The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-08-22
Gov. Altgefd Issues a PrOclama-
tiOn to Illinois People.
They Are Asked to Relieve
Needy at Pullman
SUFFERING FOR FOOD.
Over One Thousand Families
Are Destitute He Says

geld has issued the following procA@-
nation:
no the People Of the State of Illinois,
and Especially Those Of the City Of
Chicago
There is great distress growing out
Of the want of food in and around the
town OF Pullman. More than /, 600
families, or in the neighbOrhood Of
e,OOO people are utterly destitute
nearly four-fifths Of them are women
and children. The men have endeav-
ored to get work, but were unable to
do so. As a rule the men are q super
ior class Of Observation-Disclosures and
steady and some Of them have worked
for the Pullman company more than
ten years. Those who have been
given work can get food. but are still
in such an impoverished condition
that they cannot help their uelg bors
III they would. The relief society -
unable to get more supplies On last
Saturday it gave to each family two
pounds OF oat meal and two pounds of
corn meal, and having nothing left it
Euspe nded operations leaving the
people in an absolutely helpless con-
ditiou- The county commissioners OF
Cook county, as overseers Of the poor,
have rendered some assistance, but
owing to the limited appropriation
they can furnish relief but for a short
time.
pause Of this distress The good peo-
pie Of this state cannot allow women
and children by the hundred to perish
OF hunger J. therefore call upon all
humane and charitably disposed citl-
Kens to contribute what they can
toward giving relief Of these people.
The governor has also called on the
commissioners of Cook county to do all
in their power in the matter.
The cores ondence between Gov
last Sunday, when, in response to a
number of appeals made to him by
Pullman strikers for assistance. Gov
ernor A1tRe1d sent a lengthy telegram
20 Mr.. Pullman, calling his attention
to the situation as set forth in the APP
peal, and saying that the strikers
claimed they struck after years of
toll because their wages were so re-
duced that their children went hun
cry
Mr. Pullman replied at length, MAX
ing reference to Governor Altgeld's
declinatiOn of Vice President Wickes'
proposition, which fact Mr.. Pullman
regretted. Mr.. Pullman then con-
tinued: 'sAs an indication of the inn
portance of local knowledge IN making
discrimina tiOns, I may say to you that
I have the best reason for believing
that the husband of a wife who Is
published as represe ntinE her family
to you yesterday IN need of help,
drew more than 81, 800 Of his
savings from bank on July 2
last for the purpose, he said of
buying lots While it has not been
represe nted to the officers Of this com
pany by any persons concerned that
there is any such extended distress in
Pullman as represented, do not
doubt that there are many cases of
need caused by the refusal of the en-
plOyes for more than two and a half
months to earn offered wages Of more
than $500, 600; aud that such cases have
been increased and made more severe
by the resistance of our employees. of
whom about 55O live in Pullman and
who refused to apply for their old
places after the strike was practically
over, as they we're publicly invited to
do on July IL.
ssAs to those who are not at work,
the cancelling Of their rents is not a
question to which attention should
arst be given. especially at the pres
ent juncture Of their pressing needs,
ms you show them to be-
sly our suggestion that the work
should be divided SO that a sufficient
number Of our present employees
should be put on half time, In order
TO give at least half time work for
ali, was tried last winter. The result
has been that the gross earnings of
various individual employees were SO
small as to give an erroneous impress
sion with reference to the suffice ncy
o. the rate Of the wages
THE policy Of the company Is now
60 employ only as many men as it IS
possible to furnish work for on full
time"
TO this the governor replied substan-
tally.
ct see that your company refuses to
do anything towards relieving the
situation at Pullman. If you will
make the round I made, go into the
houses Of these people, meet them
face to face and talk with them, you
will be convinced that none of them
had 81. 900 or any other sum Of money,
q few weeks ago.
1T is not my business to fix the
moral responsibility in this case.
There are nearly 5000 people suffer
ing for the want of foOd-they were
your mployes-four-fifths of them
are women and children. Some OF
these people have worked for you
more than ten years.
II assumed that even IL they were
wrong and had been foolish, you
would not be willing to see them
perish. I also assumed that as the
state had just been to a large ex
pense to protect your property, you
would not want to have the public
shoulder the burden Of relic wing the
distress in your own town AS you
refused to do anything to relieve the
suffering in this case am compelled
to appeal 70 the public TO d 0 So"
Abbott Knocked Out.