The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-03-27

They were released in $500 bonds. The eff
forts to disable the engine failed
Ell PAso, Tex, March 26-Trouble is
again breaking out among the brakemen ana
other freight employees of the Southern Pa
cifc Railroad here and strike may result sii
satisfied at the recent promotions OF men
who but lately entered the employ OF the
company over the heads of many older en-
ployes. 1t is claimed by the men that TINS IS
a direct violation of the agreement made IN
the settlement OF a recent strike OF the
brakemen. A meeting has been called, and
it is thought that the Southern Pacific may
have more trouble.
Manifesto of the Knights of Labor.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, March 26--The following
is the full text of the manifesto issued last
night by the Knights of Labor:
To the Knights of Labor and Trades assemblies
Throughout North Aneericd:
Brothers-The irrepressible conflict, the long
threatened war of labor against capital is upon pi
us. The arch-monopoliSt of the world, Jay Gould,
has thrown the challenge in our teeth and hidden
us come on to the conflict 'sThere can be no
compromise in this case" he says. There is no
question to the bitter end for the yeason that tne
strikers have confessed that they have no grley-
ance against our company" SO says MI. Goula s
We have wearied the press and worn the types
out in stating our grievances ana demanulng an
opportunity to present them to Mr.. Gould and his
channels that represent the nation to meet him
on any field we have sOught,we have pleaded, we
have demanded that we be heard. 70 all this Mr.
Gould has turned deaf ear. There can be no
question that, were his cause just and he the in
iured innocence in which he poses, he would see
our representatives and hear our complaints
The very cowardice that skulks behind austerity
and self constituted superiority condemns him.
That cowardice which appeals to court born ana
reared in luxury, and which cannot, IN the nature
of things, enter into sympathy with poor man,
and to which, were he poor man, he would not
appeal, condemns him. That coWardlce when
shuns a field on which "thrice armed IS n, ne wno
hath this battle just" and on Which held he care
not meet us, condemns him..
And now before the world we challenge him to
hear our complaints for he says we have none
he says we have not presented them. Before the
world let the trial go on. Distorted technleatles
may obtain in the courts which he controls, and
through the gold speetacles which he places upon
them they may see but the rights of wealth; but
to that grander, higher court, that court whose
verdict is final as it Is righteous, to that we ap
peal and this is our case. After spurning our
pleas for many months; after mperlously lgnor-
ing every petition presented after violating every
sacred compact and then invoking federal author
ity to shield his perfdy; after crushing the life
and hope out of poor men by holding them TO hard
labor at 55 cents day until every vestige OF man
hood rose in revolt, then he turns to the golden
specialized legal minds and tells his story he tells
itno doubt,with tones of pathos and flowing tears
He Ia suffering VICTIM 6 beeag bSsas at
labor. He poses he pleads, he weeps, and 10, the
legal mind bows its sympathetic head and renders
snch ss ega ore the valiant Gould
arises behind his impromptu moot court and
threatens to sue every Knight OF Labor 1nthe land
o. shame where is thy blush? The arch fend OF
oppression, the bloated vampire of the body pol
itic threatens openly to invade the sacred circles
of our homes to satiate his greed. He seeks to
0veraWe and terrOrlZe the weak ana Deget
treason in our ranks.
knights of Labor hear us. Mr.. Gould Is al
lowed to make such threats as these to intimidate
oY.d frin dc vxrHn xvaF
threaten thus, some saplent court would order
our arrest and condemn us for contempt. MI
Gould and his wise counsel well Know tlat Dotn
the decision and threat are sheer buncOmbe, and
such silly emanations are an insult to the lntei-
gence OF our schoolboys and challenge to the
courage of our grandmothers. FelloW-w0rkmen
we have against us in the conflict, first, the great
corporations; second the terrorized merchants
who dare not claim their souls as against SAID
corporations; third, the Scabs. II to any OF these
three you belong, now is your time. Cowards to
the rear, scabs to the enemy and men TO the 'front.'
