St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-11-13

legitimate business to use its position
and resources to hire in the labor mar
ket as cheaply as possible and at the
same time to keep rents up. regardless
of what wages are paid 10 It's tenants or
what similar tenements rent for else
where; TO avail itself to the full extent
of business depression and competition
in reducing wages, and to disregard
these same conditions rs to rents. No
valid reason Is assigned for this posi-
tion except simply that the company
had the power ami the legal right to
do it.
Prior to the sO~called struck" law in
Illinois rent was deducted from the
wages. Since then a check is given
for the amount of the rent and an
other for the balance due for wages.
There Is nothing to prevent the payee
OF the check from cashing 1t outside Of
the bank, but as the bank is rent COL
lector iG presses for the rent and is
aided in collecting it by knowledge on
the part of the tenant that by arrears
he may lose his job.
The reductions at Pullman after Sep
tember. 1898. were the result of confer
enceS among the managers; the en-
ployeS for the first time knew of them
when they took effect. The company
based its entire contention as to every
department upon the facts in reference
to car-building, to which we have al
luded, and offered to show its books and
figures as TO the cost and selling prices
of cars. This offer, OIL account of the
strike intervening. was not acted upon.
The purpose of the management was
obviously to rest the whole matter upon
cost, ETC., in its most seriously crippled
department. excluding from considera-
ton the facts as to wages i'll the repair
department..
The demand Of the employees for the
wages of June. 1898, was
Clearly Unjustifiable.
The business in May, 1894, could not
pay the wages of June, 1898. Reduction
was carried to excess, but the company
was hardly more at fault therein than
were the employees in insisting upon the
wages OF June, 1898. There was little
discussion as TO rents, the company
maintaining that its reuts had nothing
to do with its wages, and that its reve-
hue from its tenementS was no greater
than it ought to receive.
The company had legal right to take
this position. Between man and man
the demand for some rent reduction
was fair and reasonable, all the circum-
stances considered. Some slight con-
cessiOn in this regard would probably
have averted the strike, provided the
promise not to discharge men who
served upon the committee had been
more strictly regarded.
The strike occurred on May II, and
from that time until the soldiers went
to Pullman. about July 4, 800 strikers
were placed about the cOmpany'S prop
erty, profeSsedly to guard it from de-
structiOn or interference. This guard
ing of property In strikes is, as rule,
a mere pretense. Too often the real
object OF guards is to protect the new.
corners from taking strikers places by
persuasion. often TO be followed, if in
effectual, by intimidation and violence.
The Pullman company 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 and forbear-
ance after May IL. 1t is evidence, and
uncOntradicted. that
No Violence or Destruction
of property by strikers or Sympathzers
took place at Pullman, and that until
July DO extraordinary protection was
had from the police or military against
even anticipated disorder.
Such dignified, manly and cOnserva-
tive conduct in the midst Of excitement
and threatened starvation is worthy Of
the highest type of American citizen
ship, and with like prudence in all
other directions will result in due time
in the lawful and orderly redress OF
labor wrongs. 10 deny this is to for
swear patriotism and to declare this
government and Its people failure.
AS to the great railroad strike proper
ha ia hot ho
readiness to strike Sympathetically was
promoted by the disturbed and appre-
hensive condition of railroad employees,
resulting from wage reductions on diff
ferent lines, blackliSting, ETC., and from
the recent growth of the General Man
ayers, association, which seemed to
them menace.
Farther on the report says: 1t Is
seriously questioned, and with much
force, whether courts have Jurisdiction
to enjOin citizens from 'persuadng"
each other in industrial or other mat
ters of common interest. However, it |
is generally recognized among good
citizens that mandate of court Is TO
be Obeyed until it is modified and cor.
reeted by the court that issued it.
The policy, the report says, of both |
the Pullman company ana the railway
managers association i'll reference to
applications to arbitrate closed the door
to all attempts at conciliation and settle
ment of differences. The commission
is impressed with the belief, by the
evidence and by the attendant circum-
stances as disclosed. that a different
policy would have prevented the loss of
life and great loss of property and
wages occasioned by the strike.
The report declares the arrival of
the troops at Chicago was opportune,
and says that policemen
Sympathize d with Strikers.
rather than with the corporations, can>
not be doubted, nor would it be sur
prising to find the same sentiment rife
among the militia. These forces are
largely recrnted from the laboring
classes. Indeed. the danger is growing
that in strike wars between corpora
tions and employees military duty will
ultimately have to be done by others
than volunteers from labor ranks.
United States deputy marshals to the
number of $500 were selected and ap-
pointed by request of the General Man
agers' association and its railroads.
They were armed and paid by the rail-
roads, and acted in the double capacity
Of railroad employees ana United States
officers.
Exact as we'll regulated clock-re-
suits accomplished with Dir. Prices Bak-