Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-08-24
MANAGER ST. JOHN.
He Goes on the Stand In the strike In.
Quiry.

He Goes on the Stand In the Strike In
quiry.
CHICAGO, Aug. 23-The Railway Mana.
gers association has at last been repre-
sented before the national labor commits
Ion and the representative was John
a. -. john, OF the Rock Island, and presi-
dent OF the General Managers association.
His testimony differed from that hereto
Tore ven, in that it was positive as to
who were the leaders in the rioting, and
declared that said leaders were strikers.
Chairman Wright asked St. John upon
what evidence was based the statement
that the rioting was led by strikers.
81. John replied that the statements were
based upon reports made to the railroad
company by eye witnesses of the rioting.
These reports were not in all cases in
writing, but of such as were in writing
he promised to furnish certified copies 10
the commission. Another thing about
st. Johns testimony was that it was pre-
else as to date and fact.
Was n Carefully Written Statement.
In fact the general manager brought
ais testimony with him-a bulky type
written document-and said that il was
a"short" statement compiled from the
company's history OF the strike. which is
a book of 2,U0t pages. And this book
was described as brief of the occur
FENCES during the strike. With his state
ment in his hand St. John proceeded TO
teal his story. The strike on his road was
purely sympathetic. The Rock Island
road was not notified that its employees
would strike. This road had not reduced
wages for two or three years past. 1t had
raised wages during that time, but previ-
Gus to two years ago. There were but two
rules regarding matchmaking on the
Rock Island; they are that man dis
charged for cause from one department of
the company can not be employed in an
other department of the company with
ont permission of the superintendent of
the department from which the man was
dismissed, and that an employe shall not
engage in other business without consent
OF the general manager.
Ready to Hear Grievances.
'If any employees of our road have'griev-
ances." said Mr.. st. John, 1.-THE company
treats first with such employees personal
ly. If that does not suffice the company
recognizes any labor organization OF
which 30 per cent. OF its employees in any
one department are members. 1t never
Recognized the American Railway Union
becaused 1t was never asked to recognize
IT. AT the time of the breaking out of
the boycott not $40 of all the Rock Island
employees were members of the American
Railway Union. The Rock Island cori-
ptny's contract with the Pullman COM
pany was made in 1873. and il bound the
road TIL Jan. l, 1875, 10 haul Pullman
cars wherever and whenever sleepers were
needed on the Rock Island lines. The
Rock Island owned one-half interest in all
the Pullman stock usually hauled over
its lines.
strikers Led the Turbulence.
The paper throughout contained alleca-
tons that the riotlng at Blue Island tue
driving of the company's employees from
their posts, the stoppage of the mail trains
on the Rock Island, the overturning OF
box cars and burning Of the same, and all
such acts Of violence were committed or
| Participated In in every instance by the
strikers. The paper also told of the sym
pathy shown to the strikers and rioters by
the police inl certain detachnents OF
| United States deputy marshals II was
three or four days before the police could
! be induced TO perform duties when
thev never Should have overlooked. 1t
was not until the United States troops
were detailed to guard the trains that any
basine S at all could be carried on by the
railroad company.
How 1t began on the Rock Island.
1.-The trouble on the Rock Island road
began ut Blue Island on June %" St. John
went on TO read. That night there was
| a meeting in n hail at Blue Island, when
/ il was voted TO order strike on the Rock
Island. Speeches were made by Mr.. Debs
and others OF the 400 men ut the meet
ing not more than one-third were en-
! ployes of the Rock Island" St john re-
cited how the first train was stopped at
Blue Isls nj On June - by the fiagmen and
| gatemsu leaving their posts. The strike
was inau-uraiei on the Rock Island at Z
O'Clock June 80. \ train which attempted
to pass WAS stopped by the mob and the
engineer and fremen Were dragged from
the engine. Cars were overturned
switches were turned and spiked and
coaches were run to the dislocated tracks
On July l "A mob went to the railway
shops and told the men there to come out,
as this was fight between labor and cap
ital. After this all attempts TO run trains
were abandoned, and St. John gave tie
commission the list of the annulled trains.