The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-03-20
H0XIE.
His Reply to Master Work.
man POwderly,
AND PoWDERLY's ANSWER.
The Attitude of the Missouri Pacific
Hallway Toward the knights
OF Labor
Hoxie Declines.

OF. LOUIS, Marcn l9.-Ine following
reply of Vice-President HoxIe 10 the
request of Master Workman Powderlv
for conference was telegraphed that
gentleman late this afternoon:
81 have just received your telegram
of the 18th instant, asking if L will meet
yourself and a committee TO arrange a
settlement of the pending difficulties
As the committee has now contracts
and agreements with various labor
unions organizations. and is not I'M
j! willing to continue to make such agree
ment; as circumstances may require
with such unions and organizations of its
employees as have shown a disposition
to carry out in good faith their under
takings. and as it has had in the past
contracts with your organization, and
its representatives have heretofore had
conference with ourself and other
members of your executive committee,
1t IS but just and courteous that l
should give you the reasons for this
company now declining to meet your
self and the executive committee, which
it would have done before this strike
was iniugurated. The usual object of
such meetings between the railway
companies, through their representa-
tives and committees of their en-
pioyees, is either 10 discuss such differ
ences as may have arisen, in order that
an understanding may be reached of
the rights and details existing between
them, and such mutual concessions
made as viii AVOID strikes and losses re-
sulting therefrom or, on the other
hand, to settle and compromise such
differences between the parties after the
grievances of the employees have been
presented and redress refused, and after
a resort has actually been had to a
strike as the only remedy. In the pres
sent case, neither of the above
reasons for conference exists.
but the anomaly is presented
of a strike which is without
redressable grievance, which was
entered upon without notice to the
company and which has resulted in
wanton and malicious destruction of
this company's property by violence
and incendiarism, and. in an almost
total stoppage of it7 business by threats,
intimidation and force. A review of
the history of the past year is essential
to full understanding of the present
conditions. The differences between
this company and its employees result
ing in the strike of March, 1885, were
settled by a voluntary intercession of
the executives and officers of the States
of Kansas and Missouri, and not with
your organization. The agreements
subsequently entered into with the
committees of your organization have
been faithfully carried ont by this COM
pany. Minor grievances. under these
arrangements have from time to time
been considered by the management
and adjusted in manner apparently
,cfo 10 hn go
the sake of peace and harmony this
company has repeatedly on demand
of your organization lmade changes in
its staff, by the removal of officials en-
tirely satisfactory to the company, but
Objectionable to somesof your members.
In our meeting with you of last Au-
gust, in New York, your committee
then stated that no grievances |
or complaints existed against the !
Missouri Pacific Railway on the |
part OF your organization through |
a Noncompliance with contracts then
existing, but that it was necessary to |
utilize your organization upon the Mis-
souri, Pacific road to force an adjust.
ment of the difficulties then pending |
with another corporation. Similar |
action has been taken by your !
organization in three instances with
IL
in threatening that members of |
your organization upon the Missouri |
Pacific Railway would strike if it con- |
tinued % exchange business with the |
Wabash road; second, when members |
of your organization compelled strike |
of portion of the employees, of this |
company. in carrying out your boycott |
against the Mallory line at Galveston, |
Tex; third, in the present instance, |
when the existing strike was forced I
upon this company by the dis |
charge of one c. A. Hall, by /
the receivers of the Texas & Pacific (
road in the hands OF the United States I
court, ami in the management of |
which this company has no voice or
control, fact which your organization !
made application to the receiver of that /
road for the reinstatement of said EN-
plpyees. Instances might be cited
where endeavors have been made TO |
use this company for the purpose OF 1
boycotting individuals who had incurred /
the dispieasure OF your organization,
and what especially aggravated the |
case and the failure of your organization /
to carry out its agreements, was that OF
the workmen at the Palestine shops,
who, in the last days OF February,
stopped work on account of an alleged
grievance which was thereupon ad-
lusted IN manner to their entire salts
faction. so they resumed work for the
agreement to continue under the con-
cessions made by the company; but
within ten days thereafter again left
work on demand from your organiza-
ton In ordering the present strike,
and without any grievance whatever
against this company. These continued
stoppages of work by this company,
without cause, have become so frequeD'
that. believing the future will be as
unsettled as the past, l cannot consent
to renew an agreement voluntarily
and arbitrarily abrogated by your Or
ganization, and longer submit to it the
management of our business This
company, through its representatives, IS,
and always has been, willing to meet the
public through committees or individ,,
uals on matters of public concern. and
II yourself or other intelligent citizens