The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-07-14
NEW YORK .Jnlv 13

NEW YORK, July IL.
m EORGE NJ. PULLMAN arrived
in this city this morning from
I'm Alexandria Bay, accompanied
WI by Robert Lincoln. They were
driven TO the Murray Hill hotel. whore
they had breakfast. From the hotel
Mr.. Pullman went to his Office, where
he announced that later in the day he
"N1id make statement concerning
the itrike. Shortly before o'clock Mr.
rullman gave out the following state
ment:
There is hardly anything new to be said
as to the position OF the Pullman company,
but | have SO many indications Of the
facility with which my expressions and
those authorized by me. have become dis
torted and thus misleading to the public
ana Of an entire forgetting of my earnest
efforts to prevent the strike that perhaps
it is well that | should again make a public
assurance that the deplorable events
of the last few weeks have not been
caused by the Pullman company taking an
obstinate stand in debatable matter and
refusing to listen to reason. The leaders
Of the disorder have not hesitated to har-
ass the public by all means in their power
because, as they say, the Pullman company
would not submit to arbitration, and now
that the disorder seems to be quelled, they
are reinforced in their clamor FOR arbitra-
tion by some prominent newspapers but,
30 far as | know, by very few, if any
business men in the country.
What is the demand concealed under the
innocently sounding word arbitration? A
little more than year ago the car shops
at Pullman were II IL most prosperous con-
dition, work was plenty, wages were high
and the condition OF the employees was in
dicated by tue fact that the local savings
bank had Of savings deposits nearly 500, .
000 of which nearly all was the property
of the employees. Our pay rolls for that
year show an average earning Of over 5000
per annum for every man, woman or youth
on the roll. Then came the real panic and
depression of last summer.
MANY CANCELLED ORDERS.
Many customers stopped negotiations
and cancelled orders. and our working
force had to be diminished from nearly
6,0O0 to about 1000 in November, 1893.
The great business depression existing
throughout the country had naturally re-
suited in wage depression and the only
hope Of getting orders was by bidding for
work ut prices rs low rs or lower than
conld be made by other shops, and this of
course, necessitated reduction in the
wages of the employees at Pullman.
This was arranged satisfactorily as l
supposed, and in close competitions, disre.
garding all account Of capital and machiu-
cry, secured enough work to gradually
increase our force to 4,2O0, the number on
rolls last April Nine weeks ago the car.
shops at Pullman were working with car
building contracts enough on hand to keep
them going for about sixty days, and wi til
all business forecasts leading to the belief
that no considerable new orders could be-
soon had. The most important OF the work
in hand had been taken by me in competi-
tion at prices which were less than the ac.
tual cost of the company Of delivering the
cars, without reckoning the use of capital
and plant
This work was taken to keep the largo
force Of men employed and to postpone,
and with the hope OF avoiding th9 num-
berless embarrassmentS to all classes Of
people Mt Pullman and its vicinity Of q
closing down Of tho works, to prevent
which the company considered it wise
policy to operate the shops temporarily at
an actual loss In this condition OF things
came the agitation seeking to create la
Dor organization embracing all railway
employees and apparently other industries.
MOTIVE OF THE STRIKE.
1t is my belief that the controversy al
Pullman was merely move in the create
scheme, these shops being elected, not on
account of discomfort in them, but because
of their prominence in various ways anC
because of the chance or q show of justi-
fcation for n simultaneous and causeless
attack upon the railways of the country
for the.use, under the longtime contract.
| by three-quarters of them of the Pullman
| sleeping Cur system, a branch Of the com
| pany's business totally distinct from its
manufacturing of cars for sale.
In the early part OF May committee Of
employees demanded n restoration Of the
| wages of year ago. l explained to Il
committee minutely and labOriousy the
facts showing that the company was al
| ready paying them more than it was re.
ceiying for their contract work, and ! Of.
fered them for complete assurance, and tC
end all question, an inspection Of oul
| books ana contracts in hand. This, ant
| the beginning at once at Pullman of n
| promised investigation Of number
of shop complainants, appeared to end al
| trouble, but day later, under the
excitement Of their recruiting into new
organization the workmen closed the snop'
by abandoning their work, thus themselves
doing what was strenuously trying t,
prevent being done by the depression o
the building business, and the employees
who quit their work have deprived them
selves anc their comrades Of earnings o
more than 5000, 700 up to this time.
AN UNFAIR DEMAND.
The demand made before quitting worl
was that wages should be restored to th
scale of last year, or in effect. that the
actual outgoing money losses then bein,
| daily incurred by tho company in ca
building should be deliberately increased
to an amount equalling about one.fourtl
of the wages Of the employees. 1t must b.
| clear to every business man and to ever,
thinking workman that no prudent EN-
ployer could submit to arbitration til,
question whether he should com
| NIT such piece of business folly
| Arbitration always implies acqui
escence in the decision Of tn
arbitrator. whether favorable or adverse
How could ], rs president of the Pullman
company, consent to agree TO that if any
| body of men not concerned with the inter.
ests of the companys shareholders should
as arbitrators, for any reasons seeming
good to them, so decree? would have t
open shops, employ workmen at wage
greater than their work could be sold for
and continue this ruinous 1plioy indefinite
ly, or be accused Of bree III of faith.
Who will deny that such question is
plainly not subject Of arbitrationY Ia il
! not then, unreasonable, that the company