Pullman Paper
Emily Miller
Dr. Soden
HI 182
18 September 2014
The Pullman Case Imagine being in one of the worker’s shoes from the Pullman Palace Car Company living in the town of Pullman. A boss from the company comes to the door, saying that wages have been cut but the same amount in rent is expected each month. What kinds of things would be going through your mind? The Pullman Case was a trial between the American Railway Union and the Pullman Palace Car Company. The Case was at the very core a clash between labor and capital. The verdict in The Pullman Case was not in the best interests for the American Society because most of the officials that had a say in the final verdict were all for capital to begin with. This is seen in the beginning with Pullman’s refusal to negotiate with the strikers, along with later the jury in Chicago for the criminal trial against Debs, as well as the biased appointment of Edwin Walker by the Federal Government, and finally the Judges obvious ruling for the Railroads citing Debs for contempt. In May of 1894, laborers of the Pullman Palace Car Company went on strike after having enough of what they deemed to be unfair treatment by the Company.iThe strike, at first, was a very peaceful one, due to the heads of the American Railway Union urging the workers to behave like gentlemen and abide by the law.ii The Daily Inter Ochen even quoted “It is rather as though each day was a Sunday, all is so quiet and solemn and orderly.”iii Negotiations between the Union and the Pullman Company to come up with some sort of compromise could have potentially prevented this from becoming such a big and violent issue to begin with. Yet, the Company was insistent that it could not afford to pay any extra wages due to the commercial depression.iv The Company also is quoted to have said that they would rather close shop for six months than operate at a loss, as they would, according the Vice President of the company, be forced to have to do if they increased the
Dr. Soden
HI 182
18 September 2014
The Pullman Case Imagine being in one of the worker’s shoes from the Pullman Palace Car Company living in the town of Pullman. A boss from the company comes to the door, saying that wages have been cut but the same amount in rent is expected each month. What kinds of things would be going through your mind? The Pullman Case was a trial between the American Railway Union and the Pullman Palace Car Company. The Case was at the very core a clash between labor and capital. The verdict in The Pullman Case was not in the best interests for the American Society because most of the officials that had a say in the final verdict were all for capital to begin with. This is seen in the beginning with Pullman’s refusal to negotiate with the strikers, along with later the jury in Chicago for the criminal trial against Debs, as well as the biased appointment of Edwin Walker by the Federal Government, and finally the Judges obvious ruling for the Railroads citing Debs for contempt. In May of 1894, laborers of the Pullman Palace Car Company went on strike after having enough of what they deemed to be unfair treatment by the Company.iThe strike, at first, was a very peaceful one, due to the heads of the American Railway Union urging the workers to behave like gentlemen and abide by the law.ii The Daily Inter Ochen even quoted “It is rather as though each day was a Sunday, all is so quiet and solemn and orderly.”iii Negotiations between the Union and the Pullman Company to come up with some sort of compromise could have potentially prevented this from becoming such a big and violent issue to begin with. Yet, the Company was insistent that it could not afford to pay any extra wages due to the commercial depression.iv The Company also is quoted to have said that they would rather close shop for six months than operate at a loss, as they would, according the Vice President of the company, be forced to have to do if they increased the