The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-11-16
COMES DOWN TO THE STRIKES.
Demand for Wages of 1898 Tnjustifiable
The Railway Trouble.

Demand for Wages of 1893 Tnjustiflable
The Railway Trouble.
"The demand of tho employees for the
wages of June, 1893, was clearly unjusti-
fable The business in May, 1884, could
not pay the wages of June 1895. The re-
duction was carried to excess, but the
company was hardly more at fault there
in than were the employees in insisting
upon the wages of June, 1893" But the
report says some slight reduction as to
rents would probably have prevented the
strike. ''The strike occurred on May IL,
and from that time until the soldiers went
to Pullman, about July 4, 100 strikers
were placed about the company's prop
crty, professedly to guard 1t from destruc-
ton or interference. This guarding of
property in strikes is, as rule, a mere
pretense. Too often the real object of
guards is to prevent newcomers from TAX
ing the strikers places by persuasion,
often to be followed If Intellectual by in
timidation and violence"
The strikers said this was not the case
here and the commissioners believe them
and pay them high compliment for
''dignified, manly, and conservative con-
duct in tho midst of threatened starva-
tion." AS to the great railroad strike
proper the report says: ut is apparent
that the readiness to strike sympathetical-
ly was promoted by the disturbed and APP
prehensive condition of railroad employees,
resulting from wage reductions on differ
ent lines, blacklisting etc., and from the
recent growth of the General Managers
association, which seemed to them a
- fI,.,V-
is seriously questioned and with much
force whether courts have jurisdiction to
to enjoin citizens from 'persuading' each
other in industrial or other matters OF
common interest"
The policy, the report says, of both the
the Pullman company and the Railway
Managers association in reference to ap-
plications to arbitrate closed the door to
all attempts ut Cancellation and settle
ment of differences. The commission is
impressed with the belief, by the evidence
and by the attendant circumstances as
disclosed that different policy would
have prevented the loss of life and great
loss of property and wages occasioned by
the strike.
There is no evidence before the commits
sion that the officers OF the American Rail-
way Union at any time participated in or
advised intimidation, violence, or destruc-
ton of property. They knew and fully
appreciated that as soon as mobs ruled tho
organized forces of society would crush
the mobs and all responsible for them in
the remotest degree, and that this meant
defeat. The attacks upon corporations
and monopolies by the leaders in their
speeches are similar to those to be found
in the magazines and Industrial works of
the day.
From tho testimony it is fair to conclude
that strikers were concerned in outragcs
against law and order although the num-
Der was undoubtedly small as compared
with the whole number out. Tho report
adds however, that many impartial OBJ
servers arc reaching the view that much
of the real responsibility for these disor-
dcrs rests with the people themselves and
with the government for not adequately
controlling monopolics and corporations,
and failing reasonably to protect the
rights of labor and redress its wrongs.