St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-20
Vice President Hoxie Writes the Master
Workman That He Will Not Meet
the Knights,
But Asserts His Willingness to Arrange
Differences With Employees as
Individuals.
The Governors of Missouri ana nan
sas Doing Their Utmost TO Emu
the strike.
They VIII Go TO ST. Louis Win
Proposition from the striking
Shopmen.
Will Not Confer With knights,


ST. LOUIS. Mo-, March 19.-The follow
ing reply of Vice President Hoxie to the
reouest of Master Workman Powderly for a
conference was telegraphed to that gentle
man late this afternoon:
l have Just received your telegram of the
18th inst, asking if l will meet yourself and
committee to arrange settlement of the pend
ing difficulties. AS this company has now
contracts and agreements with various labor
unions and organizations and is not unwilling
TO continue TO make such agreements as cir
cumstances may require with such unions
and organizations of its employees as have
shown disposition TO carry out in good
faith their undertakings, and IL has had IN
the past contracts with your organization,
and its representatives have heretofore had
conferences with yourself and other members
OF your executive committee, IL Is but just
and courteous that l should give you the
reasons for this COMPANY now declining to
meet yourself and your executive committee
which it would have done before tins strike
was iuaugurated. The usual object of such
meetings between railway companies, through
their representatives and committees OF their
employees. is either
DISCUSS SUCH DIFFERENCES
as may have arisen, in order that an under
standing may be reached of the rights and
relations existing between them, and such
mutual concession made as will avoid strikes
and the losses resulting therefrom; or, on the
other hand, TO settle and compromise such
differences between the parties, after the
grievances of the employees have been pre-
sented and redress refused. and after resort
has actually been had to Il strike as the only
remedy. In the present case neither or the
above reasons for conference exists, Dut
the anomaly is presented of strike which Is
without a redreSSable grievance, Whlch was
entered upon without notice TO the company,
and which has resulted i'll the WantOn ana
destruction %
property by violence and incendtariSm. ana
by the almost total stOppage OF business by
threats, intimidation and force. a review or
the history of the past year Is essential 10
full understanding of the present condition.
The differences between this company and its
employees, resulting in the strike OF March,
1885 were settled by the voluntary interces-
sion of the executives and officers OF the
states of Kansas and Missouri, and not with
your organization.
TIE AGREEMENTS
subsequently entered into with the commit
tees of your organization have been faith
fully carried out by this company. Minor
grievances under these arrangements have
been presented, considered by the manage
ment and adjusted in u manner apparently
satisfactory to the petitioners, and for the
sake of peace and harmony this company has
repeatedly, on the demands Of your organ
iZatOn. made changes in its stan by the re-
moval of officials entirely satisfactory to the
members. In the meeting with you OF last
August in New York. your committee then
stated that no grievances or complaints eX-
listed against the Missouri Pacific railway on
the part of your organization through non
compliance with the contracts then existing,
but that it was necessary TO utilize your Or
ganiZation upon the Missouri Pacific to force
an adjustment of the difficulties then pending
with another corporation. Similar action
has been taken by your organization IN three
instances within the last eight months:
Frst-In threatening that the members oi
your organization upon the Missouri Pacific
railway would strike if it continued exchange
business with the Wabash roads.
THE STRIKE FORCED.
Second-When the members of your organ
zation compelled strike of portion of the
employees OF this company in carrying out
your boycott against the Mallory line at Gal
TestOn, Tex
Third-In the present instance, when the
existing strike was forced upon this company
Dy the discharge of one c.. a. Hall by the re
,eiver of the Texas Pacific railway, road il
.he hands of the United States court, and IL
the management of which this company has
40 voice or control, fact which your organ
zaton fully recognized when your commit
zee made application 10 the receiver OF thai
.oad for the reinstatement of said employe
Instances might be cited where endeavors
lave been made to use this company fol
The purpose of bo, cotting individuals
who had incurred the dspleas
are of your organization. AL
especially aggravated case of failure OF youl
organization to carry out its agreements wa!
that of the workneu at the Palestine shops
who on the last day of February stopped worl
on account Of an alleged greivaece, whicl
was thereupOn adjusted in manper to thei
entire satisfaction, so that they resumed
work with the agreement to continue unde
the concessions made by the company, bu
within two days thereafter again left thei
work OF q demand of your organization in or
deIlng the present strike. and Without an.
grievance whatever against this company
These continued stoppages of the work o
this company without cause have
BECOME so FREQUENT
that, believing the future Will be Bs unsettle
as the past, il cannot consent 10 render tn
agreement voluntarily and arbitrarily abrC
gated by your organization and no longe
submit to il in the management or our ouSl
ness. This company, through its represents
tives, is, and always has been, willing to NEE
the public through committees or lndlvldual
On matters of public concern and IL youl
self or other intelligent citizens can sugges
practicable methods whereby the present sl
uation can be changed and tralIc permi
nently resumed this company will be please
TO meet yourself or them as citizens, but nc
as representatives Of your organization, l
discuss pending difficulties or any other maj
ters OF public interest. In conclusion l d'
sire emphatically to state that the respons
bility for continuance of the present III
justitiable strike will not rest with the mar
agement of this company, but, inasmuch q
your organization has committed the error @
striking first and endeavoring to negotiat
afterwards, it has power to and should en-
the present troubles by permitting such c
our former employs and others as desire I
work 10 do so without fear Of threats and in
timdation, leaving this company free to n
sume its operations and adjust with its en-
ployes, as it is at all times ready and willin
TO adjust any grievances it may have.
II. NJ. HOxIE,
First Vice President Missouri Pacific.
POW DERLY,S REPLY.