The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1894-11-15
THE GREAT STRIKE
IT'S CAUSE AsCERTAINED AND a
REMEDY PROPOSED.
The Strike Commission Recommends
the appointment OF a Permanent
Labor Commission iMilnr TO the
Interstate Commerce Commission.

Interstate Commerce Commiasion,
Chicago, Nov. 1.-THE report of the
strike commission TO investigate the
causes leading up to the recent great
railroad strike was made public to-
day. The report is addressed to Pres
ident Cleveland. who appointed the
commission, and 1t is an exhaustive
document, containing about 5000
words.
The report first takes up the general
managers association, shows that
| twenty -four roads centering In Chicago
combined to requalize" wages, which
meant in many cases a reduction.
The report declares that the associa-
ton has no legal existence, and says
that the employees did not combine,
| and no such order as the A. r. u. was
thought of until the railroads COM
bined. Ii the railroads are to be per-
mitted to combine, then they should
not attempt to prevent the employees
doing the same thing.
AS regards the Pullman company the
report shows what enormous profits
were made and how wages We're re.
duced but rents were not. The meth
cd of operating the town of Pullman
is explained showing that the en-
ployes are not, as a rule, well treated.
The report says that while the Pull
man company claimed that 1t kept Its
works running at loss merely to
| furnish work for it's employees, the
facts are that it sought to keep run
ming mainly for its own benefit that
| its plant might not rust, that It's CON-
petitors might not invade its territory,
| that it might keep its cars In repair,
| that it might be ready for resumption
when business revived with a live
plant and competent help, and that its
revenue from its tenements might con-
tinue.
Some slight concession in regard to
rents might have prevented the great
strike. The Pullman strikers are com.
plimented for their dignified, manly
and conservative conduct during the
strike, there having been no property
destroyed at Pullman.
The report favors arbitration, and
| says that if the Pullman company and
the railroads had shown the slightest
| disposition to conciliate no lives would
| have been lost and millions of dollars
worth of property would not have been
/
| there was no evidence that the officers
of the A. R. U. participated in or adj
yised intimidation, violence or destruc-
| ton of property.
| The calling of troops to Chicago was
| opportune. 1t was shown that the
militia in many cases sympathized
| with the strikers, and the commission
| thinks that the time will come when
| the militia must be recruited from
other than labor classes.
The real responsibility for the dis
/ orders rests with the people and with
| the government for not adequately
| controlling monopolies and corpora
tions, and for failing reasonably to
| protect the rights of labor and redress
| its wrongs. Labor unions have come
| to stay, and lis 1t not wise to fully
recognize them by law, to admit of
their necessity as labor guides and
protectors, to conceive their usefulness,
increase their responsibility and to
| prevent their follies and aggressions by
comforting upon them the privilege en-
| joyed by corporations. with like proper
| restrictionsY
The Recomme ndntiOns.
The commission therefore recon-
| mends:
| That there be a permanent United
1 States strike commission of three men,
bers with duties and powers of investi-
| cation and recommendation as to dis,
| putes between railways and their EN-.
| ployes similar to those vested in the
| interstate commerce commission as to
/ rates, etc.
That, as an interstate commerce act
| power be given to the United States
L 70 S4ai 10 o1Na %hn
decisions OF the commission after sum-
mary hearing until attended by tech
nicalities, and that no delays in obey
| ing the decisions Of the commission be
allowed pending appeals.
That whenever the parties to a con-
| troversy in matter within the juris-
| diction of the commission are one or
more railroads on a side, and one or
| more national trade unions incorpor-
ated under charter SGT Of the United
States statutes of 1855, or under
| state statutes, upon the other, each
| side shall have the right to select
| representative who shall be appointed
by the president to serve as a tenn
| porary member of the commission In
| hearing, adjusting and determining
| that particular controversy.
This provision would make it for the
| interest of labor organization to incor-
/ porate under the law and to make the
| commission a practical board Of con-
| Citation. 1t would also tend to create
| confidence in the commission and to
| give to that body In every hearing
| the benefit of practical knowledge of
| the situation on both sfdes.)
That during the tendency Of a pro-
| ceeding before the commission inau-
4 4<l y
| by an Incorporation of employees 1t
shall not be lawful for the railroads to
| discharge employees belonging thereto
except for inefticiency, violation of law
or neglect of duty; nor for such unions
during such tendency to order, unite
| in a, or aid or abet strikes or boy
| colts against the railways complained
of; nor for a period of six mouths after
| decision, for such railroads to dis
charge any such employees In whose
| places others shall be employed, ex-
/ cept for the causes aforesaid; nor for
| any such employees during a like peri
cd, to quit the service without giving
thirty days written notice Of intention
/ to do SO, nor for any such union or In
| corporation to order, counsel or adj
| wise otherwise.
That chapter SGT of the United
| States statutes OF 1855 be amended
SO as to require national trades unions
to provide in their articles of incorpor-
alton and in their constitutions rules
and bylaws that member shall cease
to be such and forfeit all rights and
privileges conferred ON him by law as
such by participating in, or by insti-
eating force or violence against per-
sons or property during strikes or boy
colts or by seeking to prevent others
from working through violence,
threats or intimidation; also that mem
bers shall be no more personally liza
BILE for corporate acts than are stock
holders in corporations.
The commission does not feel war
ranted with the study it has been able
to give the subject, 10 recommend posi-
lively the establishment of license
system by which all the higher en-
/ t1Inxac sfhnt,s, -, 90 col