Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-08-03


ual cost of construction 10 say nothing
of the capital invested. The company
fOreseeing the calamity that must re
suit To such large number of person,
in shut down is the reason for taking
these losing contracts, thinking it wise
and believing by so doing to bridge
over the deep, wide chasm of business
depression TO the opposite side-tho
hoped for prosperity yet observed in
mist. Early in May "a committee OF
the employees demanded to be restored
10 their flush time wages. The books
of the company were submitted 10 the
committee, with the contract, showing
the cost ane wages paid for their labor
exceeded the contract price for the cars
when completed and delivered.
The next day the employees were re-
cruited into the new organization 1.-The
American Railway Union" with Dobs
at its head. The workmen at once laid
down their tools and walked out de-
priving themselves of s., $50 for each
and every day they are idle, or over
$500, 900 for the sixty working days
since the strike, during which time
they have assisted in the wanton de-
struction of over a million dollars
worth of property besides the untold
expense to the cities, states, and the
nation in their efforts TO restore order
and keep the peace. Now they seek
some justification and, as they and their
friends put 1t, that while the Pullman
company is receiving dividends on its
capital it cuts down the laborers' hire
and demands exhorbitant rents, thus
grinding the employees into the dust
with no alternative but to submit.
If such were the case it would be APP
palling indeed. But such are not the
facts. The Pullman company hires its
help as everybody else hires, by offer
ing the market price for labor, and
men go there and accept the going
price for certain kinds of labor. The
skilled laborer commands prices higher
than the unskilled workmen. They
all have a market price and if Pullman
will not pay what others are paying for
the same kind of work, the labor seeker
passes on to the next place where he
will be remunerated for his services
and Pullman cannot prevent it. Why?
Because the laboring man is as much
of a freeman as is Pullman. No one
is compelled to work for him if he can
do better somewhere else. The rents
for tenements at Pullman average So
per month for comfortable room. But
the price paid for labor is one thing
and renting tenement houses Is another.
Every workman is perfectly free to rent
of anybody he pleases and Pullman
cannot prevent it.
Many of the employees there own
their homes while others rent of differ
ent parties; and the only way that
Pullman can rent at all is to compete
with other landlords who have plenty
of rooms to let. SO much for cut on
wages and exhorbitant rents. The
Pullman company has another and dis
tinct business from that of manufacture
ing cars for sale, consisting of long
time contracts with three-fourths of
the railroad systems of the country for
the use of the sleeping cars, a business
Gin no way cannected with the shops)
that has gone on increasing until the
sleeping-car service extends over one
hundred and twenty-five thousand
miles of railway. 1t is this enterprise
that has increased (watcrcd) its capital
stock, aud that pays dividends. The
income from the sleeping car service is
not the product of the shop-hands
labor. So much for watered stocks
and dividends. There is not shadow
of excuse or justification for the gigan-
tic strike. ordered by the dictator Debs
after recruiting the shop hands at
Pullman into the order of the A. X. L.
and then to boycott the Pullman COM
pany, simply because of its magnitude
and extensive business 10y ordering the
railroad employees on one hundred and |
twenty-five thousand miles of the great
commercial arteries of this country to
quit work unless three-fourths of the |
railroads would at once abandon the |
use Of the Pullman sleeping cars, in vio-
lation of sacred contract obligation, to |
say nothing of the Inconvenience to the
community, thinking thereby |
to rum (boycottJ the Pullman company |
and cut off dividends. Had the rail
roads abandoned the use of the sleeper
the Pullman company would have had
A right of action sounding in damages
for breach of contract against each and
Every railroad company so doing.
And now what is the final result? Sim
ply this-while over four thousand
work hands that left Pullman are out
IF employ their places are readily filled
BY laborers from other parts, anxious
md glad for such opportunity, leaving
he four thousand TO be flooded over
lext winter by the hely of good people
q prevent starvation
w. +. WINTON.
ITO be continued)