The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1885-04-02
A New Element in Strikes.

SIC SAtA0OAAAuUAy AO0kuAN "a SuN
recent strike on Gould's railrouds
was the novel way u its settlement.
For the first time in the history OF
American strikes, the State authori-
ties-those OF Kansas. Missouri, and
Texas-were invoked to use their
power in peacefully averting q con-
fiict between capital and labor.
This Is another new departure,
which brings out a great function Of
the State. the Importance OF which
will doubtless be seen hereafter.
It is an assertion Of the right OF the
State to interfere with the conduct
Of the corporations it has created.
It is u notification to these corpora
tons that they are not always to he
permitted to play fast aud loose with
the lives and liberties OF the hum
dreds Of thousands OF men in their
service. It is an evidence OF the
power that wcrkingmen may exer-
else over the political authorities
who control the blood and iron" OF
the community.
The strike Of the Jay Gould rail-
road shopinen WAS settled through q
conference between the State of.ic-
ials Of three States with the corpor.
alton functionaries. That, in brief,
is the great new fact.
The opening step in this new de-
parture was taken by that old
pioneer, Gov. Martin OF Kansas. jay
Gould's managers had called upon
him. and again, in the most per..mp-
tory way, TO order out the militia
for the protection OF the railroad
property against the strikers. In
stead Of making haste to obey the
railroad managers, as score OF
other Governors did nine years ago,
he gave them to understand that
this was not his style. He frs,
proposed arbitration: then he sought
a conference with n committee oil
the strikers, Offering to meet then
ut Topeka or Atchtson; then he pro.
posed conference between thu
Strike Committee aud the railroad
officials then he asked tho Stat.
Railroad Commissioners to take thu
thing in hand, giving them to under
stand very clearly that The strikers
had not been fairly dcalt with; ans
finally, on the 18th OF March, Ii,
sent Il long dispatch to Boss Hoxie
Jay GOuld's man. He told Hoxi,
there was nothing to justify tn
ordering out the troups, that Hoxi'
did mot comprehend the extent an.
character Or the strike" which wa
phenomenal in all its features" an,
that "the men believe they hav,
been wrongel. and I am inpelled I.
say that the almost universal sen
timent Of the State sympathizes will
them in this opinion"
He closed thus: II appeal to yon I,
abandon any purposs Of provoking
q collision, il You entertain il, an,
to endeavOr to arrange terms for III
amicatle settlement with your EN-
ployes."
Even Hoxie understood this; b,l
the cunning trickster tried Il gam,
or bluff with Gov. Martin, who there
upon threw him overheard. Blu
next day Hoxie turned up again in .
telegram to the Governor. that h
would BE- "glnd to meet him" in 81
Louis, and the day after Hoxie urge,
Martin to come 70 st. Louis.
Out OF this grew the St. Louis con
ference between the officials OF tire,
States and the Jay Gould managers
in which the strike was settled b,
JAY GOnlsfs surrender.
Had Gov. Martin nrcrtled TO Hox
les in>olrnt demands for military in
terf.rence-i,ai he displayed TIL,
pciTlnoncry ii porr Marlnadnke, TIL
G.velno: nf Missouri, there woul,
!.eve been blOous!c.l along in,
G,n:I'- tires. and u raiirtad reyui
FAR more f..rnlidahlr than that q
1877 would hay. beea provoked.
jag Gould has learned sevrril
thug within the past fortnight. an,
railroad corporations IN genera
have found out that the power O
the STATE c.;,i.ot always be invoke,
on their side.
The precedent thus cstal,iishe.
will yet IL of service in many way
to strikers and others John Swim
toms Paper.