Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-04-30

Missouri Pacific railway, ana tnaG uhele
were no roubles existing on his ROAD IN en9
further that there were 10, 797 meu in the
employ of the road outside of the general
offices, and that since his departure
from New York he had received a
dispatch from st. Louis stating tha1
freight trains moved on it Wednes-
day, the same being an increase OF thal
date of last year. He did not, therefore
think he OF his rcad came within the pro-
visions of the resolutions.
MI. Burnes replied that the
would like to here from him something OF
the antecedents of the Missouri Pacific.
cat the date of the resolution under
which you act,'' said Mr.. Gould, there was
no difficulties, existing, TIVE my ON I'm.
the purpose of informing the committee
that the statements about to be made We're
made voluntarily. Mr.. Gould then entered
into a detailed statement OF the organiza-
ton of the Missouri Pacific, and quickly
and the part he had taken i'll them.
He said he was away ON a West
Indian cruise when the strike oc-
Cured, and such information as he had,
had reached him through otiicial reports,
He would be glad to tell the committee
every thing he knew, but deemed it proper
to say that the facts We're not within his
own knowledge. He went on to recite the
story of his interview with Mr.. Powderly
and the committee prior to his West
the knights declared that the Mis-
souri, Pacific had lived up to its
agreement and agreed not to strike
again, but to come to him imam fashion"
and settle any future grievances they
his departure; YETI said Mr.. Gould,
"our men told Mr.. Hoxie that they had
no grievances, IL were told to strike"
He then produced and read the tele-
grams passing between Messrs. PoW,
employees, while the strikers num-
bered only 3,717men, principally employed
in the machine shops along the tracks and
generally in the lower branches. What
showing signs of deep feeling. They
seized st. Louis, Kansas City, Soda
liza, Texarkana and our terminal ia
c%ilities; they took possession and said
claimed Mr.. Gould, in a voice exhibiting
traces of strong agitation. "Our loyal en-
ployes could not run a train, and were de-
prlved OF the power to earn their wages.
That was what followed the strike-forci-
BILE possession. I can't call it any thing
else; something the Car of Russia would
hesitate to do with his millions of soldiers
behind him."
Mr.. Hoxie's statement of the position as
sumed by the Missouri Pacific, in which it
is stated that the strike had grown out of
the discharge of Hall by the receiver of the
Texas and Pacific, was read by General
Swayne.
The chairman inquired why Hall had
been discharged. He would like to know
what the maj hadsdone.
In answer, MI. Gould requested General
Swayne to read Receiver Browns state
ment to the effect that he had been guilty
of absenting himself from duty without
leave. The letter of Governors Marmaduke
and Martin were also read.
MI. Could interrupted the reading to re-
mark that he thought, the correspondence
showed pretty clearly that they had led the
horses up to the watering trough, but could
not make them drink; hat the shops were
open, but the men refused to go to work.
Then he entered into an account of his
conference with Messrs. Powderly and Nc
Dowell, Of the knights of Labor, which did
not differ materially from the statements
OF these gentlemen before the committee.
knights of Labor We're very different from
the representation made to him and
their pledges to him; that the
private instructions of MI. Pow
derby, We're different from his general
acted in good faith, but he thought it was
bad faith and too much liberty on the part
of Messls. Powderly and Mcdowell when
they made public his note of Instructions
to Mr.. Hoxie to arbitrate the troubles.
that time. Mr.. Gould read a personal let
ter, which he wrote to Mr.. Powderlv
on March 20, in which he stated that the
matter of arbitration wa wholly within
Mr.. Powderly that he (Mr. Gould) did not
want to be understood by his telegram to
Mr. Hoxie, in which he said that we see
no objection to arbitrating troubles with
employees, past and FUTURE" as saying
that there should be arbitration; it was
Gould's) part, and that MI. Hoxie was left
free to act or not.
Mr.. Gould read the circular ordering
the resumption of work. and remarked:
every thing seemed to be lovely, and it
was followed by this pronunciamento on
April G." He then read in a tremu-
!ous voice, but showing symptoms of
indignation, and emphasizing such
passages as could, the giant fend, is
the ruins of our homes" Martin IRONS cir
GUAR ~denouncing lin to the workmen of
the world. '0That," he said, sis the re-
sponse the Knights of Labor made to the
continuing bond of fellowship we had held
out"
In answer to MI. Burns, Mr.. Gould said
that his telegram to MI. Hoxie referring to
arbitration was not ven advisory in its
nature; he meant to leave the entire matter
in Mr.. Hoxie's hands and hold him respon.
sible for the results. He regarded the
employees of a railroad company as
being on a different foundation from
the employees Of a manufacturing
company or those engaged in any other
business. He had always claimed that
every employed from president down clothed
himself with certain public duties and it
was his duty to do his part toward op
Grating the road He (Mr. Gould) found
that he had enough to do to manage
the Missouri Pacific railroad, but his
friend there (Mr. Powderly) undertook
a great deal more; he attempted to regu-
late all the railroads, all the shoe-makers,
all the hakers-every trade. That was too
broad-shouldered and he did not wonder
chat his friend had broken down under it
AS to arbitration, he believed that volun-
tary arbitration would be better-more
sought for-than compulsory arbitration.
MI. Gould said he was perfectly willing
to give the arbitration scheme proposed hS
Congress a thorough and fair trial if it be-
come a law: Mr.. Gould said he was ALWAYS
willing, and SO were the Missouri Pacific
officers always ready, to arbitrate differ
ences between the company and employees.
but did not propose to deal with the men
as the order of the knights of Labor. be-
cause there were 10000 men in the empoy
OF the company who were not members of
the order Of Knights of Labor.
MI. Burns called attanti0o n Tho o,l,.