The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-03-26
THE RAILROAD TROUBLES.

The Governors Of Missouri and Kansas Try.
ing t. Adjust Mattsrs-COrresponden
Between Hoxie and Powderiy.
KANSAS CRY, Mo-, March 20.-Gover.
non Marmaduke and Martin and the Labor
Commissioners OF Missouri and Kansas
were cl0seted at the Coates House all day
yesterday with Grand Master POwderly and
committees of the executive boards OF the
Knights Of Labor. The result OF the con-
ference was that the two Governors went to
St Louis last night TO confer with MI.
Hoxie, the chairmen of the executive board
of the Gould system having left the matter
of settlement in their hands.
After the conference the following was
received from Vice. President H0xie:
T;y. Povderly. Kansas City Mo-:
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.. ST. Louis, Mo-.
March ~. 1851 have just received your
telegram of the 18th inst, asking IL will
settlement of the pending difficulties. As
this company now has contracts and agree
ments with various labor unions and organ
izations and il not unwilling to continue to
make such agreements IS circumstances
may require with such unions and OrganiZa-
tons Of its employees as have shown dispO-
sitiOn to carry out in good faith their under
takinRr, and as IL has had in the past con-
tracts with your organization and its repre-
seDtatves have heretofore had conference
with yourself and other members of your
executive committee. It Is but Just and
courteous that should give you the reasons
Tor this company now declining to meet
yourself and your executive committee
which it would have done before this strike
was inaugurated.
The usual object of such meetings between
railway companies, through their represen-
tatives. and committees Of their employees,
is either to discuss such differences as may
ma n N rdp rat n 10 ri "A 4 no
may be reached of the rights and relations
existing between them and such mutual con-
SESSIONS made as will avoid strikes and the
losses resulting therefrOm; or. on the other
hand. to settle and compromise such differ
ences between the parties after the griey-
ances of the employees have been presented
actually been had to the strike as the only
remedy. In the present case neither OF this
above reasons for conference exists. but
the anomaly is presented of strike which is
tered upon without notice to the company
and which has resulted in the wanton and
malicious destruction of this cOmpany's
property by violence and incendarism. and
In the almost total stoppage of It's business
by threats. intimidation and force.
a review of the history OF the past year is
essential to full understanding of the pres
ent conditions. The differences between this
company and its employees, resulting in the
strike of March. 1885, were settled by the
voluntary intercessOn of the executives and
and not with your organization. The agree
ments subsequently entered into with COM
mittces OF your ORGANIZATIONS have been
faithfully carried out by this company.
Minor grievances under these arrangements
have from time to time been presented, con-
sidercd by the management and adjusted in
a manner apparently satisfactory to the petit
TONERS. and Tor the sake of peace and har-
mony this company has repeatedly. on the
demand of your organization, made changes
in its staff by the removal of officials entirely
satisfactory to the company. but objection
able to some of your members
In our meeting with YOU of last August 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 noncompliance
with the contracts then existing, but that it
was necessary to utilize your organization
upon the Missouri Pacific road to force an
adjustment of the difficulties then pending
with another Organizat on. Similar action
has been taken by your organization in thr,e
instances within the lust e ght months: first,
in threatening that the members of your or
ganizatiOn upon the Missouri Pacific would
strike if it cont pued to exchange business
with the Wabash road: second, when the
members of your organization compelled u
strike of II 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 str ke
charge of one {. A. Hall by the receivers of
the Texas and Pacific ra lway-a road in the
hands of the United States court, and in the
of which this company has no
ton fully recognized when YOUR committee
made application to the receivers of that
road for the reinstatement of said emplOye.
Instances might be cited where endeayors
have been made to use this company for the
purpose of hOycOttinX individuals who had
incurred the displeasure of your organization.
Az especially aggravated case OF the fail
ure of your organization to carry out its
agreements was that Of the workmen at the
Palestine shops, who. in the last days of Feb.
rnnry sseppGa YORK on so OF i'm ALLEGED
manner to their entire satisfaction SO that
thV resumed work with the agreement to
continue under, concessions made by the
company, but within ter days thereafter
agan left their work on the demand of your
organization in ordering the present strike
aud without amy grievance whatever against
this company.
These continued stoppages of the work of
this company without cause have be-
come so frequent that, believing the flu
ture will be as unsettled as the past. It
can not consent to renew the agree
ment voluntarily and arbitrarily GbrO-
gated by your organization. and longer
submit to it the management of our
business. This company, through its repre-
is, and has always been, willing To
meet the public through committees or ndi.
vduals on matters of public concern, and If
suggest practicable methods whereby the
present situation can be changed and traffic
resumed, this company will be
pleased to meet yourself or them as citizens,
but not rs representatives of .Our OrGaniZa-
ton, to discuss pend ng difficulties or any
other matters of public interest.
In conclusion desire cmphatically to state
that the responsibility for the future cOntin.
uance of the present unjustifiable strike will
not rest W tn the management of this cOmpa-
ny, but inasmuch as your organization has
to negotiate afterward, it has the
power to and should end the present troubles
by permitting such of our former employees
and others as desire to work to do SO without
fear of threats and intimidation, leaving this
company free to resume its operations and
adjust with its employees. as it is at all times
ready and willing to do, any grievances they
may have. II. NJ. HOXIE.
To Dir. Hoxie's telegram Mr.. Powderly
sent the following reply:
H. N; H3xie; first vice president. Missouri
Pacific railway Company, St. Louis:
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, March 19.-Since you
will not meet with me US general master
workman of the Knights of Labor, l must de-
and the responsibility for the future con-
t;nuance" of the strike must not he charged
to the n'ghts of Labor S nee the executive
officer OF the order will not be permitted to
meet and cooperate with you i'll settling the
strike
1t was my intention. had you consented to
meet with me. to endeavOr to effect such
settlement as would prevent impOS:tiOns be.
ing practced upon the employees of your
by subordinate officials. ard put an
end to strikes on your lines for the future.
L. V. POwDERLY.
"Having failed in my attempts to bring
the parties together" said Mr.. POwderly,
IL shall now allow matters to take their
course. Tomorrow shall 60 to Chicago
and thence to Canada or the East to attend
to other business. If Governor Marmaduke
and Governor Martin do not succeed in eff
fecting an adjustment then the men and
the company will have TO do it"