Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-04-30
our WASHINGTON LETTER.

liant New York seventh IoSihOH0
in possession of the city for two
DAYS: the Pan Electric investiga-
ton enlivened by the testimony OF
Attorney General Garland (; the
strikeinvestigation notwithstanding
by such witnesses as Jay Gould and
tfand Master Workman POwderly,
and the usually slow and cautious
United States passing private pen
sion bills at the rate Of one a minute
for a whole days session, without
one Senator in ten having any idea
of the merit or laeb of merit OF any
of them, it would seem that the
people of Washington had a good
deal to see and listen to and won
der at this week.
Mr.. Powderly, who attracted
much curious observation, made a
presentation of the labor side OF
the case and gave a history OF the
organization of the Knights OF La
Dor. He also paid a gallant ana
graceful tribute to the gentler sex
of which it is proverbially alleged
that it never keeps a secret. No-
men are playing no unlmportant
part in the work of the Knights OF
Labor. and the Master Workman
saws that the management OF their
assemblies is so admirable as to be
a pattern the men would do well TO
initiate. OF course they have Sc
crets to keep, for the organization
is of that character, but it seems
that their secrets are well kept -
They have interests at stake in the
pending controversy quite as great
as those other husbands, sons and
fathers and having, as rule,
more discretion and patience, no
doubt make better use Of their IN
iluence.
The railway msgnate said on the
witness stand that he thought the
acts of the Knights we're very diff
ferent from their representation
and pledges to him, and that the
private instructions Of Mr.. Powder
" we're different from his general
circulars. Mr.. Gould maintained
that he acted in good faith, but he
thought it was bad faith on the part
of Messrs. Powderly and Mcdowell
to make public his note of instruc-
tons to Mr.. HOxie to arbltrate the
troubles. lie had not consented to
its publicity at that time.
Considerable time was occupied
by the witness in reading the proc
lamations by local assemblies,
Knights of Labor, upon the assump-
ton of victory in the termination
of the strike. He read a portion
OF the proclamatlons in a dramatic
way. his weak voice at times rising
to a high pitch. One Of the procla-
nations denounced the witness as
"master fend," ga robber OF the
rich and poor" ga buyer OF votes
to rob US of our little homes" "a
Brighter of lives etc.
As the rough passages were read
Mr.. Gould trembled with feeling
and at times the tanning surging
crowd in the committee room
smiled audibly and even Uttered.
Mr.. Gould evinced a thorough
knowledge OF the strike and the
causes of it, and showed that he
had made preparations for testify
ing intelligently and fully.
The gallant Seventh of New York
could have received no warmer Ova-
ton when, at the call of President
Lincoln for $4,000 troops, it rushed
to the defense Of the National Capt.
tai a quarter of a century ago, than
was rendered it when it came this
time. All Washington rang with
enthusiasm as its martial tread re-
sounded along her broad thorough
fares, in cOmmemOration of that
other and grimmer march twenty
five years before.
Our anniversaries are beginning
to multiply, to grow in value and
significance, as from the ever reced-
ing point of view they afford, we
contemplate the episodes they com
memOrate. Our youth has always
been our reproach-a reprOach that
is being removed from us as rapidly
as time will permit. We have not
yet acquired the self.cOmplacent
superiority of age, but these COM
memorative occasions remind us
that we are rapidly divesting our
selves Of youth.
The regiment numbers eight hun
dred men when on parade, but they
seemed to number several thousand
when scattered about the city,
They we're found everywhere stroll
ing about the parks, at the White
House, in the hotel Hobbies, at the
Capitol, the Departments and on
the streets, where they attracted
considerableattentlo
They were reviewed by the Presi-
deut and he must have felt proud
that among that large body of New
Workers, not one had come to Wash
ington to get Office.
Squire Dickson of Clayton, Ga,
was awakened just after midnight
and asked TO hurry down and marry