absolute right TO take
their places and that any one interfering with
them would be punished by our order and the
civil law"
At the afternoon session Mr. Debs opened his
testimony with denunciation OF the unfair
ness shown by some OF the Chicago papers in
their treatment of himself and the strike gen.
orally. He said that some Of the papers had
purposely misrepresented the facts until, II
there had been a revolution. the press of Chi
cago might properly have been held RESPONSE
BILE for IL. said he: Il was persistently mis-
represented in interviews with the evident in
tention OF alternating public sym pathy from us
and disorganizing our men by discrediting US. y
do you claim. asked Mr. Wright, that the
railroads we're responsible for the strike be-
cause they insisted on hauling Pullman carSf
mo, sir. The American Railway union was
responsible for IL. but under aggravating cir
cumstances. The general managers are united
to reduce wages The employees are united &c
resist such reductions. In case OF a reduction
that leads to strike we think the company is
responsible
What is your opinion as to methods OF
averting strkesY" asked Commissioner Worth
ington.
"Of course submission would avert strikes.
That is the plan of the old brOtherhoods. II a
general manager wants to make cut of 10 per
cent. he gives notice of a cut of 20 per cent and
then they meet and compromise, The history
OF the organizations shows that their system
tends TO inevitable and gradual reductnon OF
wages My own idea. and it is the idea OF the
American Railway union, is 10 unity all the rail-
road men OF the country power hlSeShat
prudently managed would avert strikes. The
railroad managers would recognize the wisdom
of treating II fairly and meeting II in con-
ciliatory spirit. But even If we had such a
unihcation the men would Tot win a strike. All
the forces of the government would be against
them the moment the strike interfered with
the convenience of the public"
do you believe a strike is jus,ihable that
interferes with public convenience"
Il believe strikes are justifiaOle, no matter
what the result, when IT is TO resist degrade
tion and enslaving conditions. II II were not,
the tendency o. our civilization would be con-
stantly downward II railroads and corpora
tions generally Treated their employees fairly
there would b. no labor organizations Their
origin in almost every case is traceable direct
ly to the tyranny of the employing classes
"Do you believe In government ownership Oh
railroads." asked Mr.. Herman.
Yes, sir, believe the government owner
ship OF railroads IS decidedly better than rail-
road ownership OF the government"
The reply caused much merrlment Ihen
the witness said compulsory arbitration was
contradiction of terms. To be effective afbi-
tration must be yolLntary. In local troubles
state courts might re established 10 compel
an adjudication 81 troubles, but Il would DC irn-
possible to enforce an award ia great terri
tory such as the railroads covered. The wit
ness also said that he believed governments
license for railroa. employees would be good