Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-20

city deserved the real sympathy Of the
people, no doubt. but Debs ana MS con-
fcrrees spoiled u all
In discussIne the moral obligations OF
Mr.. Pullman 10 his employees Mr.. CAVIAR
dine said ! am not fnancicr. but ! be-
| lieve I know right from wrong. why
does no, Mr.. Pullman stand before his
| directors and demand OF them, upon the
| bss,s OF morality and right. that. instead
| OF declaring a quarterly dividend OF 2
! per cent IN these terribly depressed times.
| they be content with 1h per cent, ana
| place the tillco representing the other
4 one half per cent. TO the credit or the
! pay-folif
Again: why does not Mr. Pullman.
when he demands "a cut Of IS Is per cent.
and more In the wages OF his employees.
\ which on a careful investigation he woui1
have found would reduce them to severe
hardship and many 20 the verge OF star
vatlon-why. ! say. did he not also re-
/ duce the high rents and water taxes levied
I upon these same employeesy
Again: When he reduces the wages OF
| his employees, why does he not reduce
| his own salary and those of all his higher
officials. the local management. and town
officials. heads OF departments, foremen,
and straw bosses? And when he cuts
| the price OF idDOT IN MS great iltiEHi-Ndt
shops for s4 car, with one Inspector.
20 81 car and three Inspectors. why does
ne not get along with two fewer inspec-
tors ana spread their wages over his AL
ready reduced payroll?
Why does Mr.. Pullman, in the midst os
n hard and rigorous winter. when the
hours Of work were few and the wages
at their lowest ebb, when whole families
were in want. when the churches. bur
doncd with their heavy rents were seek
: ing TO relieve the poor. and that noble
I organization. the WOman's tnion-which
we were not allowed TO call the relief"
union for fear OF hurting Mr.. Pullman's
! pride-was doing all II could 10 help the
| destitute; why was it that our cry for
| help was unheeded and no large amount
was given by Mr.. Pullman or by the
! company
Why did he permit one OF his officials
20 publish statement that there was
no destitution In Pullman. and that there
| could not be as long az $4,000 was de-
/ posted in the bank TO the credit OF the
/ laborlng mcn--a statement which | have
| reason 10 believe was. In effect, false and
| misleading?
Why does not Mr.. Pullman do some
| thing for the moral and educational de-
velopment OF this place? Why does he cx-
| tort such exOrbitant rents from the
| churches Of this community? Why does
| he not assist the Young Mems Christian
| Association Just little. Why does he
! not give MS an emergency hospital of
which we stand so much in need? And
| last. not least, why. let me ask. does
he not. as man OF flesh and blood like
ourselves, bring himself into a little
| closer contact with the public life Of
our town. cheer his employees with his
fathcrly presence. ana allow the calloused
hand Of labor Occasi Onally TO grasp the
gentle hand OF the man who processes to
be so intensely interested in our well
fare?
Never until George NJ. Pullman can give
a satisfactory answer to these questions
viii | account him a benefactor to his
race. n lover OF his kind. n philan,hropist.
or one who has done anything for pos
terity which Will cause mankind when
his dust slumbers beneath the sod, TO
rise up and call him blessed.
Thou eternal God. what poison has
crept into human nature and the spirit
Of true democratic simplicity that can
cause this man, who himself was once n
poor mechanic at the bench, but who IL
now pamperod millionaire. intrenched
behind his gold to deny these just re-
quests to those whose hands have made
him rich. and to heed not tie tears Of
wives ana children who have been simply
existing upon the crumbs which fall from
the rich mans tablet