The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-04-22
Thu KNIGHTS OR LABOR.
THE AIMS AND OBJECTS OF TIL {
ORGANIZATION
Further Explained TO the House In
vestigating COmmittee-Testi-
mOny Of Witnesses.

w AHHlNGtONt hDAAA AhN HGI-
ond session Of the Labor Investigating
Committee was held in the room OF
the House Committee on Elections, a
larse airy apartment, which was
crowded 81 its utmost capacity by
newspaper men, persous directly in
terested in the inquiry, aud spectators
attracted there by feeling OF curios-
ity. The hour Of meeting was fixed at
1880 O'Clock, but it was nearly an
hour later when the committee was
called 10 order.
Mr.. Mcdowell, a rather understood
man, with high forehead crowned
with suit OF dark hair, and looking
about the age which he gave, thirty
eight, Has sworn and examined. He
stated that he was manufacturer OF
machinery. He was member OF the
Knights Of Labor, but held no official
position.
The Without divulging
any OF your secrets, will you please
state wba, are the objects OF tAat OF
ganizatiou
Witness-To elevate the members
by helping them to educate them
selves; by helping them to save that
which an average workman has wasted
through bad habits; 10 lift him from
the condition through which he has
fallen through su n habits, and make
him thereafter an employer instead Of
an employee; TO 80 educate him by
comparison Of ideas and by discussing
questions that help to educate, that he
is able to deal with and grasp the sub
jects which affect not only himself,
but his employer; that he msy be-
come better workman, command bet
ter wages, and by cooperating with
his employer help him to such profits
that he will be able to pay better
wages.
The Chairman-Are tn re any in
functions on the knights Of Labor |
under which the public could not |
know all that you have stated2
The witness do not understand |
that there is anything in the rules oil |
the organization which prohibit any
member from telling Just the facts
that have been brought out by your
question,
"A response TO question by Mr..
Grain the witness made q statement
GOVERN. All the detais Of the attempt
70 arbItrAte belween the Zig, sints Of
Labor, represented by Mr.. Powderly,
and the Missouri Pacific, represented
by Mr.. Gou'd, He read the letters
which passed between those gentle.
men on March ~ and which have |
already been published.
The witness not having a copy OF |
one OF the letters Gen. Swayne rose
and said, that as counsel for the rail-
road company, he would be glad to
supply the copy.
Mr.. Buchanan said that while he
did not object TO the admission of
papers in the possession OF anybody,
he did not wish ii to be understood
that the committee had taken any
action in regard to parties being pres
ent by counsel.
The Cbairmau-We have no coun-
sci here.
Gen. Swsyne apologized for having
addressed the committee in the Capac-
ity of counsel he thought it was an
understood thing that counsel was in
attendance. The witness then pro-
ceeded with his statement.
After delivering Mr.. Powderly's
second letter 10 Mr.. Gould he saw Mr..
Gould personally, and that gentleman
expressed desire to see Mr.. Powder
ly and himself on the following day.
They met Mr.. Gould on the following
day. Mr., Hopkins joined in the in
terview. Mr.. Gould expressed him
self so strongly in favor Of arbitrating
the differences that it seemed, to wit.
ness, that an agreement was sure TO be
reached. They met again in the even
ing, and Mr.. Gould produced and read
to Mr.. Powderly, as result Of the
morning conversation, telegram he
proposed to send to Mr.. Hoxie. Mr..
Gould read the telegram down to the
words ave see no objection to arbi-
trating any difficulties between the
employees and the company past or
future" and then asked Mr.. Powderly
hit was satisfactory, 80 far" Mr., !
Powderly answered. Mr.. Gould said:
'Then let it end there" The witness
suggested that Mr.. Gould should put
the telegram into the form OF a letter
to Mr.. Powderly, aud Mr.. Powderly
agreed that II the General Executive
Board approved Of the rest of the let.
ter the men would be ordered back to
work. After Mr.. Powderly left Mr..
Gould placed the letter in wit
ness's hand with the understanding
that II the order 90 to work was
issued the order and the letter
were to be given 10 the press that
night. Toward the end of the inter-
view Mr.. Gould received telegram
which seemed to disturb him aud said |
there WAS something wrong in st. |
Louis. The witness said: Don't at !
this stage split hairs. Tell Mr.. Hoxie
in taking the men back to ", rk ID
that end" Mr.Gould wished TO see Mr.. |
Powderly, but that gentleman could
not go, and witness aud Mr.. Turner
went to see MIR. Gould with the ques.
ton from Powderly: do | under
stand from your personal letter OF this
date that your company refuses arbi.
tration and must / so telegraph TO
Martin IIonsP" Mr.. Gould was not
in and Mr.. Hopkins answered by say
ing: "No; we do not He is not 80
to underst md that letter"
Mr.. Buchanan inquired whether in
TACT an order for the men to go to I
work had been issued by the Execu-
tive Board as a result oil the negotia-
tons and correspondence.
Witness replied that such an order
had been issued on the evening of
March 28th. The order was predi-
Gated, he said, on the correspondence
and on the understanding that an
actual tolution had been arrived at.
1t was not until noon Of the next day
that any suggestion Of misunder-
standing had reached him. The ulti-
mate result was that three members of
the Executive Board went to 81. Louis.
Mr.. Hays could not tell the committee
what took place there. Witness was
not present. Another attempt was
made at New York, through Cyrus w.
Field,to bring about conclusion, but
it failed.
Mr.. Burns-Have you sufficient evil
dence to enable you to state that the
men on strike at st. Louis would have
promptly obeyed the order to resume
work il Mr.. Hoxie had complied with