Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 May 1905 — MAYOR'S PROBERS WHOLLY IGNORED [ARTICLE]

MAYOR'S PROBERS WHOLLY IGNORED

Neither Party at Chicago Attending the Meetings of the Strike Commission. UNCLE SAM MAKING AB INQUIRY That Is the Reason the Employers Are Holding Aloof Strikers Object to Secret Session* — Employers Are in “For the War" -Team Owners to Go to Law. . Chicago, May 11.—The strike investigating commission appointed by the mayor some days ago is not getting along as well as expected. Neither the strikers nor the merchants care to bother with, the strikers basing their stand on the fact that the commission insists upor[ private hearings. Towner K. Wabster, member of the strike commission, made a statement justifying the determination of the commission to hold private hearings. Webster said: "We want to be set right before the public. We are an investigating committee, not a peace commission, nor an arbitration board. We have been charged to do two things: To investigate the causes that led up to this strike and to discover the reasons for the continued disturbances. Why Secrecy Was Adopted. “We are to give the mayor the result of our investigation. The first thing that faced us was the question of a public hearing. Under the conditions this was impossible because we, not having the powers of a court to summon witnesses or to punish them fbr perjury, could not get the Information we wanted. The people who come to a public hearing could make statements which are untrue and we would have no power to punish them. But we can get the information in private hearing.” Ona Investigation Goin* On. As to the attitude of the merchants toward the mayor’s commission Levy Mayer, counsel for the Employers, says: “The investigation which was begun before United States Master-in-Chancery Sherman will be thorough and exhaustive. Master Sherman has been given explicit power by United States Circuit Judge Kohlsaat to take testimony upon every motion which has or may arise in the proceedings. Dnnne'i Commission Might Walt. “Controlled and backed by the federal government, the attendance of witnesses from all points and places is imperative and compulsory. The testimony of the witnesses is given under the sanctity of an oath administered by the federal court. The federal master is a trained, conscientious and able judicial expert, to whom the ascertainment of the truth has been a life study. He is free from all prejudices and beyond influences or bias of any kind. He is acting under his federal oath of office.” For this reason he thought the mayor’s commission might conclude to await the federal court conclusion. EMPLOYERS TO FIGHT IT OCT Will Give Up Bnalnese Rather Than Submit to Strike Domination. The Employers’ association seems to have enlisted “for the war.” John G. Shedd, who represents Marshall Field & Co. In the Employers’ association, was asked if the firm a greet! with C. H. Conover, of Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co., that it was better to give up business than to attempt to continue under dictation of the Teamsters’ union. Said Shedd: "Mr. Contaer. 1 believe, exjtressed tile sentiment of the great majority 6f the employers.’’ • More litigation is prpipiseil. The breach between the Chicago -Employers’ association and the Chicago Team Owners’ association may be carried into the courts by the latter on a bill for Injunction. Although not officteliy confirmed, it was reported that a move is under foot on the part of the tenm owners to charge the employers with conspiracy to force the members of the Team Owners’ association into the Employers’ Teaming company, with the alternative of ruin. It is said the move was discussed at length In a conference between labor leaders and team owners at the Briggs House. According to this report, the Team Owners will go before n state judge and allege that contracts have been taken away from them and threats made to ruin them if they did not abandon their neutral policy and join the Employers’ Teaming company. The rumored plan is to ask that the employers be restrained from depriving the team owners of any more contracts. The Team Owners have tried to keep out of the fight by not insisting on delivering goods to struck houses. As the Team Owners have contracts with these houses to deliver goods, the contracts that have been annulled are contracts the Team Owners have failed to carry out. There was a lull in the rioting, but the few riots that did occur were- very vicious, and numerous arrests were made. In one riot pistols and knives were used, the pickets in one case shooting a non-union driver in the leg. In this case none of the aggressors were arrested —they got away. The men attacked, however, were arrested, charged with disorderly conduct.