Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-11-13
STRONG REPORT on THE STRIKE
MADE ny COMMISSIONER WRIGHT
AND ASSOCIATES.
Thcy Declare the Railroad combinn-
lion of rwsnty-Four Companies
without Authority In Law--some
Very Hard Rap. at Pullman


in connection with the Pullman trou-
bile was made public to-day. The
report. which is signed by the Federal
labor commissioner, Carroll d, Wright,
and his fellow investigators. John d.
Herman OF New York and Nicholas
h. Worthlngton OF Illinois, in address
ed to President Cleveland and abounds
in passages which viii attract wide at
tention, particularly the section refer
ring TO the now famous general man.
ayers organization that eneompasscd
the memorable defeat OF the American
Railway Union, The report says the
capitalization OF the twenty-four rail-
roads directly represented in the gem
eral managers association was Solos,
6526 me number OF employees was
2el 097. The commission continues:
This voluntarily unincornoratod asgo-
citation was formed in 1886. In It's con-
sutution the object OF tho association
ia stated to be the consideration OF
problems of management arising from
the operation OF railroads terminating
or centering at Chicago. IL further
provides TINT NIL funds needed shalt be
raised by assessment, divided equally
among the members. There are no
limitations as to Consideration of
problems. or funds except the will OF
the managers and the resources OF the
railroad corporations.
Until June. 1891. the associations
possibilities as strike fighter and
wage arbitcr lay rather dormant. Its
rules fixed Chicago scale for switch
men, covering all lines nj Chicago. In
March, 1898. the switchmen demanded
more pay for each road The 0ssocin-
ton concluded that they were paid
enough--if anything too much. The
roads 80 informed the men. The
Swltchmen's Mutual Aid Association
OF North America wrote Il letter to
Mr.. st. John as chairman acuuloscing.
He, MS chairman OF the general man
ayers association, concluded his re-
ply as follows.
The association approves the course
taken by your body, and eslres TO deal
fairly with all employees, and believes
that our switchmen are receiving due
consideration.
This seems to show that employees
on association roads are treated az
under subsection to the general man
ayers association. This was the first
time when men upon cach line were
brought sharply face to face with the
fact that questions as to wages, rules
etc. were supported By tweGty-four
| combined roRda. This association IKE
wise prepared for lts use elaborate
schedules Of the wages paid upon the
| entire lines OF It's twenty-four members
| The proposed object Of these schedules
was to let each road know what 9th
err roads paid. Finding that men on
some lines urged increases TO GORE
spond with the wages paid elsewhere.
n committee OF the association prepared
| and presented u uniform schedule for
all membership roads. II was deemed
wise not TO act upon the report, II
was distributed to members IN NoVem-
Der 1893. This distribution alone en-
abled the report 10 be used with efl-
| cheney as mn EQUALIZER As n result,
during 1893. It being then well under
stood that as to wages. etc, II was
an Incident OF the general managers
to secure men enough through Its
agencies to take the place OF all Btrik-
| ers. regulations were made here and
there on the different roads. the tens
dency and effect apparently being 10
cquall2e the pay on all lines II is ad-
mitted that the action OF the nssocn-
tion has great weight with outside lines
and this tends 90 establish one uni
form scale throughout the country. The
| further single step OF admitting lines
not running Into Chicago 10 member
ship would certainly have the effect Of
combining all railroads In wage con-
tentions against all employees thereon"
The commission questions whether
wise, can be found to Justify some OF
the features OF tho association which
have come to light IN this investlga-
ton. II we regard Its practical work.
ingH rather than professions IA exc
pressed In Its constitution, the General
Managers association has no more
stnnding In law than the old trunk
line pool. II can not incorporate be-
cause railroad charters do not author
ize roads to form corporations or aaso-
Citations; TO flx rates for serviceH and
wages. next 20 force their acceptance,
nor to bnttle with Htrikors. Its usurpa-
ton of power Is not legal. IT such an
association il necessary from bual-
ness or economic standpoint, the right
| to maintain it must come from the
state that granted It's charter In the.
DRY. corporations are limited to the
powers granted either directly or by
! clear Inference. We do not think the
power has been granted In either way
In this case The association Is an H.
lustration OF the persistent and shrewd-
Is devised plan OF corporations 10 over
reach their limitations ANA TO usurp
indirectly powers and rights not con-
templnted IN their charters and not
obtainable from the people or their
legislatures
An extension Of this association as
above suggested and the proposed legal
izntlon OF "pooling" would result ~ an
aggregation Of power and capital dam
gerous to tho people and their liberties,
nA well as to the employees and their
iighta. The question then would arise
as to which shall control, the govern
ment or the railroads. and the end
would Inevitably be government owner
ship Unless ready for that owner
ship ana all 81 implies the government
must restrain corporations within the
law and permit them from forming I'M
lawful and dangerous corporations. 80
long as the railroads are permitted 10
thus combine to TX wages for their
ioInt protection II would be rank In
1uatIc,. to deny the right OF all labor
upon railroads TO unite for similar pur-
| poses
n should be noted that until the
railroads get the example general
union 81 railway employees was never
attempted. The unions had not gone
beyond enIlstlng the men upon only
fraternni syatcms In separate trade
organizations. These nouiralze and
check each other 20 some extent and
have no such scope or capacity for
good or evil rs Is possible under The
universal combination inaugurated by
tie railroads end followed by the rail-
wav union. The refusal Of the gem
erai managers association 10 recognize
ana deal with such combination OF
labor az the american Railway Union
seerns arrogant and absurd when we