The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-07-06

become the slaves of the corporation.
At the time of the strike they were in
arrears for rent alone to the extent
of $40, Oc0- Within a short time they
would have become hopeIessly in
vo1ved in debt and would have be-
lOnged soul and body to the company.
This had resulted because, while
wages had been reduced, the cost Of
living had remained the same The
employees from the beginning had
been willing to arbltrate their diff
erences- The claim of the company
that there was nothing to arbitrate
was absurd The committee often
waited on the officials Of the company,
but was always rebuffed- The com
pany as and is still as unyielding as
adamant.
Finally. on June IL, the delegates
of the A. R. T. met in convention in
Chicago. The Pullman trouble had
been discussed at their local meet
instructed Two commissions were
sent to the officials but no satisfaction
could be obtained. As a last resource
the delegates determined, by uuani-
nous vote, to decline to haul the
Pullman cars unless the company
would do Justice within five days.
This action was taken six weeks after
the strike at Pullman occurred
How did the strike extend to the
railways? The day before the order
Pullman cars went into effect, the
General Managers association, repre-
senting the principal Western rail-
ways, met and agreed su bstantially to
uphold the Pullman company in its
fight against its employees, that they
would haul the Pullman cars and that
they would stand together in crushing
the life out of the American Railway
union. Trouble resulting had spread
from line to line and from system to
system, until a crisis had been
reached.
Every good citizen must view the
outlook with a grave concern. What
could be done to restore peace and
confidence? The American Railway
union stood ready to do anything in
the trouble. 1t simply insisted that
the Pullman company shall meet its
employees and do them justice. The
latter would accept any reasonable
proposition The company might act
through its officers or otherwise
through their representative s.
Let them agree as far as they could
and submit disputed points to arbitra-
ton. The question of the recognition
of the American Railway Union or
any other organization was waived.
Let the spirit of Cancellation, mutual
concession and compromise animate
and govern both sides, and there
would be no trouble in reaching a set
Element that would be satisfactory to
all concerned
Let the receivers agree to restore
them to their positions without preju-
dice and the trouble would be ended.
The railways were not inclined to
recognize the A. r. Z. If any thought
this a weakening on the part of the
employees they were welcome. The
employees had been misre presented,
but the truth would finally prevail.
In closing Mr.. De bs said; LET me
repeat that we stand ready to do our
part toward every thing in the i'm
pending crisis We have no false
pride to stand in the way Of a settle
ment- We do not want official rec
ognition.
IF the corporations refuse to yield
and stubbornly MAINTAIN that they are
not going to arbi trate, the respon 81
biIity for what may ensue viii be on
their heads and they cannot escape its
pena tie