Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1886-04-22
POWDERLY TO GOULD.
A LABOR, GIANT TO RAILROAD
KING.

INV OGnLl ~ ~ - -
A LABOR GIANT TO RAILROAD !
KING.
The ISSUES Involved I'm the Great Ra1l-
road Strikes Vigorously Discussed
and Gould Invited to Arbitratton-A
Ringing Letter.:
The following manifesto was written
by General Master Workman Powder
" on the 11th instant :: ags4s
SCRANTON Pa, April IL, a. M.
Jog Gould, Esq, President Missouri
Pacific Railroad, Neao York.:
DEAR SIR-The events of the past
forty-eight hours must have demon
strated to you the absolute necessity
of bringing this terrible struggle In
the Southwest to speedy termination:
You have the power, the authority and
means to bring the strike to an end.
/ have done everything in my power
to end the strike. The gentlemen as
sociated with me on the general Exc
cutive Board Of the Knights of Labor,
have done the same. Everything con-
sistent with honor and manhood has
been done in the interest of peace. No
false notion of pride or dignity has
swayed us in our dealings with you or
the gentlemen associated with you. La
that conference with you on Sunday,
March %, / understood you to mean
that arbitration would be agreed to.
The only method of arbitration that
was discussed was in the line with that
suggested in the letter, which sent to
| YOU in the name of our board the day
previous. There was nothing agreed
upon, as you we'll know. You said
that in arbitrating the matter the dam
ages sustained by the company duriug
the strike ought to receive considera.
ton. / said to you that it would not
be the part of wisdom to bring that
question up in the settlement of the
strike. When I called on you again
that evening, you had prepared, as the
result of your understanding of the
mornings interview, letter which
you intended to give to me. That let
ter included telegram to be seat, t.
Mr.. Hoxie and in that telegram yot
said that the damages sustained by thu
company would be a proper subjec
for the Arbitration Board to discuss
This latter part of the letter or tele
gram you agreed to strike off. Afte
we had talked the matter over for som
time and left you as you were abou
to go to your room to rewrite the let
ter which you afterwards placed il
the hands OF Mr. Mcdowell to give t.
me, for I had to leave at that time il
order to keep an appointment at tn
hotel where / stopped. The statemen
which you have since made to the e1
feet that you had prepared that fette
before 1 called is not quite correct, o
: if you did have it prepared, you chang
ed it after we had talked the matte
over for some time. This, I believe
you will admit to be true. In the con
ference here between the members {
, our Executive Board and the director
l of the Missouri Pacific Company, {
1876 Broadway, on March 80, you sal
> to me that yon under stood me to sa
: that the men along your lines woul
> be ordered back to work at once, the
having violated the rules of our organ
: ization. 1 then reiterate the statemel
= which made to you and 1now repe'
it:
"The men out along the lines
your railroad can be ordered back
work, but it they are given to unde
stand that they are deserted, that '
do not take interest in them, it w
!. not in any way mend matters; on Il
contrary it will make things wors
There are all along the roads out the
n a great many men who have no rega
It for organization or law men of har,
q spirits, energy and daring. Such m
g as have left the East and have tax
1t up their homes out in wild COUNT
IS such as that will not submit SO quic
le ly as the men they have left behi
d. in the East. They are apt to do ras
It er things than they would do elsewht
9. and have no doubt we have some
re them in our order in fact, my exp'
OF ience with the men of the vast sect
n leads me to think that the men
~ both sides out there are more da
's, devilish than they are in the Es
tn Even the business men of the coun
o. are of that stamp of character" b,
ng you and Mr.. Hopkins heard me ms
this statement, and believe the lat
81. agreed that that was his experiel
)tt also. The danger of the strikespre
na ing was also discussed, and / said
in, YOU that it would not spread. I
1t, effort had been made to have the n
an of the Union Pacific take part in
ry, but that the Knights of Labor on t
he road had standing agreement v
ew the management of the road that th
ry, was to be no trouble or strike u
nj the last effort to effect settlement
failed and not then until the cour
mr. last resort had been reached. Wht
,rn made that statement Mr.. Hopkins
mr. marked that they had better ST
Ike then tor if they did not the Union
cific would not much longer have
v ficieat money to pay their emplo
The impression made OH me was
g.. :. you would be pleased to see st
70 - take place on the Union Pacific.
-. believe, covers the chief point.
in discussion.
-. -. did not hear either you or
! :; Hopkins say that the present tro
: ,,,le y out along your roads would not bt
1T bitrated with the men who WEI
= work. It was my firm belief, VIII
left you that night, that you NEAR
have the entire affair submitted 4
bitration at the first possible mon
and That belief is shared in by Mr..
re- DowelI, who was present during
Rt5E f>..x:-< :~eo~.,;a.u When voi, sar1