The great enemy is before u.s.: Cowardly though
he be, yet he is fortified within barricades OF
gold and courts, but we are clad IN an armor OF
eternal right. Let us fall only when we must
Let us die only when victory is assured for the
down upon the object lessons of today. Truth
crushed to earth will rise again" The eternal
wears of God are hers, while error wounded
writhes in pain and dies amid her worshippers.
By order of executive boards Nos 1O1. 93 and
Mr.. PowderIy on the Situation.
SCRANTON, Pa. March 26.-Mr. Powderly,
VIII is at the head of the Knights of Labor,
has been seen at his home here. He said, in
relation to the strike in the West, that the
strike could be settled in short time If Mr..
HOXie or the managers of the Gould system
would meet with their employees, whose
grievances, although frequently submitted
before the strike occurred, had always been
condition of the laborers as most distress
ing While nominally earning $1.10 day,
most of them worked only half time and
were receiving only 55 cents day. The
striped conyicts from the Texas penitentiary,
who worked beside these men for 40 cents a
day, paid to the State, were really better off
than the free men. Mr.. Powderly said there
was no immediate prospect of settlement,
as both sides seem determined. He could
not say whether the strike would become
general throughout all the roads in the co9n-
try or not, but is personally in favor OF arbl-
trating all differences between capital and
labor. He has addressed a long despatch to
Congressman Curtin in reply to message
from that gentleman, urging the appoint
ment of a committee by Congress to investl-
gate the cause of the trouble on the South
western lines. In this despatch Mr.. Powderly
says:
BY all means in your power endeavor to have
the light of Congressional investigation thrown
upon the dongs of these men, who owe so much
to the American people, and who oppreSS their
workmen in the name of the law Indignites
most foul are imposed upon the laboring men on
the Gould lines Of railway, and and through the The
case cannot reach the great heart of the Ameri-
can people.
SCRANTON, March 26-General Master
Workman PoEderly, of the Knights of La
Dor, who has been confined to his house for
several days owing to the accident which he
sustained last Saturday night in Blooming
ton, Illinois, where he fell and fractured two
of his ribs, was called upon this afternoon
by representative of the Associated Press
and in reply to the question rs the strike in
the Southwest likely to extend?" answered,
''most emphatically, no. Every striker
must be confined to the section in which it
originates and must be settled there" When
asked what authority there was for the
statement of Chairman Irons of st. Louis to
the effect that the strike would probably ex-
tend throughout the United States, and in.
clude all Knights of Labor, regardless of
occupation. Mr.. Powderly replied, Mr..
Irons has no authority whatever to make
such statement That order can only come
from the executive board. may say, there
is no danger whatever of any such order be-
Labor ara ON terms of peace with their en-
ployers, their agreements and contracts
must be lived up to. no matter
what may be going on in any part
of the country. Where no contract or
agreement exists between the emproyer and
be settled through arbitration. This must
and shall be the last strike undertaken with
out full authority from the executive board
after having made thorough investigation
of the cause of the trouble and exhausted
every possible means of effecting peaceable
settlement"
Although quite ill from the effects of his
recent accident, Mr.. Powderly left for New
York on the o'clock train this afternoon to
attend the meeting of the executive board OF
the Knights Of Labor, to be held there tonight
for the purpose of formulating some plan
looking to an early settlement Of the troubles
in the Southwest.
Grand Master Workman PcWderIy's
Circular.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, March 26.-Grand Master
Workman Powderly has issued a secret cir
cular to the Knights of Labor of America.
Mr.. Powderly instructs the secretary of each
assembly to call full meeting and read be-
fore it the sentiments which follow;
The address opens with an order to the assem-
tions of capital and labor shall become less
strained than at the present time: continued
attempt to win concessions or gains with our pre-
sent now; ;undSciplined membership would be ike
hurting All unorganiZed mob against well drilled
regular army. 1t is not fair to the older assem-
bles to bring in new members to pick up ther
quarrels as soon as organized and have them ex-
pect pecuniary aid from those who helped build
the order up for noble purpose.
After dwelling at some length upon the
unadvisability of taking in new members at
present, the address continues:
We must not fIitter away our strength and
Alnao ,,.,ffw Nc