The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1894-11-17

The report OF the special labor com
mission appointed 10 investigate the
causes OF the recent railway strike has
been made public IL Is signed by the
federal labor commissioner, Carroll ID.
Wright, and his Observation-Disclosures
John d. Herman, OF New York, and
Nicholas T. worthington. OF Illinois,
and is addressed 10 President Glove
land:
The report says the capitalization Of the
twenty-four railroads directly represented In
the General Managers association was BIOS
bb2ol7. The number Of employees was 22i o07.
In IT'S constitution the object OF the association
"a stated 20 be "the consideration OF problems
OF management arising from the operation or
railroads terminating or centering at Chicago"
until June, 1894, the associations pcssibili-
ties as "A strike fighter and wage arUitcr lay
rather dormant Its roads fixed Chicago
scale for switchmen, covering all lines at Chi
cago- In March. 1898. the switchmen demanded
more pay from each road The association
concluded that they we're paid enough II any
thing too much.
This seems 20 show that employees ppon as
ISOLATION roads are under subsection 20 the
General Managers association"
The report, after detailing tho acucn OF the
association In establishing agencies and en-
ploylng men, adds.
'This was the first time wien men u pom each
line were brought sharply face 20 face with the
fact that IN questions as 70 wages. rules etc,
each line was supported by twenty-four COM
bined railroads This association likew.ae pre-
pared for its use elaborate schedules ~ tho
wages paid upon the entire limos OF its twenty
four members. The proposed object OF these
schedules was 70 let each road know wdat other
roads paid.
THE distribution OF these schedules alone
enabled the report 20 be used with eficlanCy as
m t4lI A. NNta ale sNttag NN4u a.
being then well understood that "a 70 wages
etc, Il was an incident Ok tho General Man
ayers association 20 assist each road Ia case
OF trouble over such matters. one form OF as
sistance being for tho association 20 secure
mon enough through It's agencies 20 take the
places % al strikers reductions were here
anu there made on the different roads, the ten
dency and effort apparently being 20 oqunlize
the pay on all lines.
III Is admitted TINT tho action Of tho assoc
citation has great weight with outside lines aud
this tends 10 establish one unform scale
throughout The country. The further single
step OF admitting lines not running into Chlca-
60 70 membership would cortninly have the Of
feet OF combining oil railroads in wage con-
acntons against all employees thereon. The
commission questions whether any legal au-
thOrlty, statutory OF otherwise, can be found
60 Justify some Of the features OF tho associa-
ton which hnyecome 20 light in this lnyestiga-
tlon. II we regard It's practical workings.
rather than It's professions as expressed in It's
constitution. the General Managers nsSocia-
ton has no more standing IN law than the old
trunk line pool. IL cannot Incorporate be-
cause railroad charters DO not authorize roads
Go form corporations or associations 70 nx
rates for services aud wages nor TO force their !
acceptance nor 20 battle with strikers.
1T should be noted that until the railroads I
set tho example general union OF railroad /
employees was never attempted The unions ,
had not gone beyond enlisting the men upon
different systcfus into separate trade organlza- /
lions. These noutralize and check each other /
TO some extent and have no such scope or 4
capacity iOrgOod orevil as IL possible under the /
universal combination Idea inaugurated by tho |
railroads and followed BY the American Rail- ]
way union The refusal Of the General Man
ayers association 20 recognize and deal with I
such combination Of labor as tho American /
Hallway union seems arrogant and absurd /
when We consider Us standing before the law,
Us assumptions and It's past and obviously CON
tomplated future action q"
Pullman Company and It's Town.
This IS a corporation organized In 1897 with /
a capital OF $1,000 600 II has grown until Us
present paid up capital IL so 0O),000 It's prop
orty has Enabled the company for over twenty
years 70 pay per cent. quarterly dividends.
and IN addition 20 lay up u surplus OF nearly
42o0O 900 Of undivided profits
speaking of the town OF Pullman, OF which
tho report states the company Is owner and
landlord. tho commission says
Tho conditions created AZ Pullman enable
thc management 40 all times 20 assert with \
great igor rs assumed right % tx wages and
ronts absolutely ana 70 repress that sort OF in
which loads 70 labor organizations
aud their attempts at mediation, arbitration.
strikes etc, on the other hand. Il Is an eco
nomic principle generally rocognzo1 that the
ehutting down OF 3 a plant and the scattering
OF lts forces usually result ia q greater loss
than that exhibited 10y the continuance OF
business. The Pullman comuany could
hardly shut down for seven ana a half months
80 COST aud loss o. less than per cent. upon
rs capital ana surplus. To continue running
WAS for It's obvious and unfair advantage so
long as II could divide losses equally with lbs
labor. The men az Pullman claim that the
company, during lsg3-gl set the pace through
experts 40 that with forced loss OF time an av-
GRACE man could earn little more than tho rent
OF hts homo owned bY tho company. Tho COM
psny alleges that IL simply reAdlustcd piece
work prices TO suit the necessities Of tho times
During all on this reduction and rs attend
ant suffering none OF the salaries OF the ofi-
GERS, managers or superintendonts we're re-
duced Reductions Ia these would not have
been so severely felt, would have shown good
faith, would have relieved the harshncss OF tho
situation and would have cvinccd genuine SYM
patty with labor 10 tho disasters ~ the times
III We exclude tho esthetic ana sanitary
features nj Pullman. the rents thore arc from
surrounding towns for similar accommoda-
tions Tho esthetic features are admired hy
visitors but hayo little money value 20 em-
ploycs especially when they lack bread
while reducing wages the company made
no reduction IN rents. It. position Il that tho
two matters are distinct and that none % the
reasons urged as iustifylug wage reduction by
a. as an employer can be considered by the
company as O landlord.
THE company claims that II Is simply lcglu-
mate business 20 use is position and resources
Go hire In tho labor market as chcaply as pos
sihio and az the same time 20 keep rents up re-
gardoss of what wages are paid 70 It's tenants,
or what similar toncmcnts rent for elsewhere.
60 avail itself 90 the fun extent OF business do
precision and competition IA reducing wages
and 20 disregard these same conditions as 20
rents No valid reason Is assigned for this
position except simply that the company had
the power and tho legal right 60 do IL
The demand OF the employees for the wages
OF June. 1879 was clearly uniustiAabie. Tho
business In May, 1924. could not pay the wages
OF Juns. 1893 Reduction was carried TO excess
n.s.N "a I