The record-union., 1894-11-13

more universal and grateful acceptance of
us advantages by employees. AS a rule,
even when employees, people prefer indie
penuence TO paternaliSm in such matters.
Inc company pays a physician and
surgeon by the year to furnish to in
jured employees necessary treatment and
drugs. 1t is, however, also a part OF his
employment TO secure from the injured
party written statement as to the cause
OF injury, and 1t is his custom to urge the
acceptance Of any offered settlement. If
SUIT follows, the doctor is usually wit
ness for the company. We have no evil
dence that the doctor has ever abused his
confidential relations towards the injured
employees. but the system is admirable,
conceived from business standpoint, to
secure as speedily as possible the settle
mentor the claims for damages upon terms
offered by the company, and 10 protect
the company from litigation and its re-
suits.
AS result, of the Pullman system
ana Its growth. when the depression OF
1873 came, morally calling Tor mutual
concessions as to wages, rents. ETC., we
hnd on the one side a very wealthy and
unyleiding corporation, and upon the
other multitude of employees Of COM
paratlvely excellent character and
skill, but without local attachments
or any Interested responsibility lin the
town, its business. teuements or sur
roundlngs. The conditions created at
Pullman enable the management at all
times to assert with vigor its assumed
rlght to fix wages and rent absolutely.
and to repress that sort of independence
which leads to labor organizations and
their attempts at mediation, arbitration
of strikes, etc.
son the other hand, it is an economic
principle generally recognized that the
shutting down OF such a plant and the
scattering OF It's forces usually results in
greater loss than that exhibited by the
continuance OF business. The Pullman
Company could hardly shut down Tor
seven and half months ut cost and
loss OF less than l per cent upon its capi
tai and surplus. 70 continue running
was for its obvious and unfair advantage
so long as it could divide losses equally
with its labor.
The men at Pullman claim that the
company during 1893 and 1894 set the pay
through experts, SO that with their forced
loss OF time an average man could earn
little more than the rent of his house,
owned by the company. The company
alleges that IL simply readjusted prices of
piece work to suit the necessities of the
times. Some witnesses swear that at
times for the work done in two weeks
they received in checks from / cents to 81
over and above their rent. The COM
pany has not produced its checks in re-
buttal.
During all of this reduction and it's
attendant suffering, none of the salaries
OF the officers, managers or Superintend-
ents We're reduced. Reductions in those
would not have been so severely felt:
would have shown good faith; would
have relieved the harshness of the sltua-
ton, and would have evinced genuine
tlNrv fl,o lnH,x
ters of the times.
''In its statements to the public, which
are in evidence. the company represents
that its object IN all it did was to continue
operations for the benefit of its working
men and the trades people in and about
Pullman, and TO save the public from an
noyance OF interrupted travel. The COM
thinks the evidence shows that it
sought to keep running mainly for its
own benefit as a manufacturer; that its
plant might not rust; that its competitors
might not invade its territory; that it
might keep It's cars in repair; that it
might be- ready Tor resumption when
business revived with live plant and
help, and that its revenue from
its tenements might continue.
''lf we exclude the esthetic and sanitary
features at Pullman, the rents there are
from 20 TO % per cent. higher than rents
in Chicago, or surrounding towns for
similar accommodations. The esthetic
features are admired by visitors, but have
little money value to employees, especially
when they lack bread. The company
makes all repairs, and heretofore has not
compelled tenants TO pay Tor them. Under
the printed leases, however, which ten
ants must sign, they agree to pay for all
repairs which are either necessary
(ordinary wear and damages by the ele-
ments not eXcepted) or which the COM
pany chooses to make.
The company's claim that the work.
men need not hire its tenements, and can
live elsewhere if they choose, is not en-
tirely tenable. The fear of losing work
keeps them i'll Pullman as long as there
are tenementS unOccupied, because the
is supposed as matter of busi-
ness TO give preference TO its tenants
when work is slack. While reducing
wages, the company made no reduction
in rents. Its position is that the two
matters are distinct, and that none of the
reasons urged as justifying wage reduc-
ton by 1t as an employer can be con-
sidered by the company as landlord.
1.-The company claims il is simply legiti-
mate business TO use its position and re-
sources to hire il the labor market as
cAeaply as possible, and at the same time
to keep up rents, regardless of what
wages are paid TO it's tenants or what SINH
lar tenementS rent for elsewhere; 10 avail
itself to the full extent of the business
depression and competition in reduction
OF wages, and TO disregard those same
conditions as to rents. No valid reason
is assigned for this position, except simply
that the company had the power and the
legal right to do it.
prior to the so-called truck law in
Illinois rent was deducted from the
wages. Since then check is given for
the amount OF the rent, and another for
the balance due for wages. There is moth
ing 10 prevent the payeo OF the check
from cashing it outside of the bank, but
as the bank is rent collector it presses for
the rent, and Is aided in collecting it by
knowledge on the part of the tenant that
by arrears he may lose his job.
1.-The reductions at Pullman after Sep
tenn Der /, 1898, were the result OF confer
ences among the managers. The en-
ployes for the first time knew of them
when they took effect. The company
based it's entire contention as to every
upon the facts in reference to
car building, TO which we have alluded,
and offered to show its books aud figures
as to the cost and selling price of cars.
This offer, on account of the strike inter-
VeninG, was not acted upon. Had ii been
it would have resulted i'll the figures as
to car-building contracts being known.
The purpose Of the management was OBJ
viously TO rest the whole matter upon
cost, etc., IN its most seriously crippled
excluding from considera-
ton the facts as to wages in the repair de-
partment.
"rhe demand of the employees for the
wages of June. 1898. was not clearly justi-
fable. The business in May, 1894, could
not pay the wages of June, 1893. Reduc-
ton was carried to excess, bnt the COM
pany was hardly more at fault therein
than were the employees insisting upon
the wages OF June, 1898.
There was little discussion as to rents,
the company maintaining that the rents
had nothing to do with its wages and that