Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-04-20
KNIGHTS AT THE CAPITOL.
Investigation Of the Labor Troubles In
the Southwest,
MR.. PowDERLY THE FIRST WITNESS BEFORE
GOV. CURTIN's STRIKE Committee.

GOV. CURTINs STRIKE coMNrTTEE
The special committee of the House of Renre.
sentatives to inquire into the labor difficulties
In the southwest, held its first public session
today. Owing to the difficulty of obtaining
the use OF q convenient room in the Capitol the
committee had to hire zone in an adjacent build
1ng-the Congressional hotel-at which the
accommodations were very deficient The
hour OF meeting was fixed at ID noon, but it
was halfpast one before the committee
got to work. It consists of Ex-Governor Cur
TIN, of Pennsylvania, chairman; Burns (Mo.l
Grain CTexas), Cultivate Ohio, Stewart (vt),
Parker tN.Y0 and Buchanan (N.J) All the
members We're present except Mr.. Stewart, who
is absent by leave Of the House. Among the
prominent persons in attendance were: AS
representatives OF the Knights Of Labor T. v.
powdsrly, grand master workman;J J. w. Hayes
tive board. and Frederick Turner, grand score
tary; as representative of the railroad interests
W Wager age yS%ayne counsel and as
Charlotte Smith and three other ladies. A
corps OF FOUR stenographers was on hand to
MAKE full report of the proceedings for the
railroad companies.
MR.. PowDERLY As WITNESS.
MI. Powderly was the first witness, and as
such was sworn by the chairman. Mr.. Pow
derly Is very far from filling, at least in out
ward appearances, the typical idea Of the horny
pears to be quiet reserved, delicate looking
gentleman who has spent some ATTY wears OF
exisaence In an easy contented way. He dresses
PLAINLY, Is closely shaved except as to q long
dropping moustache, wears spectacles and has
high intellectual forehead.
derstand that this committee is raised by the
Rouse or representatives for the purpose, If
possible, Of getting down to the reasons Tor the
country, and especially as to the conflicts be-
tween labor and capital, and between the en-
sensible OF the hav fat An,
previous life, and of your disposition to recon
Gle the unrest OF the people. Therefore We call
upon you as the nrSt witness. Be pleased now
To give to the committee in your own language
your Impressions as to this matter"
Mr.. Powderly replied that he was not pre-
pared to go into the matter so broad at this
moment and preferred to answer such uues-
tons as might be asked.
Gov. Curtin then asked him what in his Opin.
Ion was the cause Of the strike.
Mr.. PoWderly replied by reading the address
OF Assembly 1O1, which has been published,
was the cause of the strike on one branch it
was not the great cause of the strike on the
Mr.. Curtin.-"What knowledge have you Of
the truth OF that statement"
The witness replied that he had no personal
knowledge ,sHSg beyond what he had learned
through inquiry. Then he explained how he
mad been informed of the difficulties, and what
ne had done, all OF which has been published
he heard flittle abuses which he did not think
the managers of the road knew anything of.
one OF these was to make the men pay twenty.
hve cents month for hospital dues and
were discharged when sick and refused the
right TO enter the hospital. Another was that
on the Texas Pacific the men entered into a
cohtract Dy which they were to purchase on
the lnstailment plan, and just before they could
make the last payment they would be dis
they could not make that payment, and the
property fell back into the hands of the COM
pany, the men thus becoming tenants instead
of owners.
In answer to question by Mr.. Curtin witness
said that the purpose of the organization OF the
knlghts OF Labor was to better the condition OF
tne laoorlng men and to protect the manufac-
turers also.
In reply to another question with relation to
the receiver he said that the railroad compa-
MES were in the habit of sucking a road dry
ana then putting it in the hands OF a receiver.
Inen, when the laborers went to the company,
they said they could do nothing. Then the
receiver would say he could do nothing. Mr..
PoWderly said that the labor organization was
perfectly peaceful. sometimes members mis-
impossible to control man by any law when
ne mad been WrOnged.
KNIGHTS OF LABOR NOT LAW BREAKERS.
One point Mr.. Powderly said he wanted per-
fectly understood, that was that if the COM
mittee found that any of the Knights had
violated the law the organization would help
to punish him. The law of the land was su-
preme above the laws OF organizations.
He became impassioned over this subject
and declared that all v1olators of the law,
whether Knights of Labor or capitalists, should
be punished. All should be dealt with alike
and stand equal before the law.
NEVER LEGISLATED ON STRIKES OR BOYCOTT
ING.
Witness said that the principle on which the
Knights Of Labor were formed was to bring the
employer and employees closer together. They
had never looked upon it as possible that they
could ever have anything TO do with strikes,
and had never legislated upon strikes. They
had never iegislated on boycotting, except to
restrain it.
The testimony of Mr.. Powderly was closed
and Mr.. MEDIEVAL was called, but an adjourn
ment was taken at once. Mr.. Powderly will be
called again tomorrow. The committee will
meet at 1890 tomorrow morning.
1t is uncertain about Jay Gould appearing
before the committee.
EXTENSION OF WASHINGTON.