The Indianapolis journal., 1886-04-12

selves, and all might say would be based on
hearsay only. The same evidence Is open to all
the world that is to me, and an expression OF
opinion from me would be based on statements
that may not be correct and would, therefore,
be valueless and might lead to misunderstand-
ing. So you will have to excuse mo from an
swering that question / will be glad to say
this, however that heartily indorse the senti-
ments uttered by Mr.. Powderly recently, and If
his ideas are carried cut no serious difficulty can
occur
'sWhat will be the result of the bloodshed In
East Sc. Louis on FridayT
'sAll this violence and bloodshed can only re-
suit in Withdrawing from the Knights of Labor
of much OF the sympathy of law abiding and or
DERBY citizens. It is to be deplored that such
things should occur. Do not think that mean
to say that the Knights of Labor, as an organiza-
t1on, countenanced anything of the kind but it
Is an outcome Of the strike and will reflect on
the organization that inaugurated the strike
No matter how much the Knights may discount
enance this disorder, it has come as result of
their movement, and the great public that does
not stop to seek out ali the points will place
the responsibility on the Knights to greater or
less degree"
"Do you see an early or an easy settlement of
the present great strugglef1
'1 do not. think the final result Of the strug-
gle will be gradual disintegration of the men
who are engaged in it. Those who have not
made themselves obnoxious to the company will
probably be given their old places, and again go
to work.
How long will the knights be able TO carry on
the strugglef
II know nothing as to their ability to stand
long contest. In my opinion it was mistake
to give any district or assembly the power to or
der strike without submitting the question to
the organization, whoever they may be- whether
as an executive board or certain designated
officers. / think the strike will result In the
enactment of a law by the Knights that will
efectually prevent any such trouble in the fu-
ture see MIR. Powderly takes the same posi-
ton. 1t seemed to me from the first that there
was deficit or weak place somewhere or Mr.
Irons could not have ordered strike without IN
dorsement from headquarters"
Your organization, Mr. Arthur, Is looked upon
as model in its way. l wish you would explain
to the country how the Brotherhood of Engineers
proceed in case of trouble"
II can explain that to you in few words
Turning to his desk, he took up copy of the
laws of the Brotherhood, and read as follows:
"In order to prevent any trouble between
brothers of subdivisions and their employers. it
shall be the imperative duty of the general
standing committees of the several roads, before
sending for the grand chief engineer, to first ex
haust their own efforts to effect settlement of
all difficulties, and failing to obtain satisfaction,
they shall then notify the grand chief engineer
OF the facts in detail as soon as possible When
the grand chief engineer receives such notifica
tion he shall give it the precedence of all other
business TO visit such subdivision or division, as
the case may be, and use all honorable and just
means to prevent trouble between the brothers
and their employers"
s'That," added Mr.. Arthur. s'is the whole plan
in nutshell In every instance where we have
been received by the general manager a
satisfactory settlement has been effected.
would like just here to correct, through
the columns of the Enquirer,
port that has gone out and been
largely copied and commented on. have been
reported as saying that l was opposed to an
eight-hour law, as it only meant more time for
drinking. / wish to say that that is not true. /
am in favor of any law that will tend to promote
the welfare and advance the interests of work
ingmen. There are. however in my opinion a
large number who would not profit by the enact
ment of such law"
In illustration of the plan followed by the
Brotherhood Mr.. Arthur, | would like to know
how it mas worked. How many times has trouble
arisen that has been settled?n
There have been fully sixty to seventy five
cases since 1877, the date of which we have hero.
tofore spoken, aad six seven of them have
been In the last seven months. We have some
troubles to settle of which the p,blic hear little
In the above case majority would probably
have struck had not compromise come in and ef-
fected a settlement Here is where 1t is bene-
fit to the roads, a benefit to the employees and a
benefit to the public The best law / know of
for the settlement of labor troubles is for the
two sides TO get together and arrange the points
OF difference. Some understanding will almost
invariably result"
HAS this policy been a success9 Has 1t
worked well in the of the Brotherhooda'
That question is soon answered. Numerical.
ly we have doubled since 1877-in fact. we have
nearly trebled in that time. We represent not
only every State in the Union, but Mexico
and the British Provinces as we'll, and to-day
have BIG subdivisions. The members seem to
thoroughly indorse the policy that has been pur-
sued All that we hoped for in the beginning,
and more. has been accomplished. The growth
of the order has been steady, and that. too, with
no lecturer or organizer in the field, as is the
plan pursued by some other labor organizations.
We begin to feel that in the twenty three years
In which the Brotherhood has existed it has
worked out the true line of policy and demon
strated that the idea on which it is founded is
the true one. You want my opinion on the la
Dor question, and of strikes in particular. Well,
sir, you can find it written at length in the his
tory of our Brotherhood. I believe that the
final settlement of the relations between capital
and labor will be along the line we have marked
out Others are coming to see it, notice that
Mr.. Powderly is advocating the principle
Others are coming to adopt it. The Brother
hood of Locomotive Firemen and the Brother
hood of Brakeren modelled ON our plan.
The idea is spreading. and I feel that it will
eventually result in great good to the land"