The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-05-19
GIns ~qntelGasnrer.
Omog, Nos, as ana ~ Fourteenth Street,
4 INONs, srRlKE.

MARTIN IRONS Strike.
Remarkable FOSlimspy Of the Han Who
Wants mr.. POWdsFlJ's PlASs-HOW 1t Was
Done.
Paibavh Dtpaieh Editorial,
During the progress Of the strike on the
Southwestern railroad, the Dlpatch fire.
qusntly expressed the opinion that while
that conflict may have been ill.iudged and
~inaugurated without sufficient efforts at
compromise, there were grievances on
the part Of the strikers which should be
remedied, That opinion was founded on
the we'll known financial reputation Of Jay
Gould, and the belief that the principles
Of the Knights OF Labor would prevent
that organization from commencing any
such struggle except on account OF grew
Gus wrongs that could be Temedied In no
other way. We are now confronted with
evidence that shows it to have been the
most wanton and unnecessary interference
with public business, known in the history
OF industrial disputes; that it was com.
menced without q decent attempt to &c.
cure az adjustment OF the troubles, or
without a clear idea OF what the troubles
were; and that it was conducted without
the slightest reference to the principles
which are held to be cardiaal in the OF.
ganizatton Of tho Knights OF Labor. That
evidence is presented in the testimony OF
Martin Irons before the Congressional
Investigation Committee.
The evidence OF this leader Of the strike
Is also remarkable as presenting a surpris.
ing picture oil the kind Of man who can
come TO the front in periods Of labor dis.
turbanCes, MIR. Irons appreciation OF the
privileges OF American citizenship was re-
vValed by his preliminary statement that
while he believed he came to this country
when he was about II, he was naturaliz9d
in Kentucky, but had no idea Of the date,
and did not know whether it was before or
alter the war, He had been q member OF
the Knights OF Labor about a year. His
as follows;
At Ehs time Of Halls discharge the dele.
gates were at Marshall, Tex, aud had Just
finished a session; and the discharge was
regarded as a distinct attack upon the
order, Witness personally made eFortg
to get Hall reinstRted, but without sue.
cess, Passes for three were given to Hall,
In witness presence, to take them to Dial.
las, where grievances and Halle discharge
were to be discussed. But as the board
numbered five, and only three passes were
given, and a. they were handed to Hall
and not to him, he regarded the act as
another slight OH the order and declined
10 use them or to so to Dallas.
Alter showing that the strike on the
Texas Pacific was caused by a failure to
hold a conference with the receiver, be-
cause only three passes were issued instead
Of five, Mr.. Irons proceeded to state how
the strike extended to the Missouri Pa.
CifC:
Seeing it was useless to hope for an ad-
justmentot grievances, no aiterward called
out the Missouri Pacific men. He had
made every effort since TO get Mr.. Hoxie
to discuss and settle the differences be.
tween them, but without success, aud it
was finally at the request Of the Curtin
Committee and the Citizens Committee
that the strike waH declared of.
Mr.. Burnes-What were these griev.
ances you speak of
W~itness-There were the bridgemen's
and many other grievances.
Q. Did any cases Of grievance come
under your personal knowledge? A. Yes.
Q, State some. A. l don't remember.
q Give the names Of n men who
complained to you. A. don't remember
any.
q, What were the grievances considered
by your Executive Board when you dis.
Cussed about calling out the men. A. n
don't know.
Q, You mean to say you don't know?
A. | can't call them TO mind.
The inability to get grievances redressed
because only three passes were Issued to
take the officers Of the Knights to a con.
ference, and the remarkable fact that the
head Of the strike could not remember the
grievances, is even surpassed by the fur
Their fact, stated by Mr.. Irons, that he
had never presented any grievances to
Mr.. Hoxie and that the only time when
he presented any to Mr.. Kerrigan, the
superintendent, the latter discharged the
railway official against whom the com.
plant was made. The question was put
10 Mr.. Irons, $50 that in the only case
you have ever been TO Mr.. Kerrigan you
got your point2" and the answer was,
"Yes." Further testimony On the matter
OF grievances reveals the following sur.
prising fact:
@, Did you have a batch Of grievances
sent to you to submit to General Hoxie?
A. Yes, I have had over a hundred.
@. In what form2 A. knights who are
dissatisfied have 10 reduce their com.
plants to writing and hand them into the
local assemblies. They are then exam.
ined and endorsed, and then sent on to
me to submit.
@. Have you submitted them? A. MOL
q. How Is that2 A. Ihdre not had time.
q. SO, because you had other things to
attend to, this batch OF grievances, Of
which we have heard so much, really
never reached the hands OF the railroad
officials? A. That 1So.
Q, How then can you possibly blame
the company Tor not going into themP No
answer.
1t will be startling to the Knights OF
Labor 10 learn that q strike was ordered,
which threw thousands OF men out Of EN-.
ployment and arrested business in four
States, without ever presenting the gtiev.
anCes TO the employers and asking for re-.
dress. How that could be done under the
constitution Of that body Is perhaps ex.
planned by the following revelation Of Mr..
Irons manner OF studying the principles
which are inCulCated by the order:
Q, Have you read Mr.. Powderly's CirCu.
lars called "seCret7" A. Have | read
them2 Well, l suppose l have.
q. Carefully K. Not carefully.
9. Do YOU approve the principles in
| n IfnasAll-D Will ,..Gk a,.-I