The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-08-28

lated a surplus. / do not see that 1t Is q
reason we should take the surplus now and
pay IL out for exceptionally high wages
HAS the Pullman company, during the
years of its prosperity, ever advanced the
wages OF its employees voluntarily?
II do not know as to that. 1t always has
sought to pay fair wages, and the fact that
we have never had but one strike Is pretty
good evidence that the men have been
What do you see that is Objectionable
in submitting a difference ike this to ar
bitrationg'
There are some matters that are proper
subjects for arbitration. but / cannot arbl-
trate on a question where l know the facts
to be thus and so. The question as TO
whether our shops should continue to run
at a loss is a thing that could not be ar
bitrated."
why was it impossible?'
Because il violates the principle that a
man has a right to manage his own bus
Suppose the arbitrators were to say to
you: We see you are losing money. but
these men have been with you a long
while; you can affaord TO share their losses;
living wages What would you say to
that?"
the men and secure the disbursement OF
the large sums involved in the contracts
men would agree to bear their share in a
reduction of 20 TO . per cent. In their
wages"
Judge worthington wanted to know
wherein ii vas wrong to take the money
of the stockholders and pay higher wages
when the management was ready to take
| contracts at a loss, or take the STOCKHOLM
ers' money to keep the plant going.
Mr.. Pullman said the execution of con-
tracts at a loss was better for the plant
than TO let il lie idle.
so" interrupted Mr.. Herman. you had
that in view as we'll as the employment of
plant because you knew that would be a
loss to stockholders, and you did not want
to scatter your men because. you knew it
1 would IA OH m = a fnrnA fGOPrhAF
again that would do economical work."
Was your salary reduced. Mr.. Pull
The witness replied that it had not been.
Nor the salaries of superintendent or
fo %S0n
"Why?"
Mr.. Pullman said it was not good policy
to reduce the salaries of high officials, be-
cause men of their calibre were not easily
replaced.
Mr.. WICKEs EXAMINED.
Mr.. Pullman was then excused and Vice
President Wickes called. He rehearsed the
story 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 mo-
Tested for the part in the committees work
Was not intentional on the part OF the
minor officials who had laid them off. In
support of his declaration Mr.. wickes pre-
scented the affidavits of the foremen who
had laid off the committeeman a~verring
that the discharge mad come in the or
binary course of the company's business,
and was due entirely TO lack of work in
the department where the committeeman
were employed. Witness said he had
agreed TO remedy the so-called shop griev-
ances wherever they were proved true, and
had begun the work of investigation when
the strike was precipitated and ended the
investigation. The balance of Mr.. Wickes's
evidence was mainly corroborative of the
statements made by Pullman
The first witness to-day was Z. F.
Bryant, of the bank at Pullman. Mr.. Bry-
ant, who appeared with a yard or two
of typewriter statistics, but at the request
of Commissioners Herman laid the state
ment aside and answered questions. He
an empl0ye OF the Pullman company, as
the bank was owned by the Pullman South
the latter is controlled by the palace-car
company: Mr.. Bryant said that the capital
in July. 1898, the deposits amounted to
about $65S,OC0: Two thousand four hundred
aainmd twenty-n " OF the deP0sitorS at that
counts averaging $24O. In July, 1894, the de-
posits amounted 10 100000, with only 14l4
The witness said that the Pullman work
men were paid in checks; that each month
r reS @ee eom meaf si G@ell iMS eo one rep II angy
ing the amount of rent due and the other
the balance of wages earned.
Mr.. Bryant was questioned sharply re-
garding the system of paying. but enphat-
ically stated that there was nothing COM
puIsory. about the men paying their rent.
The checks are only made FOR the con-
v~enience of the men, said he. land they
may or may not indorse, the rent check
back to the company, as they choose"
1T is just a gentle reminder that the
rent is due" suggested Mr.. Herman.
1T is simply for the mems convenience
the witness persisted.
The bank manager was then rigidly eX-
pany for collecting back rent. Mr.. Bryant
was asked regarding the ease of Jennie
Curtis. a Pullman employe. who had
pay back rent on the house which her
father had occupied previous to his death.
The witness said the company had not
compelled Miss Curtis to pay the rent, but
admitted that she had done SO.
Reg Dr.: c. H Eaton of the Church OF
audience by his testimony. He asserted
that the reports of suffering at Pullman
had been grossly exaggerated. He had Wis,
tied forty houses. he said. and found no
destitution and no distress. The men had
told him that they had no real grievances,
he declared. and had no real cause for
striking. DR.. Eaton did not believe that
compulsory arbitration would prevent
strikes. giving as his reason that one side
of such controversies. the laboring men,
were not responsible and that any agree
ment that might be reached would be liable
proper method of preventing strikes was
TO build up and improve the character OF
the workingmen. He had found Pullman,
he said. a very satisfactory place in thai
regard, as the mems characters there were
under good influences.
NEW CAR