The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1894-08-31
sHLtMAN TEsrlFIEs.
The Palace Car 5Eseuste Before the
strike Commissions.

Strike Commissions.
CHICAGO, Aug. 29.-George 81. Pull
man was before the labor commission
for nearly three hours yesterday
afternoon. He dweIt at great length
on the motives which actuated the
company in building homes for the
workingmeR at Pullman, declaring
that the town had been made so that
the best class of mechanics would pre-
fer to live there than in any other
place.
In reply to queries by Chairman
Wright, Mr.. Pullman told OF the CON
tracts foi. work undertaken by the
company at a loss, in order that tns
men might be kept at work.
Judge Worthington asked: "As to
this reported declaration of yours
that you had nothing to arbitrate,
were you correctly reported?"
I have already explained my views
on that subject
Judge Worthington then brought
out the fact that the companys
original capital stock of $1,000, 600, IN
1867, had increased to $50, 900, 600; that
the company had paid dividends OF Il
per cent during the first two years
of its organization; 90 per cent du1s-
=
annually since, and at the same time
had accumulated surplus amounting
to SIS, 600, 900.
Referring to the stock of the COM
panv Mr. Pullman said it represented
actual cash paid by the stockholders
as the capital was needed and the
capital stock was increased Tor the
legitimate business of the company.
There was no water in 1T and none OF
it represented dividends
Coming back to the question OF
arbitration Mr. Pullman said he re-
membered no formal attempt to get
him to arbitrate with the men. He
had declared his Willingness to arbi-
Now, Mr.. Pullman . said Commits
sioner Worthington, taking the
whole year through, has the Pullman
company made or lost money!?
''It has made money, was the
You have paid your regular divi-
dends?'
yes. sir; 8 per cent"
t.That is sonnet hing like So, 500, 00O
you have paid out IN dividends for the
yes, but that includes the latter
part of the worlds ia II which was ex-
ceptionaL
E.Let me ask you, Mr.. Pullman
whether you do not think company
that pays dividends of So, SOC, 600 co old
not afford to share the losses of 1t
employees who have worked for 1T s.
1ong?"
The manufacturing business
separate from the business of t il
sleeping car company. seCs n
reason why I should take the p 70 iii
of the 4, 200 stockholders in the a0lrl1
man Sleeping Car company and p .
men higher rate of wages than " 4
paid in other parts of the country
the same work, or than was paid
other companies for the same wOr
Because we have been careful an
accumulated a surplus I do not Sc
that it is reason why we should tax
the surplus now and pay it out for ex
ceptionally high wages"
What do you see that is objectiona-
BILE in submitting a difference like this
to arbitration.
There are some matters that are
proper subjects for arbitration, but I
cannot arbitrate on a question where
I know the facts to be thus and so.
The question as to whether our shops
should continue to run at loss is a
thing that could not be arbitrated. "
why was it impossible?"
because it violates the principle
that man has right to manage his
own business"
Mr.. Pullman was then excused and
Vice President Wickes was called. He
rehearsed the history of the strike and
the part he played in it.
He said the discharge of the mem
bers of the grievance committee after
he had promised that they should not
be molested for the part in the
committees work was entirely with
out his knowledge and was not inten-
tiOna1 on the part of the minor officials
who had laid them off.