The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-30
THE PULLMAN VICE-PREsIDENI's
VIEW OF THE CASE.

There
far-reaching importance MADE by wee
President Wlckes in his testimony Oh
Tuesday last before the Chicago LABOR
commission upon which there Is ho"'
and. perhaps. for long time VIII De-
great contrariety Of opinion. But so io"s
rs there is contrariety of opinion apout
them they should be frankly and candld-
Nv discussed. Il Is thus only that common
and intelligent conclusions can be arrived
at.
Mr.. Wickes said that as business
proposition lie thought 1t would nave
been better perhaps, for the pullman
Company TO have yielded TO the demands
Of it's employees but that there was a
principle involved which he did not think
zecouid be ignored. We have no dihiculty'
then. In saying that If yielding to the
demands OF the employees required the
company to surrender principle IL
should not have been done. Peace pur-
chased at such a price is never lasting
peace. The struggle must be renewed,
and IL had as well be fought out at the
beginning as at a later period. The prin-
cipie to which Mr.. Wiekes alludes is in
yolved in the question whether the Pull
man Company. in period OF INDUSTRIAL
depression such as existed when the
strike there took place. was right to ad-
here to a scale of wages which its man
ayers. on looking over the whole Held,
determined was all that the business
could bear. or whether they should sur
render their judgment upon this point
and pay higher scale OF wages, merely
because the demand for that higher scale
was made by very formidable body OF
men. who were capable OF causing the
company and its business great injury
and loss unless their demands were ac-
coded to. We can have no question about
what that company should have done
under those circumstances. 1t should have
refused to make the concession. though
ouch refusal had resulted in the utter de-
struction of the whole plant The principle
involved In n demand made in that way
cannot be conceded. never mind what the
alternative is. Total destruction. ami
hilatlon, and death itself have no terrors
TO the self-respecting mind. when the al
ternatives are those evils or submission 70
an unlawful demand. The Pullman com
pany should have listened patiently to any
representations It's employees had 10 make.
and its course In respect to those repre-
sensations should have been governed by
reason and justice and preferably liber-
alIty. But the fact that the representa-
lions were made in the name of all the
employees. acting as one man. should not
have been allowed a feathers weight.
That fact was a covert threat that what
was asked must be granted or injurious
consequences would follow. and negotia-
tion and concession must END the moment
that threat is made, however skilfully It
may be covered up and disguised
Most reasonable men will agree in this
but the same unanimity Of opinion will
probably be wanting in respect to anoth-
er statement which Mr.. Wickes made. On
being asked if ne did not think IL would
be wise 10 increase the wages of work
fngmen In prosperous years, he said he
did not think il would be- because it
would introduce slipshod methods into
business MIR. Wlckes gave as his expla-
nation Of this the statement that his
company goes into the labor market 20
buy labor just as it goes into the material
market 10 buy materials. and that the
labor 1t buys must be governed by the
law OF supply and demand lust as the
material is. III the men," said he. don't
have the privilege Of going somewhere
else"
This sort Of doctrine is, at first blush
very shocking TO some minds. but IL is
just as certainly at the bottom of all
successful business as that water will
run down hill 1t is Just as necessary
Tor the workingman as for the capitalist
The business which is run in disregard ~
II VIII certainly meet with disaster. ana
fail The workingman. then. instead OF
having business TO rely on, which will
Sieia him support will be employed in
business which will go TO the dogs ana
leave him loose upon society with NOT
ing 10 do. This Is the fundamental law
which Is disregarded by the visionary
men who demand that employees shall
refer differences between Themselves and
tneir employers TO arbitration. ALLOWING
sympathies and sentiment 20 control their
! reason they ignore the fact that there
Is absolutely no phaze In the commercial
relations OF men which Is nor governed
by the in@xorable law OF su,,nlv and A.
mand. and. ignoring that fac, thew in
terrupt and suspend the operations ~
that law. and consequently introdpce
eonfusion and turmoil. when peace and