The record-union., 1894-07-28
MISCONCEPTIONS EXPLAINED.
William q. Mills Gives Expression
to His Views.
Nothing Proposed to the Southern Pa
cific Company Which it Could AR
bItrate-English and German Labor
Unions
Unions.

Unions.
The Los Angeles Herald, on the I'D
inst, published the following letter,
which is well worth perusal even after
the strike is over:
SAN Francisco, July 10, 1894.
Il. b. H0tchkiSS. Esq, Los ARgetes,
CaL.-DEAR SIR: I have your esteemed
favor of July 4th, addressed to the Hon.
William 4. Herrin, it having been handed
me for answer. l have noted its contents
carefully and will give the matters therein
effective attention later.
Some public misapprehension needs to
be cleared up. In the first place the
American Railway Union did not notify
the Southern Pacific Company to discon-
tinue the Pullman service 1t made no
proposition of any kind contingent upon
such continuance. II ordered its mem
bers to refuse TO handle trains to which
Pullman cars were attached. The issue
was brought on by the refusal Of tremen,
brakemen and switch-tenders to dis
charge the duties they were employed to
perform in the movement of trains carry
ing Pullman cars. When these men re-
fused to do their duty others were ask ed
to take their places. This they construed
into a discharge, whereupon Debs or
be tied up. Nothing was proposed to the
Southern Pacific Company which it could
arbitrate; nothing, even in the form Of a
equest, came to ii. A simple arbitrary
interference on the part of subordinate
employees IN the operation Of the road was
the only notice the company had of dis
continuance. Inquiry naturally resulted
in the disclosure of the difference between
George NJ. Pullman and the men hired
by him.
The Southern Pacific Company owns a
e-fourths interest in the cars it runs
and enjoys a three-fourths interest in the
profit derived therefrom. 1t may be
competent for q man in contest with
another man to ask the assistance of his
felloW-men; but it is neither right nor
just that he should force another TO take
his side of the quarrel by intlicting upon
him financial punishment when the suf-
ferer was in no respect party to the
grievances of which he complained and
had no power of redress. The Southern
Pacific Company was innocent Of offense
against the employees of Pullman and
powerless to redress their wrongs.
Beyond them, the orchardists, the mer-
chants, manufacturers and all the indus
trial interests of the country were inno-
cent. To make these suffer because a
quarrel existed between q corporation
and the men it employed in Chicago was
an exhibition disclosing an utter disre-
gard Of the natural rights of men. How
may the shippers, VINO are confronted
with bankruptcy to-day because their
products cannot be carried to market, re-
dress the grievances of the Pullman en-
ployes?
When Debs and the American Railway
Union entail upon them financial loss,
they put themselves beyond the pale of
the sympathy OF all just men.
The Indictment so frequently brought
against the railroads that they were un-
willing to run mail trains unless Pull
man cars were attached, aud the oft-re-
peated declaration that the Pullman
service is no part of the mail serv-
ice, are used chiefly because the public do
not understand that the rate paid to
carry the mails is not sufficient to carry
them, except as supplementing the pas
senger and express service. The rates
agreed between the railroads and the
Government were based upon the idea
that the same motive power would move
passenger trains employed in the move
ment of mail cars. The rate paid for the
railway mail service would not Justify it's
movement alone. A full mail service Is
sustained by the Government of the
United States on some of the railroads in
the country, but a rate commensurate
with the value of that service is paid.
The Southern Pacific Company entered
into contract with the Government to
carry the mails on its regular trains. The
profit derived from the Pullman service
was an element of that contract; but from
the first the Southern Pacific Company
stood ready to move all trains to which
Pullman cars were not accustomed to be
attached, and it stands ready TO do so to-
day. Moreover, it has been ready and is
to-day willing to move all freight trains
over the road if unobstructed.
The suspension of the mails and the
arrest of the commerce of the country is
therefore chargeable directly to the action
OF the American Railway Union, and, as
we have already shown, the American
Railway Union has given the company
no choice of position. 1t has not put
itself in the attitude of stating its case and
appealing to the sympathies of men. 1t
has violently, forcibly and maliciously
assaulted the rights and interests of all
citizens Of the United States in order to
make them parties to quarrel in which
they were not participants and in the
final adjustment of which they will nec-
essarily have no voice.
While writing l take the liberty of ex
pressing a personal view, which relates
to the future relation between organized
labor and capital. As a necessary pre-
lipinary, that relation ought to be deter
mined by law. AS preliminary to the
enactment of appropriate legislation, all
organizations of labor should be required
to incorporate, to have a common treas
ury, to be governed by board Of trus-
tees, and each member of the organiza-
ton should be regarded as stock holder.
1t could then be made responsible in the
way OF damages for unlawful and vio-
lent acts. Its officers, elected in times of
tranquility. would be conservative, and
they alone would have right to guide
its action. 1t should have under the law
right to bring an action against an en-
pIoyer in the courts of the country to
compel the payment of fair wages.
The great coal: strike in England was
settled in this way. The commission
appointed by the Government to arbi-
trate decided against the coal mine
owners. Lord Rosebery, now the dis
tinguished leader of the Government of
England, was the arbitrator who brought
in that verdict. He declared that there
was rate of wages below which men
could not live and that right to live was
inherent.
When labor organizations were formed
in Germany for the purpose OF eonserv-
ing the rate OF wages, of creating treas
ury to be used in case OF indigence
among its members, and for the ultimate
support of INDECENT members in their age,
Bismarck, the greatest statesman of this
century, called in the heads of these
organizations, and finding the purposes
OF their union to be legitimate, he made
the empire of Germany party. They
required that the workmen, their en-
ployers and the Government should each
contribute TO a fund to be controlled and
disbursed by the Government itself IN
the care of those who passed into age
without the means of support and 10
guarantee them against pauperlsm. thus
the labor unions of Germany became
health insurance and endowment associa-
tions, performing for laboring men a
most benevolent function.
Com hina tha EnnIiSh and the (1arman