The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-03-27
WaerLINa, WI w, nANou -, lssO.
The railroad Troublesome serious ais

tRkeB'
Grand Master Workman PowdeIly, Of
the Knights fol Labor, does not favor
strikes. He said recently that he had
never ordered one, and had generally
been able to settle labor difficulties. Now
he adds this, at once prophecy and an
assurance;
The time Is not far distant when astrike
NJ aDy magnitude will be- impossible in
this country, and the Knights OF Labor
will be Instrumental in bringing about
such a condition Of adairs'
Mr., Powderly has said also that the
present strike Of the railroad men is
mistake, Mr.. P. NJ, Arthur, Chief OF the
brotherhood OF Locomotive GOgineers, a
strong and wisely directed organization
speaks in the same veins
/ am hopeful that we shall be able to
bava this matter amicably adjusted, | be-
lieye in moral suNston IN these tnlngs' Rn1
mutual concessions. believe IN lalr ana
gouRre treatment throughout IN confer
ences leading to tho adjustment Of LABOR
difficulties, Such policy has enabled ls
10 settle all the trouble that, has been In
brotherhood during the last nine years.
What do Iatllnk OF the trouble on the
Gould road? l think it will be- settled
The men are In the wrong, and they will
reach that conclusion in 9 lev days, Then
they will go back to work.
II Mr.. Powdtrly and those who think
with him shall be able to restrain the hot
heads cf the order, the Knights OF Labor
willroot themselves SO strong in the pub
lie favor that nothing can shake them.
They are passing througlra crisip, and ii
is with Themselves totay whether they
will come out weaker or stronger. For
the Benefit, NOT only of labor hut Of the
whOletoun4y, whose Interests cannot be
divided, II Is muclto be hoped that mis-
takes may beSpeedily repaired, and wis
dom and iorbearance secure for labor
tlat which hot impulse and violence only
put farther %.
No discussion Of this question is fair
whlchdoes not arlalgu the, managers oil
the Gould system AT the bar Of public
opinion for their treatment Of their Sec
ton hands and bridgsmen. 10 work
men for Sl6 a month, stringing them out
along the line 80 that they lose time by
travel, cannot live at home and must pny
out $l6 a month for board, may Impress MIR.
Gould and Ids wsll,isd associates as being
mere matter Of business. 1t will i'm.
press the word as beingcoldly, ,nOrcilcs0ly,
inhuman.
1.-THE men don't.like this they arc not
Obliged to keep their jobs. This is quite
true; but We may be sure that they have
not liked 1t 80 well that they would not
have gone elsewhere II they could have
done better. But this is a time Of depres.
sion, and in such a time II Is not easy for
men who make dollar month above
their board 10 shit their base'ot opera
tions. sa
After It Ia admitted that thereis no law,
except that Of stern. inexorable necessity,
to compel thor to remain iu the ser.
vice Of genteel cut.puraeg, and no law but
that Of decency and humanity and public
opinion 10 force the Gould managers to
be iair-alter all this 10 admitted, because
IT cannot be denied, the mean advantage
taken Of the mon stands in bold relief as
an act Of reSolting cruelty. The railroad
that cannotbgopersted except at this ter
rible cost is disturber Of the peace and q
public enemy.
Another fact on the game eide, become.
ing more obvious every day, Is that Vice
President Hoxie Numbered when he re.
fused to confer with Mr.. Powderly in the
latter's capacity Of representative Of the
Knights Of Labor. nisroad has the right
SO to refuse, but men,9t 10 have the man
asement OF such a properly ought to know
that organized labor 10 a fixed fact; that
they cannot help recognizing it; that they
cannot iorceitto diSband; and that they
have SmoStto gain BY being on friendly
terms whit NJ
we think II clear that the strike was
mistake and all the violence that
has followed IL q disregard Of private and
public rights. Nj. Hoxie's refusal to
meet in conference with the head Of the
Knights of1abor has not improvedthe
atuslon in any way, but has probably
prolonged and agprayatedit. The offer TO
meet Mr.. poWderly as Mr.. Powderly, not
inhlstepressntatiye capacity, was pusrile;
for that stripped Mr.. Powderly Of the very
Quality which made him different from
any other man, and so took from him the
opportunity to be Of any service.
II these two men had met, disposed 10
do what was right and fair, each backed
by tho power to give effect to an agree
ment, we are forced to believe that the
difficulty could have been settled, the
freis tut blockade raised and peace restored.
Mr.. Hoxie's mistaken view has not help.
ed his,CompSny or promoted the public
welfare.
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