The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-27

of other cities as TO peace and quietness?' %
, ''It is about the same" said Mayor
Harrison. If we have more strikes it is
only because we have more men and more
business"
How about the nonunion man; has he
any chance for work in Chicago?'
Yes. We have large number of es-
adjustments which employ nonunion
men only, and many which employ both
unionists and nonunionists. The nom
union worker not only gets a job here,
but he is protected in il, all statements
to the contrary. notwithstanding.
Gould a nonunion factory be started
in Chicago with any hope of success"
Yes if that success depended solely on
the use of nonunion workmen. It's men
would not be mOlested, and it would have
as fair a show in that regard as any
union factory. AS to the financial results,
these would lie with the owners of the
business and their management thereof"
DO you think, Mr.. Harrison, that trade
unionism has, on the whole, benefited the
workmen of Chicago?'
Yes, l do" replied the mayor. 81 think
organized labor has done much to improve
the condition of our working classes. 1t
has caused them TO be more respected, 1t
their hours of work. At the same time
do not deny that organized labor has
abused its privileges. This it has done at
times, but L have no doubt that on the
whole the movement has been for the good
of the whole class of workingmen, unionists
and nonunionists."
from violence at times of strikes?
II do not like the form of that question, y
said the young mayor. THE unions dis
claim all responsibility for acts of violence.
| will say, however, that we can hold and
do hold every hOt-head among the strikers
in check, and that we propose to do so II
1t requires the whole police force of the
city. In our last great railway strike the
leaders of the unions came to me before the
strike was declared and said that IL would
be run on peaceful methods. Nevertheless,
i soon found that certain hot-heads were
attacking the cars and trying TO prevent
their moving.
81 then called out the police force. L put
a certain number of officers in citizens
clothes in each car, and they went with
such passengers or nonunion men as rode
on the cars to their home to insure their
protection. The property owners. the pub
lie and the nonunion workmen certainly
had the protection of the city in that strike
1t was the same in the Kellogg Switchboard
Company strike. where we prohibited any
outside teams coming within q certain dis
lance of the factory"
But do not the courts here discriminate
in favor of the trades unions?'
The trades unionists are always claim
ing that the contrary is the fact" said the
mayor. mo, l don't think So We have a
bad system of punishments here, allowing
the judges to give indeterminate sentences
that Is, they send a man 20 prison for a
opens up chances for influence, pull as il
is called, to aid in his release. That, how
ever, Is an evil or the law and not or the
executive
NEED THE GOLDEN RULE.
Zone of the great troubles in these con-
tiicts of labor and capital" Mr.. Harrison
went on, "is that both laborer and capital
list are too often iliberal, brutal, or, to say
the least too inconsiderate of the rights of
the other. / wish I could show you the
letters | get from both sides. | have some
from the men denouncing their employers;
and 1 have some from the employers advis-
ing me TO quell strikes by means of Calling
guns. rifles and cold steel. Some of them
ask me to have the police fire at the mob
and shoot to kill. Such men are worse than
the worst of the strikers. 1t does me good
to write them what / think of them. No. y
concluded the mayor, what we need is
more brotherly love. We want the golden
rule"
But, Mr.; Mayor, is the situation not
growing better?"
unions are becoming more conservative and
the employers are beginning to see that the
demands OF the working men after all are
only business propositions, based on the
sale of their commodities; That is, the
muscle and skill, which they have put into
the product. and the matter should be
treated as a business one
"You spoke of the unions shortening
hours, Mr.. Harrison. What is the common
working day in Chicago?
ut is an eight-hour day., was the reply
"But can a big city like this be run on an
eight-hOur basis!
I'VE are running it so. All government
jobs are given out on that basis"
Il see il stated that your labor troubles
are driving capital out of Chicago"
al don't believe ii, replied the mayor