Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-03-20
WHAT CAUSED THE STRIKE.
A Statement of the Missouri and Texa
Pacific Railroad Trouble and What Caus
Cd -

I SAAA$
A Statement of the Missouri and Texa
Pacific Railroad Trouble and What Caus
| ed it.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, March "a very Ion,
statement, containing all the material fact
in connection with the strike on the Texas
Pacific railway, made by Ex-Governor JohI
.. Brown, received of that road, has bee,
received here.
The essential parts of the statement, afte
stating the fact of the appointment of re-
ceivers for the road by Judge Pardee of tn,
United States Circuit court, on the 10th O.
December last, are as follows:
About the 18th of December Receiver
Brown went to Marshall, Tex, to supervise
the transfer of the property and to arrang,
TOR paying the rolls due the employees fol
the previous month. On reaching the shop.
ne was waited upon by three gentlemen rep
resentlng themselves as committee of thu
employees of the shops, and asked if the re-
ceivers would confirm and ratify an agree
ment made in March, 1885, with the Their
management of the Missouri Pacific system
defining the relation of the management
and the employees.
| & Receiver Brown replied that he and his as.
soclate had had been appointed by the court
to control and operate the properties under
the court, to be from time to time modified
that the railroad and its properties were
then in the hands of the United States cir
cult court; that the receivers were mere
agents or officers of the court; that no con-
tract or agreement could be made by the re-
ceivers without the authority or sanction of
the court; but that the receivers would deal
with the operatives in spirit of the utmost
frankness, fairness, and the same rate of
wages would be paid to them as prior there
to, and as promptly as they were paid by the
former management.
the committee thanked him and with
drew. The rolls were paid Immediately.
No complaint was made to either one of the
receivers until receiver Brown on his re-
turn to Texas in January received COM
liam Moore, chairman, and others, signed
as committee, which again drew his atten-
ton to the agreement, copy of which was
enclosed; also code of regulations, which
they expressed an earnest wish that he would
endorse, and which is as follows:
MARSHALL, Tex, Jan. 26, 1886.
With desire to have harmonious relations
between the Texas Il Pacific railway COM
pany and the Knights of Labor of said road,
we would respectfully request that the fol-
lowing agreement be thus entered into:
tirst-That there be no reduction in the
rate of wages of employees on the road unless
it be decided by an arbitration committee
appointed. The railroad company to ap
point three and the Knights of Labor three.
Secondhand all rolling stock of this COM
pany be repaired on its road, and all foreign
rolling stock injured on this road be repaired
at the company's shops.
Third-That no employe be discharged
without just cause, said employe having
thinks he was unjustly discharged.
Sy@E
expenses, the men should be consulted as to
whether it shall be a reduction of hours or
eductiOn of men.
Seventh-That should any matter come up
between the employees and the company it
shall be decided by an arbitration committee
of six, appointed: three from the company
and three from the Knights of Labor, and
the company and the Knights of Labor
agree to abide by their decision.
Receiver Brown replied to this substan-
TALLY as he had verbally replied to the other
committee, adding, however, that the con-
tracts made by the company are not binding
upon rs, nor can we make new contracts, ex-
cept under the advice and direction or the
court. Mr.. Brown then proceeded to give
the reasons why the receivers could not make
the proposed agreement. The leading rea-
sons may be thus briefly stated:
Flrst-The power and authority conferred
control the property, would by that agree
ment, in many essential and vital respects,
be delegated to the Knights of Labor.
Second-That it proposed to deprive the
receivers of the right to control and operate
the property under the we'll defined rules of
law and common sense.
Third-It creates board of arbitration
on all questions of reduction of wages which
would never agree, and thus make it impos-
sible to reduce expenses, no matter what the
financial emergency might be.
Fourth-It forbids the receivers having
their own rolling stock repaired or the roll
ing stock of any other line injured on the re-
celvers line repaired in other shops, no mat
ter how badly or negigenly the work may
be done by the employees. They are forbid
den to discharge, Notwithstanding they may
be unable to operate their own lines because
their own employees will not make the nee
essary repairs. In other words, the receiv-
ers would surrender their unquestioned
right as well rs duty to maintain their roll
ing stock to a standard equal to the demands
of business.
Fifth-The receivers are required to make
all promotions from the ranks regardless of
the question of fitness or merit.
Sixth-Although more than fifty per cent.
of the employees of the Texas & Pacific rail-
way are not Knights of Labor, no method is
proposed for their protection, nor have they
reported any grievance or proposed any
agreement or guarantee.
The refusal of the receivers to sign the
foregoing agreement is the sole cause of the
strike, and any other allegation of cause is
an afterthought, or certainly the grievances
would have been proposed to the receivers.
Since the appointment of the receivers the
wages Of the men have not been reduced.
No employee has, so far as the receivers
know or believe, asked for his wages to be
increased, CT his hours of work diminished.
In fact, no employe has to their knowledge,
referred any grievance of any character or
description to the receiver, directly or indi-
rectl !.