The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-11-15

capital of $36,000000. Its prosperity has
, enabled them for 20 years to pay = per
cent quarterly dividends, and in addition.
10 lay~nn surplus of nearly SO 100000
! of undivided profits
| AS to the results of the Pullman system
and its growth, the report says:
When the depression of 1893 came,
morally calling for mutual concessions as
/ to wages, rents, etc, we find on the one
: side u very wealthy and unyielding cor
p0ration and upon the other a multitude
of employees of comparatively excellent
character and skill, but without local at
| tachments or any interested RESPONSE
bility in the town or it's business, the tene-
ments or surroundings. The conditions
created at Pullman enable the manage
ment at all times to assert with great
vigor its assumed rights to fix wages and
rents absolutely and to suppress that sort
! of independence which leads to labor or
ganization and their Attempts at media
/ ton, arbitration, strikes, etc.
| "On the other hand it is an economic
principle generally recognized that the
shutting down of such a plant and the
scattering of its forces usually result
! in a greater than that exhibited by the
! continuance of business. The Pullman
company could hardly shut down for
seven and a half months at cost and
loss of less than l per cent upon its capi-
/ tai and surplus To cOntiue running was
! for its obvious and unfair advantage, so
long as it could divide losses equally with
labor. The men at Pullman claim that
the company during 1S93-94 set the pace,
that with their forced loss of time an
average man could earn little more than
the rent of his home-owned by the COM
pany. The company claim that it sim
ply readjusted piece work to suit the ne
cessity of the times. Some witnesses
swear that ut times for the work done
in two weeks they received in checks
from cents to S1.OO over and above
their rent. The company has not pro-
duced its checks in rebuttal. During all
of this reduction and its attendant sui
ferings none of the salaries OF the ofhcers
managers or SuperintendentS were re-
duced. Reductions in these would not
have been so severely felt, would have
shown good faith, would have relieved
! the harshness of the situation, and eylnc-
ed genuine sympathy with labor i'll
! the disasters of the times. In its state
ments to the public, which were III eyl-
dence, the company represented that lts
object in all it did was to continue opera
tions for the benefit of its Workmen ana
tradespeope in Pullman and to save the
public from annoyance of interrupted
! travel. The commission thinks that the
evidence shows that it desired to keep
I running for its own benefit as manufact-
urers. that it might keep its cars in re-
pair; that it might be ready for resump-
ton when BUSINESS revived and that its
revenue from its tenements might con-
! tinue.
"If we exclude the aesthetic and san
tary features at Pullman, the rents there
are 20 to 30 per cent higher than in Chi
cago or surrounding towns for similar
accommodations. The aesthetic features
are admired by visitors, but have little
money value to employees, ana eSpeclally
when they lack bread.
/ "'The company makes all repairs and
heretofore have not compelled tenants
to pay for them. Under the printed
leases, however, which tenants must sign
they agree to pay for all repairs winch
are either necessary ORDINARY wear ana
damage by the elements not cXcepted)
or which the company chooses to make.
The company's claims that the work
men need not hire its houses and can
live elsewhere if they choose, is not en-
tirely tenable. The fear of losing work
keeps them in Pullman as long as there are
houses unoccupied, because the company
is supposed as a matter OF business TO
give preference to its tenants Wnen WORK
is slack. While reducing wages the COM
pany made no reduction i'll rents. Its posi-
tion is fnaf the two matters are distinct
and that none of the reasons urged as JUS
tifyinr wage reductions by 1t as an EN-
plOyer can be considered by the company
rs n landlord. The reductions at Full
man after Sept. |, 1891, were the result
of agreements among the managers; the
employees for the first time knew Oh thenl
when they took effect. The compan!
based every move on basis OF car Dullu-
ing for profit The purpose of the manage
nl,yin N
fer upon cost. etc, in its most seriously
crippled department, excluding from con
sideration the facts as to wages III the
repair department..
"The demand of the employees for the
wages of June, 1893, was clearly unlus-
tifinble. The business in May. iS93'
could not pay the wages OF June. 1922.
Reduction was carried to excess, but tle
company was hardly more at ,1ault
therein than the employees IN ,r, INSISTING .I.,,-,
upon the wages of June. 1913. lnere "hS
little discussion as to the rents. the com
pany maintaining that its rents had
nothing to do with its wages and that ITS
revenue from its tenants was nor greater
than it ought TO receive. The company
had n legal right to take this position,
but as between man and man Ihe
demand for a reduction i'll thG rates
of rent was fair and reasonable, uh-
der all the Crlllllldl circumstance" ''''i =
slight concession in this regard would
probably have averted the strike, pro
vided the promise not to discharge those
who served upon the committee had Deeh
strictly regarded. The strike OCT drred on
Nav il. and from that time until tl.e lol-
dicrs went to Pullman. about July j. $40
strikers were placed about the company
property. professedly to guard 1t from deS-
truction or interference. This guarding
of property in strikcsHk as rule; mere
pretense Too often the real Object OF
guards is to prevent new comerS from
taking strikers places, by persuasion. often
TO be followed. if Intellectual. by intim-
dation and violence. The Pullman com.
many claims this was the real object OF
these guards. The strikers at Pullman are
entitled to be believed to the contrary IN
this matter because of their conduct ana
forbearance on May II. 1t is in evidence
and uncontradicted that no violence or
destruction of property by strikers or
sympathizers took place at Pullman, anu
that on July 3 no extraordinary protec-
ton was had for the police or military
against even anticipated disorder. Such |
dignified manly and conservative con
duct in the midst of the excitement Is
worthy of the highest type of American
fN