St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-28
MIR. GoULD's ANSWER:

MIR. GoULD's ANSWER:
Frederick Turner. Esq, Dear Sir: I
have your note of this date. proposing
an interview between your executive com
mittee and the officers Of this company for
the purposes Of submitting 10 arbitration by a
committee of seven what you term the
southwestern difficulties" You are doubt
less aware that in the negotiation which took
place here last August between Mr.. i. V.
Powderly, grand master workman, and asso-
ciates ana the officers of the company. IL was
agreed that in future no Strikes would be
ordered on the Missouri Pacific road until
after q conference with the officers of the
company, and an opportunity had TO sd!ust
any al eyed grievances. In view of this fact,
attention Is drawn TO the following corre-
spondence between Mr.. A. l.. Hopkins, vice
president, acting for this company in my
absence, aud Mr.. Powderly:
New York March IS. lSS6.-T. Y. Powderly,
Scranton, Pa: Mr., Hoxie telegraphs that the
Knights of Labor on our road have struck and re-
fuse 70 allow any freight trains 10 run on our
road, saying they have no grievance. but are only
striking because ordered 10 DO So If there is
any grievance we would like to talk II over with
you. We understood you 20 promise that
strike should be ordered without consultation.
A. l.. HoPKINT.
Philadelphia March s, lss6.-A. l.. Hopkins,
Secretary Missouri Pacific Railroad, l95 Broad
way New York: Have tele graphed West for par
ticul2rs- Papers say strike was caused by dis
charge of man named Hall. Can he be reinstated
pending investigaton7 r. v PowDERLY.
New York. March ST. V. Powderly: Thanks
for your message and suggestion. Hall was en-
ployed by the Texas a Pacific and not by us. That
property is in the hands of the United States
court aud we have no control whatever over the
receivers or over the employees. We have carried
out the agreements made last spring in every re-
spect and the present strike is unjust TO Us and
unwise for you. IL is reported here that this
movement is the result of Wal street influence on
the part of those short of the securities likely to
be affected A. i. HOPKINS.
GOULD WAS FIRST sNUBBED.
No reply to this message was received, but
the compauy's request for a conference was
Ignored and its premises at once invaded and
property destroyed by the men of your order
in great numbers, who also seized and dis
abled its trains, as they have since continued
TO do. The board of directors of this COM
pany thereupon had copy of the cores
pondence above given made and transmitted
to Mr. X. NJ. HoXie. the first vice president
and general manager, at st. LOUIS. with in
structons to use every endeavor TO continue
the operation of the road, committing the
whole matter TO his hands. Mr.. HoXie's
overtures. made through the governors of
Missouri and Kansas. who stated that they
| found no cause for the strike. were rejected
| by your order. These and the subsequent
correspondence between him and Mr.. Pow
| derry are well known to you, and Mr.. Hoxie's
course has been confirmed by the board and
the matter is still in his hands. l am, there
| fore, instructed by the board TO refer you to
| him as its continuing representative in
| the premises. i am directed to add
/ in behalf OF the board that in its judg-
ment, so long as this company is forcibly
| kept from the control OF its property and
| from performing its charter duties. its bus-
ness is done, il at all, not under the condi-
! tions of law, which are common to all citi-
zens. but only at the will of a law-breaking
force. ANY negotiations with such force
would be unwise and useless. Terms made with
/ IL would not be settlement of the difficulties
| but a triumph of force over the law of the
land.
IT WOULD MEAN NOTHING
in their judgment but new troubles and
! worse. This is the result of their experience.
/ In the meantime the governors proclamation
enjoins upon your men To return TO duty,
this company's continued advertisement Of
isrs them employment on the same terms as
heretofore. The board further suggests that.
| inasmuch rs your order assumes in your
| communication responsibility for these meu,
aud power and control over them, the follow
! ing from the proclamation of the governor of
| Missouri is expressive of their duty and OF
! your own: II warn all persons whether they
| be employed or not against interposing
| any obstacle whatever in the way
of said resumption. and with firm reliance
upon the courage, good sense and law-abid-
! ing spirit of the public, hereby call upJn
all good citizens to assist in carrying out the
purposes of this proclamation, and i also
| hereby pledge the whole power of the state,
so far as it may be lawfully welded by its
chief executive officer, TO sustain that com
| pany and its servants in said resumption, and
| 10 restrain and punish all that may oppose
it. When this proclamation shall be obeyed
| and when the company's late employees shall
desist from violence and interference with
its trains the board hereby assures then
them that they win find themselves met by
! unx-fa I'm no mir in xvbf frh he hos
cessfully avoided rupture and cause fol
Just complaint, and in that just and liberia
spirit which should always exist between the
employer and the employed. By orderof tn,
board. Very respectfully yours,
JAY GOULD.
LETTER FROM PowDERLY.
Mr.. Powderly tonight sent the following
reply:
New York, March 27.-Jay Gould. Esq
President. Dear Sir: We received your reply
to our communication of this morning. Th'
statements made in your reply are worthy o.
more considers tion than can be given 70 then
at this moment. Weare not in possession her,
of the telegrams or communication, or copies
of the same referred TO in your letter. w,
came here unprepared. with no thought o.
using them here. The field that would b,
opened up for disc lssion would be so broad
that IL would take Il great deal OF time anC
space to cover 1t as contained in your reply
This would necessitate a review of the trans
actions of last year, beginning with the strik,
of March, 1885, continuing through tn,
Wabash troubles, which brought on ou
meeting with you in August, down to tn,
strike of the Texas & Pacific and its exten
sion TO the Missouri river lines. We con
slider that all this is unnecessary at this time
Public interests, the interests of botl
. parties TO this controversy. will no
be served by a longer continuance OF tn,
strike, If there is shade of chance to brinl
il TO a speedy termination. With that ide
in view, we prefer to let this discussion res
and allow this matter 10 be decided upon It
merits by an impartial committee of seven
selected as indicated in our communication o
this morning. etthem proceed TO adjust tn
, differences, and, having settled tina
matter and set in motion tn
idle wheels and hands, we have n
objections TO that same committe reyiewin
our actions in the matter. and we are wilin
to be judged, TO receive censure at thei
l hands if necessary for any short comlngs tina
they may deem us guilty OF. The needs @
: the hour require that this strike terminal
speedily. II that is done the other matter
, can be very readily attended TO. Very trul
4 yours, Il. V. PowDERLY.
Mr.. Gould received the letters in HI
own hands and cOnversed very pleasant
Z with the messenger of the board. Mr.. Me
: Dowell, and said that he could not decid
T the matter himself. but that he would la
the letter hafnra tha board Of directors o