The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-07-06
CuICAGO .InlY

TMRESIDENT DEBS. OF ttse Ameri-
IUJ can Railway union. ha issued q
long statement in Just itication
II of the great strike of which he is
tue central iigure The article is ai-
dressed ITO the Public" aud reads in
part as follows:
The Pullman employees who struck on
Lay q last did so entirely of their own ac-
cord. The officers of the American Rail-
way union used all their Influence to pacify
the employe-, and advised them repeated.
ly rot to strike, but to bear patiently their
grievances until a peaceable settlement
could be effected. To the truth Of this
statement the employees themselves will
bear willing testimony But the griev-
ances of the employees, men and women,
had become so aggravated, SO CALLING, that
patience deserted them and they abau-
ooneG their employment rather than sub.
init longer to conditions against which
their very souls rebelled.
The Pullman company, be it understood,
owns the town of Pullman, owns the
homes Of the employees, controls the light
and water and other necessaries Of life,
md wages are so adjusted to living expen-
Ees, that in large majority Of cases the
employees are barely able to support their
families. AT the time they struck the en-
ployes were in arrears to the Pullman COM
papy $4,000 for rent alone. Wages had
been repeatedly reduced, but rent and
other expenses remained the same.
WILLING TO ARBITRATE.
The employees from the beginning have
been willing TO arbitrate their differences
with the company, but the company arro-
gautly declares that there is nothing to
Nrbltrate. II this he true, why not allow
board Of fair and impartial arbitraJors to
determine The fact? Committee aft er
committee waited upon the Officials of the
Pullman compan", but all their advances
we're repslea. Finally, on June IL, the
delegates OF the American Railway union,
representing AS local unions OF railway
emlloyes located on the principal lines Of
American railways, discussed the Pullman
trouble NJ Chicago, and, as last resort,
the delegates Diet miued that unless the
Pullman company could agree to do justice
TO their employees within five days, the
members of the order would decline to
haul Pullman cars. This action, be it re-
mem6eled, was not taken until the strikes
had been on six weeks
Up TO this point the trouble was confined
TO The Pullman company and its employees.
how, then, did the strike extend to the
rallwaysS Let the answer be given in ac-
cCrdaLce with the facts as they are. The
day before the order Of the delegates de-
Ginning 10 haul Pullman cars went into If.
feet, the General Managers association n,
representing the principal western rail-
ways, met and passed Il series OF resulu-
tions declaring in substance that they
would uphold the Pullman company in its
fight upon the employees, that they would
haul Pnllman cars, and that they would
Rtand together in crushing out the Ameri.
can Railway union. 1t Will thus be seen
that thc railway companies virtually
Joined forces with the Pullman company,
went into partnership with them, so to
speak, 10 reduce and defeat their starved
employees.
CRISIS HAS BEEN REACHED
In this way the trouble was extended
from system To system, until crisis ha.
been reached. The business OF the coun
Try il dem ralized to al eXent that defies
exaggeratiun. To say that the situation is
alarming is entirely wi hin the bounds OF
prudent statement. Every good citizen
must view the outlook with grave con-
csrn. Something should, something must
Ire done. The American peopleAre a peace.
loving people-they want neither anarchy
nor revolution. They have not failed in
their institutions; they believe in Jaw and
order they believe in good governMe
but they also believe in iaiy play, and when
once aroused they will not tolerate arbi.
trary and dictate orial defiance, even on the
part OF an alliance Of rich and powerful
corporations.
What can be done to dispel the appre-
hension that now prevails, and restore
peace and confidenceP The American
Railway union, by whose authority and
in whose behalf this statement is made,
atu rpu1v nn1 from tha haun nj N n