The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-13
RAILROADS AND THEIR MEN.
The Report to the Government on the
Pullman Strike.

The Federal Labor Commissioners De-
clare the Gensral Managers Associa-
ton an Unlawful Organization-An
Extension of the Association and Lee
galizing of Pooling Would Result in
Danger 20 the People and Their Lib
critics.
Chicago. Ill, Nov. l2.-The United States
government report on the great railway
strike in connection with the Pullman
trouble was made public to-day. The re-
port, which is signed by the federal labor
Commissioner Carroll D. Wright, and his
fellow Investigators, John D. Herman of
New York, ana Nicholas e. Worthington
of Illinois, is addressed to President
Cleveland, and ahounds in passages which
will attract wide attention. particularly
the General Managers Association"
the organization OF the high railway Off
Gals that encompassed the defeat Of the
American railway Union.
The report saNs;t e.tThe commission
questions whether any legal authority
statutory or otherwise, can be found 10
justify some Of the features which have
come TO light in this investigation. II
We regard its practical workings rather
than its professions as expressed in its
constitution, the General Managers As
ISOLATION has no more standing in law
than the old trunk line pool IT can
not incorporate, because railroad char
tiers do not authorize roads to form cor
porations or associations to fix rates for
services and wages, nor to force their ac-
ceptance, nor to battle with strikers. 1t
is a usurpatiOn of power not granted.
7 N 10 gyf,
a business or economic standpoint, the
right to form and maintain 1t must come
from the state that granted it's charter.
In theory, corporations are limited To the
powers granted either directly or by clear
inference. We do not think the power
has been granted in either way in this
case.
The association is an illustration Of the
persistent and shrewedly devised plan of
corporations to overreach their limita-
tions, and to usurp indireetly powers and
rights not contemplated In their charters
and not obtainable from the people of their
legislators. An extension of this associa-
ton as above suggested and the proposed
legalization of pooling would result In an
aggregation of power and capital dan
gerous to the people and their liberties, as
well as to employees and their rights. The
question would then certainly arise as to
which shall control, the government or the
government ownership. Unless ready for
that result and all that 1t implies, the gov
eminent must restrain corporations within
the law, and prevent them from forming
unlawful and dangerous combinations. At
least. so long as railroads are thus permit
ted to combine to riX wages. and for their
just protection, 1t would be rank injustice
to deny the right Of all labor upon rail-
roads to unite for similar purposes "
should be noted that until the railroads
set the example, general union OF rail-
road employees was never attempted"
The commission recommends the estab-
lishment Of permanent United States
strike commission similar to the inter
state commerce commission, courts be
given power to enforce the decision Of the
commission. It suggests the consolidation
by the states for adoption OF some system
of Cancellation and arbitration like that OF
Massachusetts.
1t recommends employers to recognize
labor organizations and deal with them
through their representatives with special
reference to Cancellation and arbitration
The commission gives high praise to the
employees Of the Pullman Company, but
none to the company.
Of the American Railway Union the re-
port says; There Is no evidence before
the commission that the officers Of the