The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-08-17
BLACK LISTS.
Testimony offered Before the
Strike Commission.
That A. r U. Men Are Persist
emily Refused Work.
Mr.. BEMIS A WITNESS.
Chicago's Noted College Profess
sor Gives His Views.
He Has Some Strong Opinions
on Arbitration.

CHICAGO, Aug. 1.-THE strike com
missioners Investigations today devel-
oped an enthusiastic disciple of Beliamy
in the person of Roy II. Goodwin. a di-
rector of the A. r. L.
Goodwin, after a long examination re-
garding the recent strike declared that
snch troubles could be avoided by nation
alizing railroads and all other extensive
corporations and industries. He declared
he was a Bellamyite and believed that
the United States should be conducted
after the manner laid down by the author
of Looking Backward" "
Prof. E w. Bemis, associate professor
of political economy in the Chicago Uni
versity, was a witness. lie advocated, as
a strike preventative. national and per
manent board of arbitration. He cited
the Massachusetts board Of Cancellation
as an evidence of the good effect that
such organization would have, but
said that a national arbitration board
should have a wider scope and be en-
dowed with greater powers than the
Massachusetts board
Prof Bemis said he had studied the
great railroad strike and its causes. and
was very closely questioned by the com
missioners. A number of railroad en-
plOyes were examined. all of whom tes-
titled to having applied for work in diff
ferent parts of the country since the
strike. only to discover that they had
they had taken in the boycott
Mr.. f. r. Mi4ls, "A Baltimore & Ohio
engineer of Garnett, Ind, was called
and testified that he was discharged on
July IA and told that he not to be
employed again. Since then he sent a
letter to W. g. Brinson, president Of the
Illinois Steel Co, asking for employ
Inent. In few days Mr. Brinson replied
that if the application had been received
a week before he would have been glad
TO employ Mills, but now he had been
informed of Mills prominence in the a
R. L., and therefore could not employ
him.
James B. Corners, a switchman. who
had worked on the Grand Trunk
road, testified that he had made
Union Stock Yards and Transit company
and was refused. The official to whom
he applied told him that no man who
had ever served on labor committees
would be given work.
Charles Naylor, fireman ard engineer
and a member of the A r. L, came
next He was dismissed June %, from
the Pennsylvania lines. and knew that
he was blacklisted because a general
superintendent had told friend of the
witness that he could not get work.
Mr.. Naylor said that the workingmen
would have no confidence in a perma-
nent board of arbitratOrs, whether elect
ed or appointed. He thought a new
board should be appointed for each case.
"These officials get too far away from the
people" said Mr.. NaylOr.
Vice President Howard of the A. r. Z.
was recalled.
Mr. Howard desired to call the COM
missioners' attention to the two facts that
the United States government is now
blacklisting, or boycotting, 5000 en-
ployes of the Uuion Pacific for their con-
nection with the American Railroad union
and that the railroads OF the country
we're threatening to boycott the Missouri,
Kansas 6 Texas road unless it withdrew
its present low rate to Washington.
1--WE think that if the government can
keep its hands off the railroads and let
them settle their own difference by boy
colt or any way they please, it should
keep its hands off the employees as we'll"
A burst of applause from the audience
greeted this statement. The audience
today was larger than at any previous
session.
It is probable that the question of the
extent of the jurisdiction of the commits
sion Will come up before the end Of the
investigation.