The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-07-04
AT ST. LOUIS.
Mayor WaIbridge Thinks the Strike
Is Wrong.

Is Wrong.
ST. LOUIS, July 2-The outbound
passenger trains got away without ap-
preciable delay today, being made up by
yardmasters, Office men, etc, of the ter
minal railway associations. Freight
traffic. however, experienced no change,
the strikers having thoroughly stopped
the handling of all such trains and cars.
The men out here continue in peaceful
mood, with no indications of any dis
turbances in any direction. and no devel-
opments of Importance are expected un-
til the time given by the employing rail-
roads Tor their men to return TO work eX-
pires
a committee of ten strikers, headed by
John Lally, called on Mayor Walbridge
TO se(re his good offices In the direction
Of aE5itration of the labor troubles now
existing He declared his willingness to
act in any desired capacity, but said that
the committee must complete all prepar-
aions and secure the assent of all inter
ested parties before he would do any
thing. The committee then proceeded to
place the matter before the board of di-
rectors of the Merchants exchange. The
directors replied as follows:
'While the board of directors of the
Merchants exchange of St. Louis are
heartily in sympathy with all lawful ef
-
condition and greatly deplore the exist
ing difficulties between the Pullman COM
pany and it's employees, they at the same
time recognize that the observance Of
the authority of the law of the land is the
paramount duty of all, and that any
interruption Of free commercial intercourse
is disastrous to all classes of people. We
have been told by you that you have no
grievance against your employers except
in their refusal TO compuly with your de-
mands to discontinue the Pullman service.
We also have been told by you that you
will enforce your demands if necessary
by calling out all the organizations and
paralyzing the business of the country.
This sleeping car service is provided
by the railroads for the accommodation
of the public and has grown TO be a
necessity of travel. We do not know
the terms of the contract between the
different railroad companies and the
Pullman company, but whatever these
contracts are the law protects them and
makes their obligations binding upon the
parties. When you demand the rail-
roads, then, to discontinue the Pullman
car service you ask them TO violate their
contracts with resulting damage.
Although we would be very much
gratified to see an amicable adjustment
between the Pullman car company and
its employees, we cannot comply with
your request and demand that the COM
pany sumbit to arbitration, in view of
the fact that you now stand in the posi-
tion of paralyzing the interests of this
city, and assert the power and intention
of repeating this coarse whenever, in the
judgment of the power represented by
you, similar conditions exist. In other
words, you insist upon the irresponsible
power of the boycott to bring misery
upon thousands of helpless fam
lilies in this city and elsewhere, who
have no possible interest in the
dispute The stoppage of intercourse means
the checking OF our reVlVlng interests and
the consequent loss of employment for
labor. from which condition il may take
years to recover We see ho justifica ton
whatever for this boycott of the Industries
of the country. 1t is illegal and tyranni-
cal and involves a despotic power TO which
no free people can submit"
In addition the follow 1g telegram was
ordered sent to Missouri St lators and rep
resentatives in congress-:
THE board of directors of the Merchants
exchange of st. Louis calls upon the con-
gress Of the United States to at once enact
such laws will prevent unlawful inter-
ference with the interstate commerce of
the country"
is that of complete interruption of freight
traffic, while passenger trains made up by
yardmasters and number of terminal
association switchmen who have returned
to work, are now moving practically on
time. On both sides of the river all switch
men have struck. except those of the Wa
ba sh. Western and the st. Louis, Keokuk &
gone out in all the yards, and perhaps 1000
more have been thrown out in unskilled
lines of labor by the detection of the
sWitchmen and their allies