The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-08-08
THE DIscoHrENT AT PULLMAN.

there, has written a letter to the New
York Post which touches directly on
the chief cause of the unrest and dis
content prevailing in a place where it
might be thought there should be sat
isfaction and peace.
Pullman is generally viewed as
model town, well laid out, each house
made of good neat brick, and supplied
with pure water, gas and sewerage
Grass plots adorn the private houses
and public edifices, and the rents are
moderate considering all the advant-
ages. But in spite of all these the peo-
pie are hostile to the proprietor and to
his regulations, and this is alleged as
the cause:
1.-THE general complaint seemed to be
that they were too much under Mr.
Pullman's thumb; there was no room
for individuality or independence
There was a gentle but never ceasing
Pullman pressure about them The
workman owned nothing except the
clothes on his back ana the furniture
in his rented house. The house, the
land, the grassplot in front of each
house, the stores, the school, the church.
the very streets were Pullman's AS
nearly as l could make out, the cause
iof discomfort was lack of Individual
freedom, and opportunity to acquire
something ones own. The very COM
mendable desire of nearly all skilled
workmen to have and control a bit of
land and some sort of a habitation
thereon for ones very own-a castle of
rest where he is supreme boss in his
own household-this was impossible
under the conditions of life in Pullman's
model town."
Thus there was something more than
the cut in wages that operated
to bring about that uprising
which, by a sympathetic movement,
was spread throughout the railroad
systems of the country and resulted in
so much misery and distress. People
living in Pullman felt as though Pull
vading spirit of the place. It not
only attached to the very bricks and
mortar, the streets and churches, the
stores and workshops, but it entered
into politics, if not into religion
Mr.. Pullman was not chary about
expressing his desire that his work
men, living in his houses and walking
on his Streets should vote the Repub-
lican ticket. But the town went solid
ly Democratic, which greatly annoyed
the gentleman, and if the statement of
a very respectable and eminent Repub-
lican is correct, Mr. Pullman deter
mined on making the cut in wages as
a punishment for the obstinacy, and as
he viewed it, the folly of his men,
No true American, whether by birth
or naturalization, can long bear the
conviction that he is in any way a
serf. His independence is part of his
life. He must be a free man or he
does not want to be a live man. Own
ing a home is one of the best means
of achieving real independence It
tends, too, to make people conserva-
tive, to desire order, good government
and peace. Home, sweet home" has
a fuller, deeper and holier meaning to
a man who owns the house ne lives
in
But there was another feeling which
fired the breasts of many OF the Pull
man people. Coupled with this sup
preston Of individuality which rank
led in their hearts. was this:
The contemplation of the immense
Pullman building on Michigan avenue
and Mr.. Pullman's magnificent private
residence, together with the fact that
a few years ago he was merely a plain
humble workman like themselves
carpenter and HORSEPOWER these inn
pressions, constantly reinforced by the
sight Of the sUmptuOusly furnished
Pullman cars they manufactured for
him, showed a plane of living far be-
yond any possibility of their attain
ing. Trivial as it may seem, the fact
that their master bore a European III
tie helped widen the gulf between en-
ployer and employee.
The envy which enters the souls of
men at sight of anothers prosperity
and success is a very mean and paltry
emotion. 1t is very common and that
is matter of regret. Not every man
can succeed as Pullman has succeeded.
But that should not cause the enmity
which follows envy, nor create bitter
ness against the successful one.
George Pullman does not hoard I'D
the wealth he has accumulated. but
puts it to practical use, and whatever
faults he may have he has endeavored
to benefit his fellows, by creating for
them employment, and providing for
them decent places in which to live.
1t is true that he makes it all pay and
that he reaps profits out of his phil
anthropy. But this does not detract
from the benefits that are derived from
his talents and energies, and the peo-
pie who receive those benefits should be
the last to feel jealous; and it is the
lowest savagery to bite the hand that
feeds them.
People who have lived at Pullman,
while they obtained living wages.
could from the very reason that they
had comfortable dwellings at reason
able rates, by strict economy have laid
by something towards a home of their
own. Then they could have all the
that comes from such
condition and instead of envying the
capitalist they could emulate his pru-
dence and persistence, and rise in
stead of descending in the scale of in
telligent humanity.
1t would be a splendid thing for
working people and for the whole