New-York tribune., 1886-04-21
MR.. POWDERLY TESTIFIES.
THE HOUSE COMMITTEE BEGINS IT'S WORK
INVESTIGATING TIE STRIKE IN TIE WEST TIM
KNIGHTS OF LABOR ORGANIZATION.
my TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE

WASHINGTON, April 2O.-Thc House COM
mitce Investigate the strike on tho Western railroads
was indebted to-day TO the hospitality OF a millionaire
capitalist Congressman ArnOt OF Elmra for the use OF
In which 10 SIT The room OF the Committee Oh
Foreign Affairs had been assigned for the PURPOSE but
the feeling. OF Chairman Curtin is understood wonid
not permit him 10 accept temporarily. and as IaVo'
quarters he believes beong TO him permanently
and matter OF Tight rather than TO feIry he'no""
In attendance before the committee were McssTS row.
derry. Hayes. Mcdowell and Turner, representing tHe
Knights OF Labor General Wager swsyne, representing
the railroad conpanies besides representatives or the
women's Labor League and others. MT fowderS
manner testimony both produced favoraDie mpfes
Don upon the committee, member or wh1oh privately
remarked that seemed to be much more conservative
ana sensible than OF tho professional aDorng men
In Copgrcss who work tho hardest with thcir vocal
orraps Mr. Powderly promised TO bring his papers v
before the tomorrow to prove the existence
OF facts mentioned by him.
Mr.. Powderlys testimony in the main was as follows
The Charman-You understand that this committee IS
fed tho House OF Representatives for the purpose
possible of getting the reasons for the unrest
and disturbance which now exist In the country ah9
especially as the conflicts between labor and capita
and between the employer and employed. What' In
your judgment and opinion. is the cause OF the ais
turbances existing in the localities referred to IN the
resolution
Mr. Powderiy-rho men who are now engaged in tho
dricaities In the West drawn up bill OF griev-
apcrs and have presented 1t to the manager OF the
Missouri Pacific road at 81. Louis. That bill OF
grievances presents the views OF the laborins men,
1t has been stated that the cause OF inc
presout strike the lines OF the MissoHri
Pacific Railroad Company was the discharge OF a mah
named Hall from the employment of the Texas Pacihc
Railroad Company, and II has been stated that iinne-
Ola ely following his discharge and refusal to reinssae
him. the employees OF all the other railroads STRUCK This
the employees OF the railroad system, known
a. the Could system claim to be nnrue. They say that
the discharge Of Hall Oneand only one, OF the many
of the action taken ty them Here Is mo ohei~i
statement. drawn up by cOGmittee o: District As
senbrs M. lOl aud No IS OF tho Knights OF LABOR
and WIFI youf permission will road Il.
The Cnairman.-What knowledge have you as TO the
truth OF tbs facts stated in that paper other than the
stat, meat itself 7
Mr. P,weerly-I have never given the matter my per-
sopa. attention. When first brought 10 my notice
l was nsa;od with the General Executive Board at
Philadelphia, whore holding session. saw
through the papers that there was strike on tho
Texas Pacific Railroad AMI lha; strike on the Missouri
Pacific road had followed but heard nothing from our
mel there and heard nothing official the snhec until
i received dispatch from the vcepresident OF the
Missouri Pacific Mr. Hopkins OF New York, asking some
questions. Immediately following that we teiegraphed
tho West for particulars of the strike and we received
OIL answer somewhat similar to the statement which
have read just now.
The ciairinan-From whom did you receive that
answer
air. Powderly-wc tclcsrIphed to a man whose name
Isaw tho papers Martin Irons, but tho dispatch in
reply came from another man. named Page. Then some
mortgage hon1holders OF she Texas Pacific Railroad
came to SEQ and asked II we could no. 90
something to end tho strike. Wc then tele-
craphed TO Receiver Brown OF th.t road, but
falling in reaching settlement | went West.
There | met with committees OF the wOrkingmen. in
Guiding employed on the Union Pacific Railroad and
on the several constituting the Gond system and
t,ap@ al
in the bl OF grievances which have JUST read Then
teegraphed Mr. Hoxe asking for interview for the
purpose II cndeayOrns to some terms OF settle
Dent. He refused 10 meet me in my official capacity.
but SAID he would meet "A citizen. had no an
hority eitz,n in the matter ana. OF course,
/ did not meet with hm. l came back East and few
days after that c,no NcwYork. While was In tho
West heard from the men OF little abuses which do
not think the manager OF the Missouri Pacific knows
ANYTHING about Along the Iron Mountain Railroad they
have system OF taking % cents month from the wages
Of Il who receives dollar a day and so cents
from the WAGES Of q man who receives s. day. and so
on in proportion for what they call hospital fund
Then the claim that soon as they are taken sick
they discharged and denied the right OF entering
the hospital There instances which can be proved
where men have maIc to buy land from the
company regular yearly instament and wnerc. hav-
all hut the last stancnt, they were discharged
from the empoyme OF the company. In that section Of
the country is different from the East, Men cannot
quence that In at least particular case the
man obliged to idle long that he lost his
property The claim that there several instances
Of that kad
The Chairman-Can you have witnesses called before
the committee to show these factsi
Mr.. POwderly-Undoubtedly, II l am correctly In
formed.
The ChalrmanWill you state the purposes OF the or
gaazatiop OF the knights of Labor-whether its pur
poses tae protection Of the interests of labor and
whether it ia peaceful IN all It's action
Mr.. Powcerly-rhe aim OF the organization OF the
knights OF Labor benefit the laDorer and
better feeling between him and his employer All our
methods peaceful. We counsel anything OF
violent nature member OF the organization may. once
in a while, comn, acts OF violence. We canuot nep
that. Its matter beyond control; because. when
feel that they have endured wrong there is no law
which can properly restrain them
The Chairnan-In your letter to you spoke Of diff
culties respect receivershps OF the railroad
Mr.. Po wderly-Yes. When railroad companydoes not
pay when IL gets into the hands or receiver II we
ASK for the redress Of grievances wrongs
fered the court but when there s another matter to
rectcd the receiver can do 30 without applying to
The Chairman-I regret that the resolution under
which the committee is ac'ing confue:its examination
TO certain localities because should like TO have had
your knowledge Of the condition of the miners IN Penn
Mr. Powderly-Does not the resolution take in Penn
The Chairman-No; 1t doe. not My original resolu
ton did and before we eej through with this invest
Matter.
Mr. Powderly-The committee should certainly 60 into
the region OF at least into the btu
lninous region.
The Chairman-I hope before the committee gets
through powers will be enlarged as TO look
into lha, matter. was very anxious that you should
what have stated about the Knights OF Labor
Mr. Powderly-H you discover that members OF the
Knights Of La6ors along the railroads have violated the
land its own laws land the committee will
discover fac will he ready to assist III punish
ing them are In uphOlding their rights.
Mr.. Buchanan-YOur public utcrances have shown !
that
Mr.. Powderly-I have been somewhat misunderstood.
When Isaid willing 20 expose everything IN con
pecton the organization, II those who manage the
railroads IL one man in particular would do the same
thing spoke fairly and truthfuy. have no objection
ng up everything connected with the orgaDlza-
tion secret signs passwords and everything else
am willing 10 lay everything boi0re the e0lnmltee ana