The record-union., 1896-06-06
AMNESTY TO THE STRIKERS.
Letter From C. P. Huntington on the
Subject.
he is Glad to See the Ofenses of the
Strikers Relegated to the Limbo
Of Forgetfulness.

(From the Sam Francisco Chronicle)
The recent action of C. P. Huntington
of the Southern Pacific Company in di-
recting that the names of those on the
list of discharged employees who were
placed there by reason of their partici-
patton in the strike of June and July,
1894, be stricken from that list, recalls
the statement made by officers of the
Southern Pacific Company shortly after
the close of the strike that Mr.. Hunt
ington was opposed to the indictment
found some time in August of the same
year. The discharged list is known to
the railroad operatives as the "black
list" The railroads, however, contend
that this is not a just characterization
Experienced railroad managers con-
c!ude that if man is discharged for
incompetency he ought not to be taken
on in another place on the same sys-
tenn, as the danger to life and property
from acts of incompetent men is very
great. It S scarcely worth while, they
say, to test a mans competency, find
him wanting, discharge him, and then
restore him to employment in busi-
ness where his subsequent discharge
is inevitable. This difference between
a black list and a list of discharged
employees were set forth very clearly
in a letter written by c. P. Huntington
to one of the leading officers of the
Southern Pacific Company, dated Au-
gust D. 1894, and published in the daily
press of this city.
rumor has gained currency that j.
A. Fillmore, at that time General Su-
perintendent, had declared that the dis
charged employees should not make a
living in California. Mr.. Huntington,
while doubling the accuracy of the
statement that Mr.. Fillmore had en-
ployed the language attributed to him,
declared that the company owed it to
himself and his patrons to employ re-
liable men, and also owed it to himself
and his patrons not to employ men who
would destroy property or resort to
violence, and especially those who had
destroyed perishable property owned by
shippers and denied to such shippers
that celerity of movement which would
save their shipments from total loss
c. P. Huntington then continued:
But when we have done that-that
is, refused to take them back-we have
done our part toward protecting our
selves and the interests of those who
need the road to take their stuff to mar
ket. After we have refused to take
them back, think we should wish them
to get places elsewhere, if it could be
done without injury to the public and it
is not our business to follow them, but
when they go, to wish them we'll. In
fact, should never refuse a man work.
even my worst enemy. without regret,
as anyone that comes to me for work
whereby to support himself and family,
shall have it if I can give it to him.
But there is more than one species OF
discharged employees. There are those
who are discharged for breach of trust
and absolute acts of dishonesty; an
other class for incompetency, whose
employment by any railroad would be
dangerous to life and property; those
for breach of discipline, etc. The largest
list of discharged employees of the
Southern Pacific Company, however,
related to those who had absolutely dis
charged themselves by refusing to per-
form the duties assigned them-who. in
short, went out on a strike, declaring
that they would no longer serve the
company unless they could control and
direct its policy.
C. p. Huntington, believing that the
list in the main comprised experienced,
competent, honest and faithful people,
decided that the entire list should be
abolished, and in conveying this deci-
sion to the officers of the company here,
he said:
1T is true enough that these men
made great mistakes at the time of the
strike, and some Of them were guilty Of
things that were worse than mistakes.
But they were misguided men, who
found in the excitement of a riot sort
of excuse for their consciences. All
| men, however, make mistakes, if they
make anything, and for one / do not
feel like pursuing them or having them
pursued for indiscretions which they
no doubt regret themselves now in the
light of past facts. The Southern Pa
cific Company was right in the position
it took 1t did it's duty to the public in
every place where it was not a physical
| impossibility to do 1t, and where this
impossibility existed the riotous ele-
ment of the strikers was the interrupt
| ing obstacle. The trouble in almost all
such cases Is that the exceSses into
which some men are led are due to the
malignant few rather than to the judg-