The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-11-14

wage Reduction and BlacklistfnE
Caused the Trouble.

THE GREAT A. r.. U. STRIKE.
Wage Reduction and Blacl1listfng
Caused the Trouble.
AS to the great railroad strike proper the
report says:
1T is apparent that the readiness to
strike sympathetically was promoted by the
disturbed and apprehensive condition of
ralifoad employees, resulting from wage re-
auctions on different lines, black listing,
ETC. and from the recent growth of the
General Managers Association, which
seemed to them a menace"
Farther on the report says:
IT IS seriously questioned and with much
Iorce whether courts have jurisdiction to
enJoln citizens from persuading each other
III industrial or other matters of common
interest. However, it is generally recog-
hlzed among good citizens that a mandate
OF court is to be obeyed until it is modi-
ned and corrected by the court that issued
it.
The policy of both the Pullman company
and the General Managers Associa ton in
reference to applications to arbitrate closed
the door to all attempts at Cancellation and
settlement of differences The commission
is impressed with the belief, by the evidence
and by the attendant circumstances as dis
closed, that different policy would have
prevented the loss of life and great loss of
property and wages occasioned by the
strike"
The report declares that arrival of the
troops at Chicago was opportune and says
tnat policemen sympathZed with strikers
rather than with the corporations This
cannot be doubted nor would it be sur
prising to find the same sentiment rife
among the military. 'These forces are
largely recruited from the laboring classes
Indeed, the danger is growing that in strike
wars between corporal tons and employees
military duty will ultima tely have to be
done by others than volunteers from labor
ranks. United States deputy marshals to the
number of 5000 were selected by and ap-
pointed at the request of the General Man
ayers Association and of its railroads.
They We're armed and paid by the railroads
and acted in the double capacity of railroad
employees and United States officers. While
operating the railroads they assumed and
exercised unrestricted United States author
ity when so ordered by their employers. or
whenever they regarded it as necessary
They were not under the direct control of
any government official while exercising
authority. This is placing officers of the
government under the control of a COM
bination of railroads. 1t is bad precedent
that might well lead to serious conse.
quences.
The commission briefly disposes in this
way of the matter of the use of
FEDERAL TROOPS
Section 4, of article ~ of the federal con-
stitution reads follows: The United
States shall guarantee to every state in
this union a republican form of government
and shall protect each of them against in
vason and on application of the legisla-
ture, or the executive (when the legisla-
ture cannot be convened) against domestic
violence
United States troops were not sent into
Illinois upon the applcat ton of the legisla-
ture, nor of the executive, against domes-
violence. violence off p.tin 4ho
state and it's government as such. The
president ordered troops to Chicago-D to
protect federal property. CO to prevent OBJ
struction in the carving of mails; 60 to
prevent interference with the interstate
commerce. and CD to enforce the DEGREES
and mandates of the federal courts
He did this under the authority of sec
ton 1928 of the Revised Statutes of the
United States, which provides: Whenever
by reason of unlawful distractions, combin-
atons, or assemblages of persons or rebel
lion against the authority of the govern
ment of the United States, it shall become
imprac ticable, in the judgment of the pres
ident, to enforce the ordinary course of jul
dicial proceedings, the laws of the United
States within any state or territory it shall
be lawful for the president to call forth
the militia in any all of the states and
to employ such parts of the land or naval
forces of the United States he may deem
necessary to- enforce the faithful execution
press such rebellion in whatever state or
territory thereof the laws of the United
States may be forcibly opposed, or the ex-
ecution thereof forcibly obstructed.' ="
Section 529s is also quoted, and the re-
port adds: "Other statutes tend to confer
authority in the same direction.
A. r. L. EXONERATED.
"There is no evidence before the commits
sion that the officers of the American Rail-
way Union at any time participated in or
advised intimidation. violence or destruc-
ton of property. They knew and fully APP
preciated that as soon mobs ruled the
organized forces of society would crush the
mobs and all responsible for them in the
remotest degree and that this meant de-
feat. The attacks upon corporations and
monopolies by the leaders in their speeches
are similar to those found in the magazines
and industrial works of the day.
From the testimony it is fair to con-
clude that strikers were concerned in the
outrages against law and order, although
the number was undoubtedly small as
compared with the whole number out.
However, many impartial observers are
reaching the view that much of the real
responsibility for the disorders rests with
the people themselves and with the govern
ment for not adequately controlling mo-
nopolieS and corporations, and for failing
reasonably to protect the rights of labor
and redress it's wrongs. None assert that
laws can completely remedy contentio
as to wages, etc, but many do insist that
some thing substantial can be accomplished
in this direction if attempted honestly,
reasonably and in good faith
In conclusion, the report says:
Since nations have grown to the wisdom
of avoiding disputes by Cancellation and
even of settling them by arbitra ton, why
should capital and labor. in their depend
ence upon each other, persist in cutting
each others threats as settlement of
differences? Official reports show that
much progress has been made in the more
sane direction of Cancellation and arbitra-
ton, in America Abroad they are
in advance of us in this policy. Were our
population dense and opportunities as
limited abroad, present industrial con-
ditions would keep much more disturbed
than we now are by contests between
capital and labor. Some of our courts,
however. are still porting over the law re-
ports of antiquity in order to construe
conspiracy out of labor unions. We also
have employers who
OBSTRUCT PROGRESS
by pervertng and misapplying the law of
supply and demand. and who, while insist
ing upon ndividualism for workmen, de-
mand that they shall be let alone to COM
bne they please, and that society and
all it's forces shall protect them in their
resulting contentious.
The rapid cOncentra ton of power and
wealth, under stimula ting legsla tive con-
dltlons in persons, corporations and mo-
nopoies. has greatly changed the business
and industrial situate Our railroads
were chartered upon the theory that their
competition would amply protect shippers
as to rates. etc, and employees as to wages
and other conditions Combna ton has
largely destroyed this theory and has seri-
OuSlV liStuIbp1 the natural working of the