The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-16
Every Member of the Order Invited to Take
Up the Fight and DO His Share in Fur
nishing Assistance for Their Brethren.
Knights Have Not Issued a Boycott
Against Either Gould or His Roads.
Mr. Hayes Announces that the Fight Will Be
Kept Up, Even if 1t Ruins the Missouri
Pacifc-The Situation Yesterday.
A CALL FOR HELP.
The General Master Workman Issues . Cir
cular Inviting Contributions.

The General Master Workman Issues . Cir
cular Inviting Contributions.
PHILADELPHIA, April 15.-General Master
Workman Powderly, of the Knights Of Labor,
to-day addressed the following circular to mein,
bers Of the order:
Noble Order of the Knights of Labor of America.
You have all read OF the great strike on the
Gould lines Of railway in the Southwest. Its
history is heing written day by dag. 1t makes
but little difference now whether the men of the
Southwest acted wisely or not Let us pass that
part OF the affair over for it, too. has passed into
history. The general executive board of the
order attempted to settle the trouble and restore
harmony; agreements were made with them by
Jay Gould, ESQ., but when the board reached
st. Louis Mr.. Hoxie refused to treat with them;
not that alone, but he positively refused to en-
ploy Knights of Labor, whether they had been
active In the strike or not 1t now becomes the
part OF every man and woman in the order to
and assist them to the full extent of their means
They have been idle for nearly two months.
They have had most trying ordeal to 60
through, and are IN need of funds 1t requires
no eloquenee or rhetoric to plead the cause OF
these suffering people. They require aid, and
it becomes our duty to extend that aid as quick
ly as possible for US to do so. Send every dol
lar you can spare to the general treasurer, who
will at once forward it to the men at St Louis
for distribution. Remember the men out there
do not ask for charity. They do not ask it at
all 1t Is your executive board that makes the
appeal in their behalf He who giveth quickly
giveth double. Act at once
Another appeal may be sent to you, and we
ask OF you to prepare for it now. We must be
judged by our actions in this matter Do not
pass resolutions condemning capital, for we are
not fighting capital. Do not antagonize the con.
test we have before us. Let make friend
OF every man who has suffered through mo-
nopoly. This battle against the man who repre-
sents monopoly must be fought out manfnlly.
Watch his actions everywhere Keep an eve on
the doings OF Congress Urge the committee
that has been appointed to otis duty fearlessly;
strengthen their hands; give them every aid.
I'm conclusion, let us again ask that you send
at once every dollar you can at present raise to
uphold the men who ara now out along the lines
OF the Southwest system of Gould's railways.
Do not delay, and at tho came time make ready
to bring the whole power to boar upon the MAD
who wrecks railroads, homes. fortunes and
lives in his greed for gold. Let as
determine to have it go into history
that the men of 1886 struck as grand a blow
for liberty as the men of 1776. The men of l776
broke the power of monarchy and dethroned the
king The power they wrested from tho hands
OF king was not 80 great as that which is now
held by one man, who, through the corrupt use
men to ruin. The power Of the king has
passed away; the power of wealth is passing
away, and it must now be determined whether
man shall rule or whether wealth shall rule.
1T " PowDERLY, G M. W."
In an interview this afternoon, at Scranton,
Mr.. Powderly when asked what he thought of
Mr.. Gould's reply to his manifesto, said: II
have not had much time to think of it. for this
has been an unusually busy Day with me. do
not think, however. that Mr.. Gould has
answered my letter. His reply is
bubble and an evasion. and he fairly Stops
over on some points. What there is in his COM
munication has been said before. He evidently
wants to pose before the country in the light of
martyr, but the Knights of Labor don't pro-
pose to honor him with martyrdom. have
invited him to carry his threats of prosecution
into the courts. and we are ready to meet him
him there. He announced, some time ago, his
intention to commence series of prosecutions
against u.s. and we want him to proceed at once
We shall not be swayed from our course by any
thing he may say or dc. Just as soon as possible
we shall appoint a committee of the order to
investigate the Southwestern trouble, from root
to branch all along the line from st. Louis
TO the Mexican border The result of
this investigation will be published to
the world, and if the Knights of Labor who
struck are at fault, they will not be screened
We are anxious, however, to have congression-
al committee investigate the strike first, ascer-
tain the causes Leading to it. and then make them
public without delay. Mr.. Gould acts, or rather
talks. like man who fears that he will be in
jured. If he should be punished legally for un
lawful acts of his, that would not be unjustly
injuring him. 1t would merely be upholding the
law. If any of our men are amenable, let them
also suffer-"
Mr.. Powderly was called to Chicago tonight
on important business connected with the
Knights of Labor, but at 11:30 o'clock had not
responded to the call, and was still here
In the interview noted Mr.. Powderly further
said he would not reply to Mr. Gould's letter
He would meet him in court. when he brings
his suits He denied the statement of Mr. Gould
that every thing agreed to was carried out He
claimed that Vice president Hoxie refused to
comply with Mr.. Gould's instructions, and
would not meet q committee of the strikers
nor would he meet a committee from the men
who were at work for the company. mo boy
colt has been issued against Mr.. Gould or his
roads. Our general executive committee have
not considered the matter at all, and If assem-
bles are passing resolutions to boycott, they are
acting without authority from the board. This
matter is now in the hands of
the general executive board, and nothing
must be done without their consent SO far
as the Knights Of Labor are concerned In
such exciting times these it is easy to find
lawless characters enough to commit acts Of
violence and to resort to all sorts of methods:
but we will not countenance such a
thing, nor anything likely to lead to
violence. Mr. Gould makes mistake
when he assumes that or the Knights Of
Labor intend to single him out and follow him