Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-24
THE INVESTIGATION.
FOURTH DAYS SESSION OF THE HOUSE
COMMITTEE.
General Secretary Of the Knights Exam
ined- Powderly and Mcdowell Recall
ed-The Committee Going West.
lBy telegraph TO the DISPATCH

The fourth days session Of the House
select committee on the labor difficult
ties in the Southwest opened at III A.
NJ, with the examination Of Frederick
S. Turner, the general secretary and
treasurer ofthe Knights Of Labor. Law
yer Swayne was again present to watch
the proceedings in the interest Of the
railroad companies. Superintendent
Somerville, of the Western Union Tele-
graph Company. who yesterday accom-
panied Mr.. Gould, was also present.
Representative Warner, Of Ohio, was
| introduced to and had long converse
ton with Messrs. Mcdowell and Tur-
ner. The latter is short, stout, rather
| youthful-looking man OF forty. He de-
scribed himself as a resident Of Phila-
delphia and as secretary and general
treasurer Of the Knights Of Labor. lie
had been gold-leaf bester, but had not
worked at that business since 1876.
lie was now in the grocery business.
lie had taken part in the attempt to ar
rive at a settlement, and was present at
Powderly's interview with Gould. The
stenographic report Of that interview
was substantially correct. There was
a general talk about the arbitration, and
all seemed pleased with the subject.
1t was thought to be the proper way Of
settling the disputes. In reply to Mr..
| Parker he stated that there were l2l
| ~ Il ,Hht Of |
Dor in the United States, with about
5000 local assemblies. In these local
assemblies there were from 10 to 5000
members. The Knights ofLabor had no
political object and did not seek to in
huence legislation. lie had known Of
no such movement on their part.
Mr.. Parker handed witness the petit
ton in favor of the unlimited coinage
Of standard silver dollars, purporting
to be signed by the mill local assem-
blies.
| Mr.. Turner stated that he had never
seen or heard of the petition before, but
the organization did not deny the right
OF any assembly to petition Congress.
1t was not responsible, as body, for
the action Of particular assemblies.
This movement in favor Of unlimited
coinage was not general movement Of
the Knights.
Mr.. Buchanan, after examining the
petition, stated that he thought the Pc
tition could be traced to sources outside
| Of and unconnected with the Knights of
| Labor.
Mr.. Turner went on, in reply to
questions from Mr.. Grain, to describe
] the interview he and his colleague. Mr..
| Bailey, had with Mr.. Hoxie in s..
Louis. lie said Hoxie's treatment OF
them was very discourteous that be
stated he would have no conversation
with them as officers OF the Knights of
Labor, but would receive them a.
American citizens. They informed him
that they did not desire to stand on
their dignity and we're willing to talk
! to him as private citizens ; that all they
wanted was to have the trouble settled,
peace restored, and the men sent back
work.
Mr.. Grain: Was the strike over
then?
Mr.. Turner: None OF our people were
at work. The strike was not over.
Chairman In your statement you
used the word " order" in reference to
men going back to work. want to
know whether the central power Of
your organization can order men to work
or order them to quit work?
Mr.. Turner The general laws do not
contemplate strikes.
Chairman That is not the question.
Mr.. Turner (hesitatingly): Well, |
do not understand that if we issued an
order for the men to go to work they
would refuse to go, no matter who order
ed them out.
Mr.. Grain: You have no power to
order strike, have you:
Mr.. Turner Yes.
Chairman with an air Of SURPRISE:
You have:
Mr.. Turner Yes. There is no law
in our Constitution governing strikes.
We do not believe in strikes.
Mr. Grain: Then where do you de-
live your power to order strikes;
Mr. Turner: We have not the power
directly TO order strikes, but we have
the power to approve or disapprove OF
strikes.
Mr. Grain: Was this strike approved
or disapproyed:
Mr.. Turner: We never knew any,
thing about it until we received the
telegram from Mr.. Hopkins. It has
never been approved.
Mr.. Grain Then suppose the
power is vested in you to direct men to
return to work!
Mr.. Turner: Yes.
Going back to the interview with
Hoxie, Mr.. Turner quoted Hoxie as
saying that their duty was to see Mar
tin Irons. They replied that they
thought it better to talk with him
(Hoxie). IIoxie said that the COM
pany would not require more than so
per cent. of its former force; that when
the former strikes occurred the company
had reduced the hours of labor and in
creased the number Of men, but now it
would reduce the number of men and
increase the hours of work, because the
general expenses of the railroad were
the same whether the men worked long
hours or short hours.
The stenographer's report Of the in
terview with Hoxie was handed Mr..
Grain, who proceeded to question Mr..
Turner on the various points therein
stated. The concluding question was :
Mr.. Grain {: Do you mean to say that
when lIoxie was seemingly putting
his objection on two grounds-namely.
that the company only wanted 80 per
cent. of its former force, aud that he
wanted the right of selecting them
even from the Knights Of Labor
you really believed that the men
were refused employment simply on
the ground that they were knights Of
Labor?
Mr.. Turner Yes ; / mean that.
Mr.. Grain : Is the strike over now?
Mr.. Turner do not know. | have
only the newspapers to 60 by. Our