The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-11-13

agree to pay for all repairs which are
either necessary Ordinary wear and
damages by the elements not cEScepted),
or which the company chooses TO make.
THE company's claim that the work
men need not hire its tenements and
can live elsewhere if they choose, IS
not entirely tenabie. The fear OF los
ing work keeps them in Pullman as
long as there are tenenlentS unoccupled,
because the company is supposed. as q
Imatter of business, to give preference
Ito its tenants when work is slack.
While reducing. wages, the company
made no reduction in rents It's posi-
ition is that the two matters are dis
ltinct and that none of the reasons
urged as justifying wage reduction by
1t as an employer can be considered by
the company as a landlord.
! 'The company claims it is simply leg
ftimate business to use its position and
resources to hire in the labor market
as cheaply as possible and at the same
time to keep rents up regardless OF
what wages are paid to its tenants or
what similar tenenlents rent for else
where; to avail itself to the full extent
of business depression and competition
in reduction OF wages and to disregard
those same conditions as to rents. No
valid reason is assigned for this posi-
ton, except simply that the company
had the power and the legal right to
do it.
Prior to the so-called truck law in
Illinois, rent was deducted from the
wages. Since then check is given for
the amount of the rent and another for
the balance due for wages. There is
nothing to prevent the payee of TIC
check from cashipg it outside OF the
bank but as the bank is rent collector
lit presses for the rent and is aided in
collecting it by knowledge on the part
of the tenant that by arrears he may
lose his job The reductions at Pull
man after September i, 1S9S were '6he
result of conferences among the man
ayers; the employees for the first time
knew Of them when they took effect
The company based its entire conten-
Ition as to every department upon the
facts in reference to car building to
which we nave alluded and offered to
show it's books ard figures as to the
Icost and selling prices Of cars. This
offer, on account of the strike interven-
ing. was not acted upon. Had 1t been,
it would have resulted in the figures as
to car building contracts being known
The purpose of the mana cement was
OBVIOUSLY to rest the whole matter up
on costs, etc, in its most seriously Grip
pied department, excluding from con-
sderation the facts as to wages in the
repair department.
Demand Was Unsuitable.
1.-THE demand of the employees for the
wages of June. 1899. was clearly JUST
liable. The business in May, 1894, could
not pay the wages of June, 1893. Re
Iduction was carried to excess, but the
company was hardly mora at fault
THEREIN than were the employees insist
ing upon the wages of June, 1898.
There was little discussion as tc
rents, the company maintaining that
1.-THE rents had nothing to do with its
wages, ard that its revenue from its
ltenements was no greater than Ii
fought to receive.
The company had a legal right tic
take this position; but, as between man
and man, the demand for some rent de-
iduction was fair and reasonable, under
all the circumstances 1jOnle slight con-
tcession in this regard would probably
lhaVe averted the strike, provided the
Ipromise not 10 discharge men vino
served upon the committee had been
more strictly regarded. The strike oc-
CURED On May II, and from that time
until The soldiers went to Pullman
about July 4. three hundred strikers
were placed about the company'5 prop
lerty, professedly 20 guard it from de-
Struction or interference. This guard
ing of property in strikes, as a rule, is
a mere pretense. Too often the real OBJ
tject of guards is to prevent newcomers
from taking the strikers places. Tie
Pullman company claims this was .ila
real object of these guards. The stIill-
er's at Pullman are entitled to be be
lieved to the contrary in this matter
because of their conduct and fOrbeaT-
ance after May II. 1t is in evidence
land uncoGtradicted, that no violence OF
destruction of property by strikers OF
SynlpdthiZers took place at Pullman
and THAT until July 5, no extraordinary
protection was had from the police CT
military against even anticipated dis
order.
Such dignifed, manly and conserva-
tive conduct in the midst of excitemen,
and threatened starvation is worthy OF
the higest type Of American citizen
ship and with like prudence in all other
directions viii result in due time in
lawful and orderly redress of labor
wrongs. To deny this is to foreswear
patriotism and to declare this govern
ment and its people a failure
AS to the great railroad strike pro-
per the report says:
1T is apparent that the readiness ia
strike sympathetically VS. promoted
by the disturbed and apprehens:ve con-
dition of railroad employees, resulting
from wage reductions On different
lines, blacklisting, etc, and from the
recent growth of. the General Manag-
ers' association, which seemed to them
a menace"
Farther on, the report says:
1T is seriously questioned, and with
much force, whether courts have juris-
diction to enjoin citizens from per
suading' each other in Industrial or
other matters of common interest
However, it is generally recognized
among good citizens that a, mandate of
a court is to be obeyed until it is modi-
fed and corrected by the court that
issued it,"
sympathy for Strikers.
"The policy" the report says, .of
both the Pullman company and the
railway managers association IN reIer-
ence to applications to arbitrate closed
the door to all attempts at tn l. conclll-
| alton and settlement of differences.
The commission is impressed with the
belief. by the evidence and by the at
lfandsnt circumstances, as disclosed,
that a different policy would have pre-
vented the loss of life and great loss
of property and wages occasioned py
the strike. ,, =,
.sThe report declares the arrival OF
troops at Chicago was opportune' aho
SAYS that policemen sympathlzeo Win
the strikers rather than with the cor
porations cannot be doubted hol
would it be surprising to find the same
sentiment rife among the military
These forces are largely recruited from
| the laboring classes. Indeed, the dan
ger is growing that strike wars be
| tween corporations and employees, mil
itary duty will ultimately have to be
done by others than volunteers from
| labor ranks. United States deputy
marshals to the number of 1900 were
selected by and appointed at the re-
quest of the General Managers asso-
citation and of its railroads. They We're
armed and paid by the railroads, and
acted in the double capacity of rail
road employees and United States
officers. While operating the railroads