The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-02
AT ST. LOUIS.

Strikers, and the Strike Continues.
ST. LOUIS, April CONTRARY to the general
expectation that the executive committee of Dis
trict Assembly 101 would designate the hour of
10 o'clock this morning as the time when the
striking Knights OF Labor should return to
work, no order to that effect was issued at 10
o'clock, and the strike still continues. None of
the strikers have applied this morning to the
Missouri Pacific officials for work, and they say
that they will not do so until ordered by their
executive committee.
The executive committee of Local Assembly
No $3.50, the members Of which include the MIS-
souri, Pacific shopmen and mechanics, appointed
committee to call upon Master Mechanic Bart
lett to ascertain what men he would re-employ.
The committee has not yet had conference with
Mr. Bartlett, and neither the demands of the
committee nor the plans Of Mr.. Bartlett are
officially known. A member of the committee
however, said this morning that they would de-
mand that all the mer, without exception, who
struck, shall be re- employed. Mr.. Bartlett was
seen, and, in reply to All inquiry as to what men
he would take back, replied that he would. exer-
else his own Judgment in that matter:
that none Of those who had de-
stroyed the companys property would be
re-employed, and that the number whom he
should take back would be determined by the
number of men actually needed, which was to
say that competent men who had been engaged
during the strike would not DO discharged to
make room for strikers The final settlement
therefore. of the strike on the Missouri Pacific
railroad seems as far away as ever, for the ex-
ecutive committee of District Assembly No. 101
have determined to appoint no arbitration COM
mittee to confer with Mr.. Hoxie until all the
former employees of the road shall be taken back.
Itnow developes that under instructions from
the executive board of Districts 101, SO and II a
committee from Local Assembly $3.50 waited upon
Master Mechanic Bartlett last evening, at the
Missouri Pacific shops, and rendered the services
of the old shop employees. The men. they said,
were ready to 60 to work this morning. and they
desired to find out il they all would be taken
back, and a list of fifty-two names was handed
Mr. Bartlett who, after scanning it, checked off
seventeen of them as the names of men whom
he would employ. The others, he said, he would
not take back. Attempts of a similar nature
were made by committees of the strikers at
prominent points all over the Gould system. In
the committees received the same replies
to their offers on the part Of the
strikers to return to work The railroad
officials stated it is claimed, that they did not
require the services Of all their old employees;
that they would not take them all back. aud that
they would use their own discretion in selecting
the men that they wanted. The ratio of the
men that the company Is willing to take back,
to the number that are strike, was, the execu-
tive board said about the same all over the sys-
tem-seventeen out of fifty, or thereabouts
Reports of these committees, received by tele-
graph, determined the executive board to issue
their address this afternoon to continue the
strike until the road consents to take back all of
the strikers The members of the board want it
distinctly understood that the Knights of Labor
will all hang together; that one will not return
to work without the Others and that the men
who came out through sympathy with the mem
ported before the strikers in whose interest they
| went out will consent to a settlement.
The executive committee this afternoon is
sued the following address:
ITO the Public:
| las showing the sincerity of the railroad
managers in their treatment of the Knights OF
Labor, we respectfully state that, pursuant to
the order of our general executive board, we
this day sent committees to the managers of the
several railroads, offering to return tine men to
work, and In no instance would they
be received or treated with, each official
in turn either refusing them a
hearing or evading them with specious subter-
fuges for direct answers, or refusing them en-
ployment Mr.. Hoxie has agreed to receive a
committee of employees to adjust any grievances
which may exist. He refuses personally, and
through his subordinares. to recognize any of US
oh
he calls employees In Short after himself and Mr..
Gould have conveyed the impression to the world
that they willing to settle, they refuse to set
tie. Now, we appeal to candid and suffering
public, on whom is falling all the weight of this
great conflict, II we have not been deceived
enough How much is long suffering labor to
bearf This great strike never would have been
had Mr. Hoxie condescended, months ago, to
hear our complaints.
1--WE do not claim to be more than human
| 1t should not be expected of us to be more than
human. In this country position makes no man
| king slave, and imperious refusal the part
of one citizen to confer with other citizens with
| whom he may have business connections, when
| such refusal begets great business and social
revolution. is not only mistake, but crime
| against the public. Mr. Gould is invoking the
law against little criminals who are made des-
perate by his policy of duplicity aud oppression,
| and yet a terrorized public does not invoke the
| law against the arch-criminal Of the land. If
we cannot be allowed to return to work, the
strike must go on. By order OF
| "ExECuTIvE BOARDS d. A. l01, 93 H."
! Chairman Martin Irons, A. G. Coughlan. and
other members of the executive committee.
when asked for further information regarding
| the effect of their appeal upon the situation,
| and whether not the number of mon already
| out would be increased by another call OF the
| Joint executive board, refused positively to dis
| cuss the subject. AS one of the committeeman
said: I'VE have large army at our comm and,
and deperate fight ahead of US. therefore We
do not propose to expose our plans until they
| have been perfected"
| Nothing could be learned MP to q late hour to-
night. as to what. II any further action has been
taken by the joint executive commit