, 1886-03-18
Views Of Jay Gould,

JACKSONVILLE, (Fla.), March Is
Jay Gould todny, speaking for the
first time respecting the strike by the
Knights Of Labor on the Missouri
Pacific and the remaining portion Ell
the Gould Southwestern systen, said
to representative OF the Associated
2 ess: Il first learned OF the strike
while at Havana, and have bsen ad-
vised by telegraph Of the character
of the trouble moro particularly since
my arrival here. The strike on our
system was & complete surprise foI
two reasons: First, we had scced
ed TO all the demands which had been
made upon us by our employees, and
we're supposed TO be working in har-
mony with them; second, the present
strike is made upon an issue with
which We have nothing to do, and
which we cannot possibly arbitrate OF
control. The present strike origi-
mates in the discharge of an employee
named Hall on the Texas and Pacific,
which road is in the hands of the
United States Court. We have nc
moro right to attempt to control the
workings OF that system than the
workingmen themselves, and would
be as completely in contempt to do
so as any other outsider"
Remarking on another aspect OF
the strike, Gould said: The public
may not be aware Of IT, but the same
issue was raised when some men
We're discharged on the Wabash
Railway at the time when IL was IN
control of the United States Court.
PoWderly called upon me to securs
tie reinstatement OF these men. The
subject Was fully discussed, aud
told Powdcrly that [ lad no power in
the matter, not even an advisory
power, without a request from the
Court. At that interview / told
Powderly that if any grievances ex-
lsted among cur men, if he would
bring them to our attention, we
would ondeavor to right them:'
As to the future Gould says: Il
am advised that great numbers of the
strikers arO not in sympathy with the
movement, and will return to work as
soon as they arc assured of protec-
tion by the civil authorities. It is
our intention to resume operations as
fast and as soen as that protection is
afforded"
In conclusion he declared that he
did not care to discuss other features
of the strike, beyond the statement
that the company could not possibly
join hasds with the knights OF Labor
against the United States Supreme
Court III their war on another sys
tenn, which, he asserted, the present
strike involved Gould further said
that the knights of Labor had evi-
IDENTIFY discovered already through
public sentiment that they were ex
ercising their power in favor of an
ISSUE strictly against law aad order.
and that 1t was more of a war against
the general public than the road. It
was closing factories along the lines
of the road, and was stopping the
shipment of coal and other commodi-
ties to points where people were liza
bic to suffer great deprivations, 1t
was more the fight OF the public than
of the company, but the latter, in
protection of its lawful right, would
exercise every lawful energy to meet
the demands of its patrons III open
ing the road In all departments
Gould said he was in receipt OF tele-
grams from manufacturers and 9th
ers saying that they wsuld be COM
PEELED to shut down, but at ths same
time placing no blame on the compa-
ny orit5 management.