Savannah morning news., 1886-04-21

PNA POs0 VI dIOllIdllnS OF SeJJiluB Tue uli-
terences on the Texas Pacific road. His
reply was that the road had no trouble
with its employees, but that it had had
some disturbance with former employees,
or something to that effect.
WHY IT WAS SENT.
The telegram that was sent to Gov.
Brown was sent at the urgent request of
the people whose money was invested in
ponds OF the Texas Pacfc railroad and
VINO were anxious to have the matter
settled. Failing in that attempt to settle
l went West, and there / met with a
committee Of wOrkingmen. including
men employed on the Union Pacific rail-
road and on the several lines cOnstitut-
ing the Gould system, and | heard them
make similar statements TO that contain
ed In the bill of grievances which | have
Just read. Then | telegraphed to Mr..
Hoxie asking for an interview for the
purpose of endsavoring to arrange some
terms OF settlement. lie refused 10 meet
me IN my official capacity but said he
would meet me as citizen.
FAILED TO MEET HIM.
had no authority to act as a citizen in
the matter and, Of course, did not meet
with him. l came back East and. a few
days after that, went to New York. The
history of what took place there has been
published SO extensively in the press that
1T Is not necessary for me now to go over
it. While l was in the West | heard from
men of little abuses which do not think
the manager of the Missouri Pacific rail-
road knows anything about. Along the
Iron Mountain railroad they have sys-
TEN OF taking 25c. month from the
wages of the men VINO receive 81 day,
and SOC. from the wages of a man who re-
ceives 81 day, and so on in prOpOrJiO n,
for what they call the Hospital fund"
Then the men claim that as soon as they
are taken sick they are discharged, and
are denied the right of entering the
hospital.
ALLEGED ROBBERY.
Then there are instances, which can be
proved, where men have made contracts
to buy land from the company on regular
yearly installments, and wnen, having
paid all but the last installment, they
were discharged from the employment OF
the company. In that section of the
country 1t is different from the East. A
man cannot go into the next town and
get a situation, and the consequence has
been that in at least one particular case
the man was obliged to remain idle so
long that he lost mis- property. The men
claim that there are several instances OF
that kind. Mr.. POwderly stated that in
n1o luUuiI4bS uS udu lOhbu lhab NhN
causes OF discomfort actually existed as
described, and that he could have wit
nesses called to testify to them if his in
fOrmant had been correct.
OBJECTS OF THE KNIGHTS.
The Chalrman-Will you state the pur-
poses Of the organization Of the Knights
of Labor-whether it's purposes are pro-
tectiOn of the interests OF labor, and
whether it is peaceful in all its actions
Mr.. Powderly-The aim of the organi-
zatiOn of the Knights of Labor is to bene-
fit the laborer and to secure better feel
ing between him and his employer. All
our methods are peaceful. We never
counsel anything of a violent nature.
Members of the organization NAV once Ia
awhile commit acts of violence. We
cannot help that. 1t is a matter beyond
our control, because when men feel that
they have endured wrong there is no law
which can properly restrain them.
PROTECTING LABOR.
The Chairman-DO l understand that
the knights of Labor, as an organization,
do protect labor, not only on railroads
but also in mines and factories?
Mr.. POwderly-We attempt to do that.
Our association is Intended TO be an edu-
catiOnal one. We aim athaving our men,
hers study the conditions by which they
are surrounded, not only their own con-
dltiOns, but those Of the men for whom
they work.
MIR. Buchanan-Ih order to pave the
wav to intelligent action?
Mr.. POWderly-Yes, sir. have claimed
that il is no more than right for both to
meet on equal terms ana to have thor
ongh understanding of the wants of each
other, and it seems to me that until they
do that they cannot properly fix up their
differences.
RAILROAD RECEIVERSHIPS.
The Chairmau-In your letter to me you
smoke of difficulties IN respect to receiver
ships of railroad companies.
MIR. Powderly-Yes. When railroad
company does not pay, and when it gets
into the hands of a receiver, we find 1T to
be true that, if we ask for redress OF
grievances or wrongs we are referred TO
the court, the receiver saying that he has
no power to remedy them; but that when
there IS another matter desired to be rec
tilted the receiver can do so without ap-
plying to the court.
The Cbairman-DO you know the par
ticulars of any wrongs of that kind5
MIR. POwdery-l cannot give particu-
lars now, but will do so.
wRECKING ROADS.
The Chairman-That is to say, that
parties wreck the road, and have it put
in the hands OF a receiver for certain pur-
poses?
MIR. Powderly-I do not know whether
they wreck it or not.
MIR. Buchauan-They run it ashore at
all events, whether they wreck 1t or
nOtp
MIR. Powderly-Yes, sir. There are a
great many persons who express the opin-
ion that II the United states government
can run a railroad after its being wrecked
it should certainly be able TO run good
railroad.
The Chairman-That is a logical con-
clusion.
Mr Powderly stated that in the general
Office IN Philadelphia were papers which
would be valuable 10 the committee, ana
the chairman replied that the committee
would require all papers that throw light
upon the subject under investigation.
$50 far" said ne, "we have very good
start on what you say to-day. l do not
ask YOU to divulge any Of the secrets OF
the Knights OF Labor, but you have stated
that the objects Of the society are % pro-
tect the labor OF the country, so far as
possible, against the eXacti0ns OF tncOr-
porated capital.
NO QUARREL WITH LEGITIMATE ENTER
PRISE.
Mr.. Powderly--To protect not only the
labor Of the country, out TO protect the
manufacturers as well. We desire that
manufacturers shall be in such condition
that they will be aOle 70 pay good wages.
We have no quarrel with legitimate en-
terprise.
The Chalrman-rhe aims OF your So
ciety are entirely peaceful?
Mr.. Powderly-TheY are entirely peace
IN hM