Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-07-20
FACTS IN THE CASE.
PULLMAN MAKES A FULL STATE
MENT.
To COncede Employees Dema nds Was
COOPERATE at n I.Oss-The Question
Was Not One Of ArbitratIon-A
Few Objections Answered..

Few Objections Answered.
a New York dispatch OF the 12tf
has the following: "There is hardly
anything new to be said as to the po
sition OF the Pullman company" saiC
George NJ. Pullman this evening
But | have so many indications o
the facility with which my expressions
and those authorized by me have be-
come distorted and thus rendered mis-.
leading to the public, and of an entire
forgetfulness of my earnest efforts to
prevent the strike, that perhaps it is
we'll that l should again make public
assurance that the deploratle events
OF the last few weeks have not been
caused by the Pullman company tax.
ing an obstinate stand in a debatable
matter and refusing to listen to rea-
son. The leaders of disorder have not
hesitated to harass the public by all
means in their power, because, as they
say, the Pullman company would not
submit to arbitration, and now that
disorder seems to be quelled they are
reinforced in their clamor for arbitra-
ton by some prominent newspapers,
but SO far as l know by very few, if
any business men OF the country.
"Why is the demand concealed un-
der the innocent sounding word "ar-
A little more than a year
ago the shops at Pullman were in a
condition, work was plenty.
wages were high, and the condition Of
the employees was indicated by the
fact that the local savings bank had
savings deposited in it of $4,000, Of
which nearly all was the property Of
the employees. Our pay rolls for that
year show an average earning Of over
5000 per annum for every person, man,
woman or youth, OH the roll. Then
came the great panic and depression
Of last summer. Many customers
stopped negotiations and cancelled Or
ders and our working force had to be
reduced from nearly 5000 to 1000 in
November 1898. The great business
depression existing throughout the
country had naturally resulted in a
wage depression, and the only hope of
getting orders was by bidding for work
at prices as low or lower than could be
made by other shops and this. of course,
necessitated reduction in the wages
of the employees at Pullman. This
was arranged, as supposed, and in
close competition, disregarding all
account of capital and machinery, l
secured enough work to gradually in.
crease our force to 1900, the number
on the roll last April.
"Nine weeks ago the car shops at
Pullman we're working at car building
contracts and had on hand enough
to keep them going for about sixty
days, and with business forecasts lead
ing to the belief that new orders
would soon be had. The most i'm
portant of the work on hand had
been taken by me at competition, at
prices which were less than the
actual cost 10 the company of deliver
ing, without any reckoning for the
use of capital and plant. This work
was taken to keep the large force OF
men employed and to postpone and
with the hope of avoiding the mum.
oerless embarrassments to all classes
of people at Pullman and its vicinity,
involved in a closing down of the
works. 1t was done in pursuance of
what the company considered wise
policy to operate the shops temporar-
ly at an actual loss.
"In thie condition of things came
he agitation seeking to create labor
embracing all railway
and apparently other indus
ries.
ain the early part of May a COM
nittee OF employees demanded
estoration of the wages of year ago.
explained to this committee minute
y and laboriously the facts, showing
hat the company was already paying
hem more than it was receiving for
heir contract work, and l offered
hem for complete assurance. and in
,rder to end all question, an inspec.
ion OF our books and contracts in
,and. This and the beginning at
,nce at Pullman OF a promised care.
ul investigation of number of shop
seemed to end all trouble,
,ut day later, under the excitement
If their recruiting into the new Or
the workmen closed the
shops, thus themselves doing what l
was strenuously trying oprevent be-
ng done. Thus the employees who
1uit their work have deprived them
selves and their comrades of earnings
Of more than 100000 up to this time.
The demand made before quitting
work was that the wages should be
restored to the scale of last year, or in
effect that the actual outgoing money,
losses should be increased to an
amount equal to about one-fourth OF
the wages of the employees.
"It must be clear to every business
man and to every thinking workman
that no prudent employer could SUBJ
NIT to arbitration the question
whether he should commit piece OF
business folly. Arbitration always
implies acquiescence in the decision
of the arbitrator, whether favorable or
adverse. How could I, Precedent OF
the Pullman company, consent TO
agree that if any body of men not con-
cerned with the interests OF the COM
pany's shareholders should, Is arbl-