Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-11-15

rank injustice 10 DENY tne rlRht VI uii
labor upon railroads TO unite for 4
similar purpose. 1t should be noted
| that until the railroads had SET the
example general union OF railroad
employees would never have heel al
! tempted. The unions had not gone be-
yond enlisting men upon different
| systems in separate trade organiza-
| tiong. These neutralize ana check
each other to some extent and nave
no such scope or capacity for good or
evil az Is possible under the universal
combination idea inaugurated by the
railroads and followed by the Ameri-
can Railway union. The refusal OF
the General Managers association 70
recognize and deal with such Il com
| bInation of labor as the American RaiI-
way union seems arrogant and absurd
when we consider its standing before
| the law, its assumptions, and its
past and obviously contemplated fu-
| ture action"
| Taking UP the subject of the Pull
man Palace Car company the report
says: This is a corporation organized
in 1867, with q capital of $1,OOOOOO.
II has grown until its present paid up
| capital is $36,OO0,0OO. Its property
| enabled the company for over twenty
years to paw two per cent. quarterly
| dividends and In addition lay up a sur
plus of nearly $25,OOO,0OO undivided
profits" Speaking of the town of Pull
man of which the report states the
company is owner and landlord, the
commission says: "As a result OF the
Pullman system and its growth, when
the depression of 1893 came, mortally
calling for mutual concessions rs to
wages, rents, etc, we find on one side
very wealthy and unyielding corpor-
alton, and upon the other a multitude
of employees comparatively excellent
workmen of skill, but without local at
taehments or with any interested re-
sponsibllity In the town, its business,
| tenements, or surroundings. The con
ditions created at Pullman enabled the
management at all times to assert with
great yigor its assumed right to fix
wages and rents, absolutely, and re.
press that sort of Independence which
leads to labor organizations and their
attempts at mediation, arbitration
strikes, etc. The men at Pullman claim
the company, during 1S93-fS94, set a
pace through exports, so that with
their forced loss of time the average
man could earn little more than the
rent of his home owned by the com
pany The company alleges that II
simply readjusted piecework prices
to suit the necessities OF the times
! During all this reduction and its at
tendent suffering none of the salaries
Of the officers, managers or superin
tendents were reduced Reductions In
these would not have been so severely
felt, and would have shown good faith
would have relieved the harshness OF
the situation, and would have evince(
genuine sympathy with labor in the
disasters of the times. In its statements
to the public, which are In evidence
the company represents that its obJec
In all Ii did was to continue operations
for the benefits OF its workmen and
/ the trades-people in Pullman and tC
| save the public from the annoyance OF
I interrupted travel. The commission
thinks that the evidence shows that
/ 1t sought to keep running mainly fol
il own benefits as manufacturer
that 1t might keep its cars in repair
that it might be ready for resumption
when business revived with a live
Il plant and competent help, and that
It's revenue from its tenements might
continue The demand of employees
for the wages of June, 1893 was clear.
Nv unjustiilable. Business In May, 1904
could not pay the wages of June 1893
The reductions were carried to excess
but the company was hardly more al
4 fault therein than We're employees In
insisting upon the wages of June, 1893
\ There was little discussion as to the
rents OF the company. Maintaining Its
rents had nothing to do with Its
wages. Some slight commission In this
regard would probably have ayerted
the strike. The strike occurred May
/ II. and It Is In evidence and uncontra'
dieted that no violence or destruction
Of property by strikers or sympathiz'
ers took place at Pullman Such dig.
nifled, manly and conservative conduct
in the midst of excitement and threat.
eniug starvation Is worthy Of the high
est type Of American citizenship and
with like prudence In all other direc-
tions will result In q lawful and or
derby redress of labor wrongs. To de-
~ this Is to foreswear patriotism and
TO declare that this government and
its people are failures.
AS to the great railroad strike proper
the report says: at is apparent that
the readiness to strike sympathetically
was promoted by a disturbed and APP
fprehenslye condition OF railway em-
ployes, resulting from wage reduc-
lions on different lines, blackllsting,
etc, and from the recent growth OF
the General Managers association
which seemed TO them menace.
The policy. both OF the Pullman com.
pany aud the railway managers asso.
citation In reference to applications to
arbitrate closed the door to all at-
7 tpnnntS ~ cancellation and settlement