The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-04-15

Mcdowell to be given to me, for / had
to leave ut that time in order to keep
an appointment at the hotel where
stopped. The sta ement which you
have since made to the effect that you
had prepared that Litter before |
called, h
Is NOT QUITE CORRECT.
or ii you did have it prepared YOU
changed it after we talked the matter
over. This, believe, you will admit
to be true. In the conference held
between the members of our Execu-
tive Board and the directors of the
Missouri Pacific Company, at 1876
Broadway, on March 30th, YOU said to
me that you understood me to say
that the men along your lines would
be ordered back to work at once. they
having violated the rules of our or
ganization. | then reiterated the state
ment which l made to YOU, and now
repeat it
"The men 'ong the lines OF your
railways can be ordered back to work,
but if they are given to understand
that they are deserted, that we do not
take any interest in them, ii will not
in any way mend matters; on the
contrary, it will make things
worse. There are all along
the roads out there a great many men
who have no regard for organization
or law -men OF hardy spirit, energy
and daring. Such men as have left
the East and have taken up their
homes in y lid country such as that
is will not submit as quietly as the
men they have left behind in the
East. They are apt to do rasher
things than they would do elsewhere,
and have no doubt that some in our
order-in fact, my experience with
the men of that vast sections leads me
to think that the men on both sides
out there are more dare devilish than
they are in the East. Even the bust
ness men of that country are Of that
stamp OF character"
Both you and Mr.. Hopkins had
heard me make that statement, and |
believe the latter agreed that was his
experience, The danger OF the strike
, spreading was also discussed, and
said to you that it would not spread
that an effort had been made to have
the men of the Union Pacific take up
part of it, but the Knights of Labor
| on that road had standing agreement
with the management of the road that
there was to be no trouble or strike
until the last effort to effect settle
ment had Jailed, 40 not then until
the court of last resort had been
reached When | made that state.
mcnt Mr. Hopkins remarked that they
had better strike then, for ii they did
not the Union Pacific would not much
longer have sufficient money to pay
their employees. The impression made
on me was that YOU would be pleased
to see
STRIKE TAKE PLACE on THE UNION
PACIFIC.
This, believe, covers the CHIEF
points OF discussion. | did not hear
either you or Mr., Hopkins say that
the present troubles along your road
would not be arbitrated with the men
who were not at work. 1t was nv
firm belief when left you that night
that you meant,to have the entire af-
fair submitted to arbitration at the
first possible moment That belief is
also held by Mr.. Mcdowell, Vho was
present during the entire interview
When You sent the telegram to Mr..
HoXie YOU sent it rs the President
of the Missouri Pacific Railraad Com.
pany. You sent 1t as the chic
sends his message to his inferior Off.
Ger, and it meant as much to a sen.
sihle man Us the most imperative or.
der could possibly mean. When |, as
the chief officer of the Knights of La
boz, send a message such as that, il
is understood to be my wishes. and
those which are to be respected
by the subordinate officer 10 whom
they are sent, and it Is not his
place to put a different construction
on them and give them his own in
depreciation. His duty is to obey the
spirit OF the ms ructions. The man
in p1wer need not be am autocrat in
order to have his wishes respected.
81 would like to see il DONE comes
with rs great force from the man in
author ty as 81 must have il done.
That was the idea that l entertained
when left your house that night. |
also explained to you at your house at
night that the men who had entered
upon the strike had not violated sny
law of the order in so doing; that
while j thought it would have been
better if they had laid their grievances
before the General Executive Board
before striking, yet there was
NOTHING IN OUR LAWS
to command them 10 do so, i said
that a District Assembly Of the
Knights OF Labor bore the same rcla-