San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-03-27
THE OLD OLD STORY.
A Pretended Draft of a Secret Cir
cular -Powderly Interviewed.
No Change in the Situation Trouble
Feared at East st. Louis---Washing-
ton Doings-Texas Tattle Foreign
Terrors--Gulf Gossip, Etc.

ST. LOUIS. March 26.-Genersl, what
purports to be q long secret circular
from Master Workman Powderly, is in
the hands of the press Of this city. After
dwelling at length up on the situation
MIR. Powderly concludes zone OF two
things must take place: Either local or
district assembl les of the order must
obey its laws, or | must be permitted to
resign from the position which Obliges
me to play one part before the public
and another to our members. | say to
the world that the Knights of Labor do
not approve of or encourage strikes, and
in one day dispatches come to me to
come to Troy. n. Y, Manchester, n. H.,
Chicago, Cincinnati, Lynchburg, Va,
Springfield, O., and Montreal. Ii is i'm
possible for human nature to stand the
strain any longer. | must have the as
| sistanCe of the order, or my most earn.
est efforts will fail. will have it? If
SO, strikes must be avoided. Those who
boast must be checked by their assem-
blies. No move must be made until the
last resort has been appealed to. Threats
OF violence must not be made. Assem-
bly, politicians must be hushed or driven
out. Obedience to the laws of Knight
hood must have supremacy over those
OF any other order. In our members we
require seCresy, obedience, assistance,
patience and courage. II with these
aids you strengthen my hands, will
continue in the work. you do not de-
sire to assist me in this way, then select
man better qualihed to do your will,
and will retire in his favor"
A committee of three OF the striking
Wabash railroad Knights of Labor,
called upon the chairman Of their Exec
utiye Committee this afternoon, in
formed him that they had struck and
requested him to tell them rs to the
proper course to pursue The chairman
said they they had no just cause for
strike, and advised them to return to
work Immediately. The committee
then returned to the meeting of Wabash
men, then in session. which, after dis
cussing the situation, decided to follow
the chairman's advice and return to
work.
The situation in East ST. Louis this
morning is becoming serious. Yard
masters of the different roads have been
attempting all the morning to make up
and start ont freight trains. but they
have in every instance been prevented
from carrying out their designs by the
striking swiichmen, who are using all
means at their disposal to make the
freight blockade in that city complete.
Coupling pins are removed from their
positions. trains become separated.
switches are removed and trains run
upon wrong tracks and, in some in
stances, the yardmasters have been for
chilly restrained in their efforts to resume
freight traffic. No serious trouble has
as yet occurred, but it is understood that
officers of the law will be called upon
to-day to preserve order and property,
and conflict between them and the
strikers is expected.
This afternoon, acting in accordance
with an order from the Knights OF La
Dor Executive Committee, the city union
depot shopmen, consisting of hOstlers,
wipers, machinists and blacKsmiths,
threw down their tools and quit work.
These men have no grievances against
their employers.
Application has been made at Spring
field, ILL.,, to Judge Treat, of the United
States Court, authorizing Deputy Mar
shals to protect the Wabash property in
East st. Louis.
WASHINGTON, March &c. Senator Hoar
introduced bill providing for inquests
under national authority. The bill,
which MIR. Hoar said was suggested by
the recent massacre at Carrollton, was
referred to the Judiciary Committee.
Edmunds' resolution, relative to the
right of Congress to demand the Presl-
dents reasons for removals from office.
came up and was warmly discussed, In
gals, Logan, Harrison and then Ed
munds reviewing the whole question
and contending that the two houses of
Congress had a right to see papers affect
ing the business of the Government. In
the course of his summary, Mr. Edmunds
said: "lf you take out of this very pres
ence the influence of executive patron
age to be given to senators and their
friends, there would not be five votes in
this chamber against the resolution"
In concluding his speech, the Senator
said that the Republican party was in
favor OF equal rights and fair play, and
would try, in spite Of Democratic oppo-
sition, to give to the labor of the people,
which was the peoples capital. its
wealth, that protection, encouragement
and defense that was the right Of labor,
which was the capital of every honest
workingman in the United States. The
resolution of Senator Edmunds was
adopted-yeas 80, nays IS.
when asked what authority there was
for the statement of Chairman Irons,
OF st. Louis, published this afternoon to
the effect that the strike would probably
extend throughout the United States
and include all Knights of Labor, regard
less of occupation. Mr.. Powderly re-
piled: Mr.. Irons has no authority
whatever to make such a statement.
That order can only come from the Ex-
ecutive Board. l may say that there is
no danger whatever of any such order
being issued at present. Where Knights
OF Labor are on terms of peace with
their employers, their agreements and
contracts must be lived up to.
SCRANTON, Pa, March 26.-General
Master Workman POwderly, of the
Knights of Labor, was called upon this
afternoon by representatives of the As
ISOLATED Press, and in reply to the quss.
ton, as the strike in the Southwest
likely to extend?" answered, Most en-
phatically, no. Every strike must be
confined to the section in which it origin
ated, and must be settled there.
ArCHIsoN, Kan, March 26.-The Cham
pion has specials from forty-six towns
on the Central Branch railroad. giving
statements Of supplies on hand. TWEEN.
ty-four correspondents report not q
pound of coal and several no Kerosene.
flour or groceries. With few exceptions
the coal supply In the remaining towns
Is almost out. Prices of everything have
doubled.