The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-11-15
THE REPORT on THE CHICAGO RIOT.

The commission which Mr.. Cleveland
aprointed 10 enquire into and report
upon the labor troubles which caused
the riots in Chicago last summer has
made its report, which is signed by all
three Of the commissioners consequently
VIC see no reason TO question any of its
statements of fact. These certainly
make cut a case of most harsh and cruel
treatment Of their employees by the Pull
man Palace Car Company.
According to this report. men who oc-
cupy the compGny's houses are given the
preference when laborers are employed,
and We see no criticism TO make on that
fact. The rents. too. were not dimin-
ished during the panic. although wages
were. 1t seems that an act passed by
the Illinois Legislature forbids a land
lord to take rent out of wages, but this
company gets around that statute thus:
The bank of the Pullman village is the
collector OF it's rents. When a laborer
comes up to the car company TO be
paid for his work. ne is given two
checks on the bank one of the checks is
for just the amount that the man owes
at that time for rent. The other is for
the balance OF his wages. The man
could of course. sell the check that is of
the size OF the rent he owes, but If he
does so he becomes a marked man, who
Is made TO feel the Pullman COmpanys
vengeance. In point Of fact then. all the
checks are taken TO the bank for pay
ment. When they are presented the
bank tells the holder that he owes il as
much money for rent as one of the
OBJ coll 20. tl,,f IL v.~,n
fore, only pay him the other check In
this way the statute is evaded. and the
company collects it's rents with great
certainty
The report tells us that many OF the
laborers testified before the commission
ers that their wages, over and above
rents, averaged from four cents TO one
dollar for two weeks work, and that the
company was asked TO disprove their
statements II it could. but that it made
no attempt TO do so.
This Is simply horrible. II is neither
more nor less than an industrial slavery
far more crushing and grinding than any
actual slavery ever was.
Nevertheless. we cannot dispute Mr.
Pullmans right TO pursue this fendish
course towards his employees II ne
chooses to do so. The works are his
and he has the right TO offer no work
at all. If he pleases. or 10 offer it upon
such terms as suit him. But he had these
poor men in his power. In Il measure,
when the late panic came on, and 1t was
the merciless act of shylock cutting for
his pound OF flesh for him TO reduce
wages and maintain rents at a point
that would make rents consume all that
was paid to the laborer. This is an act
for which Mr.. Pullman is not to be held
10 account before human laws, but it is
one for which he must answer before his
God.
There is also another tribunal before
which he must answer for H. and that
is the tribunal of public opinion. 1t is
In connection with this that investigation.
such as this commission was provided
for are useful. II brings the facts Of
the case before an Intelligent public
which scans them critically and marks
the man as social leper who is re-
sponsible for them. He is thus made
a better man and is forced to better
treatment OF his employees in spite OF the
fiendish impulses of his own nature
IHls, tHoubhi IL 'ht ohiS bdi at which
MIR. Pullman can be tried. The works
are his, and he can do with them as he
pleases. lie can shut them NJ and re-
fuse 10 employ any, or he can employ
men on such terms as those men are
willing TO accept. however grinding they
may be. and. though he exhibits all the
ferocity and cruelty Of demon In
dealing with his men, the law of the
land can say nothing respecting the
terms OF employment that he chooses to
offer them