Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-22
him the letter in that line which ! had
received from Powderly.

organization on the subject. This whole
thing was unexpected and unprepsred
for. The whole spirit Of the organiza-
ton is contrary to strikes. 1t is an
educational organization.
Mr.. Grain: Do You not think-it has
so struck me--that Gould himself was
very fairly disposed towards your or
ganizaiion
Witness That has been my full i'm
preston from what ] saw of him. Ny
impression was that he wanted to be
fair. 1t has always seemed to me ths,
Bosxie was on high horse, from which
be was unwilling TO come down, aud
that when Gould found him rsbellious
in not carry ing out arbitration be ought
TO have issued positive order to that
effect, OF possibly had Hoxie TO resign.
But be turned round and split hairs
with the committee. He had agreed to
sibitrate everything, past and future
but be would not take this special arbi-
trsiion out Of Hoxie's hands.
Mr.. Grain ;,YOu. mean that Gould
permitted himself to be controlled By
HOxie?
Witness: That is the way it has ap-
pesred TO me still cannot under
stand the letter Of instructions referred
to by Hoxie.
Mr.. Grain: With the exception OF
that circumstances lWhich seems suspi-
cious) your impression is tba. Hoxie ia
the responsible party for the continu-
ance Of the striker
Witness: Yes, sir; ! never met
him personally, but from talking with
those who have met him, attn strongly
inclined to that opinion.
Mr.. Buchanan: A statement has
been made in the newspapers to the ef-
feet that you and Gould were working
this matter together for the purpose OF
its effect upon the stock market. | do
not wish to humiliate you enough to ask
you if that be true, but simply men,
ton the fact so as to allow you to make
any explanation you desire.
Witness ! never saw any statement
to that effect. | never had any
acquaintance with Gould until met
him in connection with this matter. j
have never bought or sold q share Of
stock on margin. There is not word
Of possible truth in the suggestion.
Witness said he knew nothing OF the
strike until it actually occurred. His
first knowledge Of it was gained from
The newspapers. He expressed the
opinion that the pooling system
had nothing TO do with it..
The most economical management is
that which necessitates the least expen-
diture. The general theory as TO build
ing new lines of railroad causing com
petition and reducing rates is grand
mistake. Business should be done with
the least possible investment, not only
OF labor but Of capital; and until the
possibilities Of single railroad are ex-
haus,ed a second line should not be
built. But there isneed Of something in
The way Of Government supervision OF
railroads, by means Of which benefits
resulting from non-competition shall
inure not alone TO the railroad COM
pany, but TO the whole people. Take,
ioi instance, two cite, like Buffalo and
Ntw York. The Efx York Central
bad lire Of railroad between those
two cities and had a 1poly Of bust
ness. 1t cost the company 60 per
cent. to operate the road, leaving
80 per cent. Of the net earnings.
Another line was built alongside,
ard then YOU have got but 100 per
cent. Of business and you have got two
TO per cents Of expenses. If the thing
could be regulated so that one road
should do the business il would get not
only fair return for its capital, but it
would be enabled to give lower rates Of
traffic and better wages TO its en-
ploy ees.
Mr. Parker would like to hear
your views as TO an adjustment Of this
competition in labor.
Witness he subject is a very broad
one, and it is one which has been the
subject Of discussion since these trou-
bles began. One OF the best sugges-
tons that has been made to me on the
subject would ike TO repeat. 1t is
that a conference should take place
between representative men from the
labor organizations and representative
men from the trade organizations ;
that they should meet and thoroughly
discuss the whole subject. AS to this
contest between capital and labor, |
look upon them as being necessarily
PAL tnerf-as much so as man and wife.
Such discussion as that would be ap-
preached by the railroad men in dit
ierent spirit from that which they would
manifest in q discussion with insubOr-
dinate brakemen. In this way there
would be gathered the wisdom Of all
men who had been thinking over the
subject. do not feel that have had
enough experience to be able TO re-
cspitulate the results Of such confer
Ell &c.
Mr. Parker Is it desirable to con-
tirue the importation Of labor from
olher countries not pauper labor:
Witness Ii would be pretty hard
upon the laboriDg men 10 put tariff
upon competitive labor. would like
to think little upon that subject.
Chairman will put the question
in another form. Do you think that
the time has arrived when this country
will be compelled to say who may come
10 il and who may not come:
Witness II does seem to me that
our capacity TO absorb christendom is
somewhat strongly taxed.
Mr.. Buchanan: We are troubled as
much by pagandom as by chrIstendom.
This closed McDOwell's examination.
Mr. Powderly was put on the stand
FOR q few questions. He was asked
when the order Of the Knights OF Labor
began. lie replied that it was in 1869.
Then he gave q history OF the order.
Uriah S. Stevens WAS the founder. start
ing with six men. On Thanksgiving-eve
tbey met TO effect the organization, then
having nine members. The order was
to be secret. The idea was to bring
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