Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1894-11-17
MADE ITS REPORT.
synopsis of the Findings of the Strike
Commlssion.

Commission.
WASHINGTON, Nov. l3.-The United
States government report on the great
railway strike in connection with the
Pullman trouble was made public
Monday. The report, which Is
signed by the federal labor COM
missioner, Carroll d. Wright, and his
fellow Investigators, John D. Herman,
of New York, and Nicholas Z. Worth
ington, of Illinois, is addressed to
President Cleveland. The report
strongly censures both the General
Managers association and the Ameri-
can Railway union for the methods en-
ployed by each, and says:
THE refusal OF the General Managers ASSOC
citation to recognize md deal with such o COM
binatlon OF labor as the American Railway
union seems arrogant and absurd, when we
consider Its standing before the law, its
sumptions and its past and obviously contem-
plated future action"
The Pullman strike is discussed at
great length, and says that while the
wages of the worlsingmen were re-
duced to the lowest point possible,
with its attendant suffering, none of
the salaries Of the officers, managers
or superintendents were reduced. Re-
ductions in these would not have been
so severely felt, would have shown
| good faith, would have relieved the
harshness of the situation and would
have evinced genuine sympathy with
labor in the disasters of the times.
The report continues:
THE demand OF tho employees for the wages
| OF June 1893. was clearly unjustihuble The
| business In May, 1894, could not pay the wages
| of June, 1903. Reduction was carried TO ex-
cess, lat the company was hardly more ut
fault therein than were the employees In in
sisting upon the wages OF June 1893
"As between man and man the demand for
some rent reduction was fair and reasonable
| under oil the circumstances. Some slight con-
cession In this regard would probably have
averted the strike, provided the promise not to
discharge the men who served upon the COM
| mittee had been more strictly regarded"
With reference to the employment
of troops at Pullman the commission
says the Pullman company claims that
the real object of the guards was to
prevent intimidation and violence, but
the strikers are entitled to be believed
to the ontrary in this matter because
of their conduct and forbearance after
May II. 1t is in evidence and uncon-
tradicted that no violence or destruc-
tion of property by strikers or sympa-
thizers took place at Pullman. The
report continues: -
"Such dignified, manly and conservative con-
duct in the midst of excitement and threat
ened starvation is worthy OF the highest type
of American citizenship, and with like pru-
dence in all other directions will result in due
time in the lawful and orderly redress OF labor
wrongs. To deny this is to forswear patriot
ism and to declare this government and It's
people a failure"
President Cleveland's course in send
ing troops to the scenes of the dis
turbances is upheld. The commission
says that it has no evidence that the
officers of the American Railway union
at any time participated in or advised
intimidation, violence or destruction o.
property. They knew and fully appre
ciated that as soon as mobs ruled the
organized forces of society would crush
the mobs and all responsible for then
in the remotest degree, and that thi:
meant defeat. The attacks upon cor
porations and monopolies by the lead.
ers in their speeches are similar tc
those to be found in the magazine!
and industrial works of the day.
In conclusion the report favors ar
bitration and the creation of body
similar to the interstate commerce
commission, whose duty it shall be t.
investigate disputes between rail
ways and employees, and thinks thes,
plans will have a tendency to do ava,
with much of the strife between them