Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-03-16
THE STRIKE.
What Jay Gould Has to
Say.
THE COURTS HAVE CONTROL
OF the Texas and Pacific Road
and Alone Have Power to
Manage 1t.
Ispsesai % TIC Herald bu he associated prsss.

Special to the Herald bv the Associated Press.
JACKSONVILLE. Fla, March l5.--Jay
Gould to-day, speaking for the first time
respecting the strike by the Knights Of
Labor on the Missouri Pacific and the
remaining portion of the Gould south
western system, said to representative
Of the Associated Press: II first learned
Of the strike at Havana. and have been
advised by TELEGRAPH of the character Of
this trouble, more particularly since my
arrival here. The strike on our system
was complete surprise to me, for two
reasons. First, we had acceded to all
demands which had been made upon US
by our employees and were supposed to be
working in harmony with them. Sec
ond, the present strike is made upon an
issue with which we have nothing to do
and which we cannot possibly arbitrate
or control. The present strike, contin-
ued Mr.. Gould, Originated in the dis
charge Of an employe named Hall ON the
Texas Il Pacific, which road is in the
hands OF the United States Court. We
have no more right to attempt to control
the workings Of that system than the
workingmen themselves, and would be as
completely in contempt to attempt to do
40 az any other outsider"
Remarking at the other aspect Of the
strike, Gould says: "The public may
not be aware of it, but the aame issue
was raised when some men were dis
charged on the Wabash Railway at the
time when it was in the control of the
United States Court. Powdcrly called
upon me TO secure the reinstatement of
these men. The subject was fully dis
cussed and / told Powderly | had no
power in the matter, not even an ad-
visory, without request from the
court. At that interview / told Pow
derly that If grievances existed among
our men, if he would bring them to our
attention we would endeavor to right
them" As to the future. Gould said:
II am advised that great numbers OF
the strikers are not in sympathy with
the movement and will return to work
as soon as assured protection by the
civil authorities. Il is our intention to
resume operations as fast and as soon as
that protection is afforded.
In conclusion he declared that he did
not care to discuss the other features of
the strike beyond the statement that the
company could not possibly join hands
with the knights OF Labor against the
United States Supreme Court in their
war on another system, which he asserted
the present strike involved. Gould fur
ther asserted that the Knights of Labor
had evidently discovered already
through public sentiment that they
were exercising their power in favor of
an issue strictly against law and order.
and that it was more Of war against
the general public than the road 1t
was closing manufactures along
the line OF the road. and was stop
ping the shipment of coal and
other commodities TO points where peo-
pie were liable to suffer great depriva-
tions. 1t was more fight of the public
than the company's but the latter in
protection Of its lawful right would ex-
ercise every lawful energy to meet the
demands Of its patrons in opening the
road in all departments. Gould said he
was in receipt Of kilograms from manu-
fscturers and others along the line say
ing they would be compelled to shut
down but at the same time placing no
blame on the companv or its management