The Indianapolis journal., 1886-04-21
THE HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE.
MIR. Powderly States the Objects and Pur
poses of the knights of Labor.


! tet Of the House of Representatives, to inquire
rto the labor troubles in the Southwest, held its
LIST public session to-day. Owing to the diff
| Guilty of obtaining the use of convenient room
| in the Capitol, the committee had to hire one in
an adjacent building, the Congressional Hotel.
| at which the accommodations were very def
cient The hour Of meeting was fixed at IL
noon, but it was half past before the commit
| tee got to work 1t consists of Ex-Governor
Curtin, Of Pennsylvania, chairman; Messrs
Burns of Missouri Grain of Texas, Cultivate
Of Ohio, Stewart of Vermont, Parker Of New
| York, and Buchanan of New Jersey. All the
| members were 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. Powderiy, general master work
man; J. w. Hayes and William o. Mcdowell,
| members Of the executive board, and Frederick
Turner, general secretary; as representatives OF
the railroad interests, Wager Swayne. COUNSEL
| and as representatives of the Womens League
of America. Mrs. Charlotte Smith and three
other ladies. A corps Of stenographers was on
| hand to make a full report of tho proceedings
| for the railroad companies.
| Mr.. Powderly was the first Witness and as
| such was sworn by the chairman. He is very
far from filing. at least in outward appearance,
the typical idea of the horny handed son of toll;
on the contrary. he appears to be quiet, re-
served elicatelooking gentleman. who has
| spent some fifty years of existence in easy,
| contented way. He dresses plainly. is closely
shaved, except as to a long, dropping mustache.
xvao oIo md hoo oh inf tna al
| forehead. The chairman, addressing him, said:
s'You understand that this committee is raised
by the House of Representatives for the purpose,
| if possible, of getting down to the reasons for
the unrest and disturbance which you know ex-
lists in the country, and especially as to the con-
flcts between labor and capital, and between the
employers and the employed. This committeei is
fully sensible of the course you have taken in
your previous life, an of your disposition to
reconcile the unrest of the people. Therefore,
we call you as the first witness. Be pleased now
| to give to the committee, in your own language,
your impressions as to this matter"
The examination of Mr. Powderly was extend
ed, going over the history of the recent strike
troubles.
while was in the West" said Mr. Powder
ly, II heard from the men OF little abuses which
| 1 do not think the manager of the Missouri Pa
cific railroad knows anything about Along the
| Iron Mountain railroad they have system of
taking twenty-five cents q month from the
| wages of man who receives dollar day, and
| fifty cents from the wages OF man who re-
| ceives two dollars a day, and so on in proper
ton, for what they call hospital fund Then
| the men claim that as soon as they are taken
| sick, they are discharged. and are denied the
| right of entering the hospital Then there are
| instances, which can oe proved where men have
| made contracts to buy land from the company on
| regular yearly installments. and where, having
| paid all but the last lnstalment, they were dis
! charged from the employment of the company.
1 In that section of the country 1T is different
\ A svxN4 kt.ax ,oxyf
town aud get situation, and the consequence
has been that. in at least particular case the
| man was obliged to remain idle so long that he
/ lost his property. The men claim that there are
| several instances of that kind
The Chairman-Can you have witnesses called
| before the committee to show these facts?
Mr. Powderly-Undoubtedly if am correctly
| informed.
| Mr.. Buchanan-In your inquiries you have
| found that these causes Of discomfort existedf
| Mr. Powderly-Yes
| The Chairman-Will you state the purposes of
the organization of the Knights of Labor
| whether its purposes are the protection of the
interests of labor, and whether it is peaceful in
| its action?
| Mr. Powderly-The aim of the organization of
| the Knights of Labor is to benefit the laborer
| and to ensure better feeling between him and
| his employer. ALI our methods are peaceful
! We never counsenance anything of violent
| character There are exceptional cases, but they
| are beyond our control
1 The Chalrman-Do I understand that the
Knights of Labor, as an organization, do pro-
tect labor. not only on railroads, but also in
| mines and factories2
| Mr.. Powderly-We attempt to do that; our
association is intended to be educational one.
| We aim at having our members study the condi-
tions by which they are surrounded-not only
their own conditions. but those of the men whom
| they work for.
Mr.. B9chanan--In order to pave the way to
i intelligeb1 action2
| Mr.. Powderly-Yes. sir have claimed that
| it IS no more than right for both to meet on
| equal terms, and to have thorough under
! standing OF the wants Of each other, and it
seems to me that, until they do, they cannot
i properly fix up their differences.
The Chairman-I do not ask you to diyulge
| any of the secrets of the Knights of Labor: but
you have stated the objects of the society are to
protect the labor of the country, SO far posi-
BILE, against the exactions Of Incorporated capi-
! tai.
Mr.. Powderly-To protect not only the labor
| of the country, but to protect the manufacturers
! we'll We desire the manufacturers should
| be in such condition that they will be able TO
| pay good wages. We have quarrel with le-
| gitimate enterprises. If you discover that mem
bers of the Knights Of Labor along the railroads
have violated the law of the land, or its own
laws land the committee will discover that fact),
| we will be as ready to assist in Furnishing them
as we ars in upholding their rights When
| said that was willing 60 expose everything In
connection with the organization, If those
| who managed the railroads, or if
one men ia particular would do the
| same thing. spoke fairly and truthfully
| have no objection to showing up everything con-
nected with the organization It's signs pass
words, and everything else. I am willing to lay
| everything before the committee and before the
| world. / want il understood that, so far as our
| executive board is concerned. have from over
| four thousand assemblies, letters of Endorsement
| of secret circular of mins which fsince it was
| issuedt has been made public. These indorse-
ments bear me out in what have said-so that
/ you can understand, from the tenor of the cir
| cular, tho character OF our organization. When
| l stated that our organization was willing to
/ meet our contestants before the courts, had no
/ idea was making a wrong statement believe
{ that the law of the land is higher than any or
ganzation, and that when man violates the
law of the land, either as Knight of Labor or
/ as a private cltizen or as a meub ber of a corpo