The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-03-20

2 Missouri PACIFIC RAILWAY COMPANY
\ kXEcUTIvE DEPARTMENT,
ST. Louis, Mo-, Mareh 10, 1876.
' T. V. POwderly, Kansas City, Mo:
= have just received your telegram
, of the 18th instant asking If i will
meet yourself and committee to ar
, range a settlement of the pending diff
l ticulties. As this company now has
g contracts and agreements with vari
3 GUS labor unions and organizations,
and are willing to continue to make
such agreements as circumstances NAV
require with such organizations of its
l employees as have shown disposition
, to carry out in good faith their under
takings, snd as it has had in the past
contracts with your organization, and
its representatives have heretofore
had conferences with yourself and
other members OF your executive com
mittee, it is bat Just and courteous
that | should give you the reasons for
this company now declining to meet
yourself and your executive commit
tee, which it would have done before
this strike was inaugurated The usual
object of such meetings between rail
way companies, through their repre-
sentatives, and committees of their
employees, is either to discuss.such
differences as may have arisen in or
der that an understanding NAV be
reached of the rights and relations
existing between them, and such mu-
tual concessions made as will avoid
strikes and the losses resulting there |
from. On the other hand, to settle |
and compromise such differences be- |
tween the parties after the grievances |
have been presented and redress re-
fused, and after resort has fully been |
had to the strike as the only remedy. |
In the present case neither of the oc-
casions Tor conference exists, but the |
anomaly is presented of strike
without redressable grievance, which
was entered upon without notice to
the company, and which has resulted
in the wanton and malicious destruc-
ton of the company's property by vio-
lence and incendiarism, and in almost
the stoppageof its business by threats,
intimidation and force. 4 review
of the history of the past year is
essential to a full understanding of
the present conditions. The differ
ences between this company and its
employees, resulting in the strike of
March, 1885, were settled by the vol
untary intercession of the executive
and the officers of the States of Kan
sas and Missouri, and not with your
organization. The agreements subse-
quently entered into with committees
of your organization have been faith
fully carried out by the company.
Minor grievances under these arrange
ments have from. time 10 time been
presented, considered by the manage
ment and adjusted in manner ap-
parently satisfactory to the petitioners,
and for the sake of peace and har- $
mony this company has repeatedly, on !
the demands of your organization, J
made changes in its staff by the re- /
moval of officials entirely satisfactory t
to the company but Objectionable to q
some of your members. In our meet +
ing with you of last August in New i
York your committee then stated \
that no grievances or complaints ex- $
listed against the Missouri Pacific rail \
way on the part of your organization, |
through Noncompliance with contracts i
then existing but that it was neces- (
sary to utilize your organization upon $
the Missouri Pacific road to force an {
adjustment of the difficulties then S
pending with another corporation. I
Similar action has been taken by your c
organization in three instances within q
the last eight months First, in {
threatening that the members of your |
organization upon the Missouri Pacific q
railway would strike if it continued to {
exchange business with the Wabash 3
road second, when the members of a
your organization compelled strike
of portion of the employees of this s
company in carrying out your boycott n
against the Mallory line at Galveston, s
Tex; third, in the present instance, S
when the existing strike was forced L
upon this company by the discharge {;
OF one G. A. Hall by the receivers of u
the Texas and Pacific railway, road d
in the hands of the United States @
Court, and in the management of h
which this company has no voice or
control, fact which your organiza- fl
ton fully recognized when your v
made application to the re- Il
ceivers of that road for the n
of said employees. In d
stances might be cited where endeav- tt
Ors have been made to use this COM
pany for the purpose of boycotting in j,
1ividuals who had incurred the dis m
pleasure of your organization. An es- h
Decialiy aggravated case of the failure m
Of your organization to carry out its Q,
agreements was that of the workmen fo
1t the Palestine shops who, in the last
lays OF February, stopped work on ac-
,ount OF an alleged grievance, which
vas thereupon adjusted in a manner to ~
heir entire satisfaction, so they re-
umed work with an agreement to con-
lnue, under concessions made by the
company, but within,two days there
liter again left their work ON the de-
nand OF your organization in ordering D.
he present strike, and without any ca
'rlevance whatever against this COM m
AMY. These continued stoppages of WI
york on this company without cause a
ave become so frequent that, be- an
Giving the future will be as Sa
marked as the past, it cannot m
onsent TO renew the agreement Sh
and arbitrarily .abro- HI
ated by your organization and Dc
1nger submit to it the management
I our business. This company, an
lrough its representatives, is and has or;
lways been willing to meet the pub W
C, through committees orindiyiduals, We
n matters of public concern. and if an
ourseh or other intelligent citizens TIL
m suggest practicable methods tn,
hereby the present situation can be
hanged and traffic permanently re- ma
lmed, this company will be pleased cul
meet yourself or them as citizens. Jol
ut not as representatives of your or sui
to discuss the pending diff inc
'ulties or any other matters of pub
, interest. In conclusion, I desire two
nphatically to state that the respon- Fan
Dility for the future continuance of cor
e present unjustifable strike will Thi
It rest with the management of this did
mpany; but inasmuch as your or in
has committed the error of I
liking first and endeavoring to ne in [