The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-05-06
To The Public.

The Abilene Gazette OF April 9th and 29th, 1886
having invited the Assembly Of Knights OF Labor
70 announce tne1r diSapproval OF the acts OF the
INDIVIDUALS who were the cause Of the accident
on the NJ 2. x. r. at Wyandotte on the morning
OF April 18TH 1886 take said opportunity OF saying
10 the pubic and to the editor OF the Gazette.
LIST That, to the reading public and especially
that portion that does not cOnfine their reading
10 the columns or the Gazette, the Assembly does
sary. The principles upon which the Knights
| OF kabOr are founded is public properly. The
action OF the General Executive Board since the
present strike on the NJ. p. r. R. commenced has
all been made public, even the secret communi-
cations TO Local Assemblies. The members OF
Abilene Assembly are willing to submit their
principles the action OF the General Executive
Board, both as TO the order and to the officials
Of the NJ. p. X. R. Co. TO an intelligent public as
TO whether the order as an order has not at all
times not only disapproved, butln the strongest
language any or all overt acts OF violence against
persons or property
2nd. That while Abilene Assembly recognizes
the TACT that it is possible that some member OF
members or the order may have so far forgotten
their obligations to the order, 10 their fellow
men, to the law OF the land. and to their God to
have been guilty OF this crime. We believe that
should the guilty be detected it will be found
that they have no connection with the order OF
with the strikers but should they be or have been
members OF the order, it is the desire of the AS
sembly that they shall be fully punished. We
! also desire TO see the fullest punishment meeted
out to the perpetrators OF the crime committed
few days ago at East st Louis, where men and
women were shot down In cold blood, by hood
lums who were armed by the Autocrats Of Cap
ital. We believe that this crime lies al the dool
OF R. r. officials and we believe that if the guilty
parties TO the Wyandotte crime are ever detected
and the facts ELECTED. that the responsibility viii
be found nearer TO the door of the r. r. office
than TO the Hall OF the Knights OF Labor.
3D. That so far as the strike on the NJ. PR R
| Is concerned, Abilene Assembly, as an assembly
has had nothing to do with it, neither had The
General Executive Board OF the order. We be
| lieve the employees OF the Company had sufficient
cause for complaint against the Company. We
think that IL IS possible that the Executive
| Boards OF the District Assemblies may have beer
| in error in ordering the strike, but we believ,
that the General Executive and District Board!
have done everything in their power, as men, Il
arrive at some settlement OF the trouble, bu
| they have been Spurned with contempt by tn,
Had the Office OF said r. X. Co., wished or de
sired to do justice to their employees, that Ions
ere any violence had been done, the whole thinI
would have been settled.
4th. That Abilene Assembly desires to call tn,
attention OF the public and especially the Edito
| of the Gazette to the fact, that the present con
fiict between labor and capital, is very serious
! one. One which has come TO stay until settled
that 1t is the desire OF the Knights of Labor, anC
| they are labOr1ng with that view, that the con.
flict shall be settled peaceably and without resor
to violence and bloodshed, and we submit thu
| question to the readers OF the Gazette, whethe
the editorials OF said paper do not have tenden
cy to widen the breach and to produce diScorC
between labor1ng men and capital which will re
suit In over acts OF violence and blOOdShed which
the editor so bitterly complains Of We submit
to the readers OF the Gazette whether the claim
OF the editer that he is in sympathy with the
laboring men and differences between capital anC
labor should be submitted to arbitration, is con
sStent with his editorials and head lines of press
news, "Brave HOXie," &C. A few weeks age
when the General Executive Board were doing
everything in their power to arrange for arbtTat
ing the difference between the NJ. p. r. X. anG
its employees and HOXie was refusing to do any
thing.
5th. To the editor OF the Gazette, we desire Ia
say that for the free advertisement that he has
been giving the Knights OF Labor we can only
return thanks, you are making more knights
than ali the balance OF the papers combined with
the order itself. 1t may be possible that we will
have to request you ere long to deSiSt for fort
night or even month so that the Assembly may
catch up with the initiation OF new members
and knowing your sympathy FOB working men
we have no doubt but what you Will grant our
request if we deem it advisable, but until the AS
Sembly make the request, we hope that you will
keep on In the even tenor or your way, believing
that 1t relieves you of large amount of bile
which in no way effects u.s. and which If spit at
somebody else might annoy them.
WHEREAS, 1t is deplorable fact that wreck
has occurred on the NJ. F. X. II. at WyandOtte,
Kansas, causing the loss of life. And
WHEREAS, 1t has been ascertained that the NJ
p. r. X. Co. have been employing Pinkerton's
thugs and Dep. u s. MarShalls for such purposes
as was proven in the case of the bridge burning
on the Texas Pacific, blOodhOundS being put on
the trail OF the perpetrators freed aDep. U. S.
Be it
Resolved, By Excelsior Assembly OF Abilene,
Kansas, that we denOunce all such lawleSS and
acts or any acts OF violence as 1t is
contrary to the laws and teachings Of the order.
Resolved, That If the train wreckerS are appre-
lended and proven to be Knights OF Labor, that
the the
and also be expelled from the order.
Resolved, If the officers OF the NJ. P. r. r. did
employ detectives and U. S. Marshals to commit
these OutrageS for the purpose of laying the
blame on the order OF Knights OF Labor and create
public sympathy in their behalf, as they are
charged, that we denounce them as Williams and
worse than murderers
Resolved, That these resolutions be printed in
he county papers.
4. l.. Russell, r. s.