St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-09-17
NAILED TO THE CROSS,
Knights of Labor Pledged to Compass the
Defeat of Gilfllan and Strait at
the Polls
These Two Congressman the Untiring
Opponents of Desired Labor
Legislation.
A Secret Circular Which Shows up
Their Records and VIII Wind
up Their Careers.
Knights of Labor Urged to Defeat
Gilfillan in the Fourth District
of Minnesota.
After cilfillan and strait.


headquarters to every assembly OF Knights
Of Labor. giving the report of the special
committee on legislation. and urging the
knights to compass the defeat, at the polls,
of John B. Gilfillan. the Republican candi-
date for congress from this district. If
Maj. Horace B. Strait should seek an office,
the same treatment is urged for him. Mr..
Gillian was posed, by his admirers, a
short time since. as the friend of labor, u
but the circular will open the eyes of the
people and will result in the easy defeat of
the icicle, in November. if the Democrats
nominate candidate to whom labor may
safely turn.
Messrs Ralph Beaumont and John Nc
CARNEY. the members of the Legislative
committee, were appointed at the last gen.
eral assembly of the Knights Of Labor, at
Cleveland. The committee went to Wash
ington. backed by petitions containing over
300 600 signatures. obtained within sixty
hours, ''such flood of petitions as never
was known in the history of the American
congress-" Part OF the legislation desired
was expressed in the following. adopted at
the Cleveland assembly:
Resolved, That the general assembly of tie
Knights OF Labor extend fiaternal greeting
to the Settlers union of Northwestern Iowa.
and we pledge our influence and aid in sup
port OF their efforts to hold their homes
against the encroachments of the corpora
tions which unjustly claim them.
Your committee. the report proceeds,
found that Representatives John B. Giltill-
an and Horace B. Strait. of Minnesota,
were opposing the bill for the relief of these
settlers.
CALLING HIM DOWN.
The committee thereupon wrote to Mr..
Gillian as follows:
Rooms of the National Legislative Commit
tee K. of L., 205 Pennsylvania avenue. Wash
ngton, D. c., June 80, 1886. Hon, John B.
Gillian. Dear Sir: Enclosed you will find a
copy of resolution passed by the general
assembly of the Knights of Labor in special
session at Cleveland, on the 25th of May, 1885.
in regard to the Northwestern Settlers union,
of Iowa. in relation to the Sioux City st.
Paul railroad unearned land grants. This
committee is informed that you are opposing
the passage of the senate bill FORGETTING these
lands. The committee is at a loss to under
stand why you are pursuing this course. You
would confer favor on this committee by
giving it your reasons in brief. We remain
yours respectfully,
RALPH BEAUMONT, Chairman.
JOHN j. MCCARTNEY, Secretary.
ceived:
HE BEGs THE QUESTION.
Washington, d. c.. July l, 1SS6.-Ralph
Beaumont, Chairman. and John J. Mccartney,
Secretary. Gentlemen: Your favor of yes
terday is at hand. in which you say that you
are informed that l am opposing the passage
of the senate bill for FORGETTING the unearned
land of the Sioux City & st. Paul railroad. and
requesting my reasons therefor, In answer
l will say that 1 am not opposing the forfeit
ure of the unearned lands, but of the earned
lands, which belong to some of my conStitu-
ents, and the reasons therefore will be appar-
ent to any one who believes in the doctrine
that to each belongs his own. l trust that it
requires no argument TO establish the justice
of such course. Very truly yours,
j. b. GILFILLAN.
WILL APPEAL TO THE PEOPLE.
The committee returned the following
reply:
Rooms of the National Legislative Commit
tee. K. of L., Washington, ID. c., July 2 1885.
Hon. John B. Gilflan. Dear Sir: Yours of
July l. in answer to ours of June 30. is at
hand, and in reply would say that your quota
ton, That TO each belongs his own,'' is not
applicable to this case. The question as to
who owns this land is the one in dispute, and,
like all other cases of this character, when
left TO two contending parties, bad blood is
the peace; and, in order to avoid that, the
constituents that we represent ask the pass
age of law which will enable the question in
dispute to be settled by the courts OF the land.
To this the Sioux City & st. Paul employees,
your constituents, demur. Under these Cir
cumstances this committee does not see the
consistency of the following language, viz:
And the reason therefor will be apparent to
any one who believes in the doctrine that to
each belongs mis- own In your letter to this
committee it would seem that the position
that you and your constituents assume in re-
tusing to submit the case is not consistent
with the spirit of honesty and fair dealing.
If at the bar of the present congress our con-
stituents fail to have hearing in just re-
quest, they will then have to appeal to that
higher body that makes congress-the people.
We remain yours, respectfully.
RALPH BEAUMONT, Chairman.
JOHN MCCARTNEY, Secretary.
To this letter your committee received no
reply. This bill had passed the senate. and
your committee is of the opinion that it
would have been called up ami passed by
the house but for the opposition of Mr..
Gilillan.
GILFILLAN's RECORD
is thus shown in his votes on various mat
tiers of legislation requested in behalf of
labor. On house bill, 1887, repeating
timber culture. presumption and desert land
act, which had the support and Endorsement
of the committee. Mr.. Gillian failed to
vote. On house bill 1921, for the readjust-
ment of railroad and other land grants,
which was in the memorial of the commit
tee. Mr.. Gillian took the same course and
did not vote. On the bill to forfeit certain
Northern Pacific lands. increasing the for
fixture from 5000 600 to IS. 600. 900 acres,
Mr.. Gillian voted no. The Knights If
Labor assembly at Cleveland adopted the
following resolution:
Resolved. That the surplus money now held
in the treasury of the United States be paid
out at the rate of not less than $4,000, 900 per
month for the redemption of government
bonds now outstanding.
The resolution, says the report, was bit
terly opposed by the Republican leaders of
the house, Messrs. Reed, Hiscock, Butter
worth and several Others, and was cham
pioned by the Democratic leaders, Nj essrs
Randall. Morrison, Warner and others.
ftar a two 0aVS' dphatp on q motion tn