The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-04-22

cent. he aoded that the genera
cause Of this strike and OF recen
strikes all over the country had beef
the successful strike on the horse-oa
lines in New York lest February, tina
ha / commanded such universal publi
sympathy that wOrkmen, wheneve
they had a grievance or wrong, joine'
together and made applications 4
form assemblies of Knights OF Labor
This was 80 general that the oTde
had increased more in the month o
February last than II had in the prio
eight years. As an additional reason
he alleged the universal system o
watering railroad stock, which mad,
it necessary for railroad managers 4
screw down the rates OF labor as mucl
as possible.
Mr.. Grain asked what remedy h'
could suggest for that.
Witness replied that the remedy
was 70 enforce the law. The law o
every State required that dollar fol
dollar should be paid for railroad
stock, but that provision Of law wal
evaded by the railroad managers form
ing themselves into credit mobiliei
and a Cons ruction Company and is
suing 10 themselves 500 OF stock fol
every 81 or $lOoi work.
The ChairmRL-And your theory Is
that the exactions made upon the
men employed on the road arc caused
by the attempts TO enable the railroad
companies TO pay dividends on wa.
tered stock2
Wilness-ThRt is the theory, and
there is great irritation about it all
over the country.
Mr.. Crain--Is there no way In your
organization by which the action OF a
District Assembly ordering a strike
can be passed upon by the Executive
Committee before the strike is per
mittedR
Witness There Is no law OF the or
paniz ition on the subject. This whole
thing was unex peCted and unprepared
for. The whole spirit Of the orpaniza-
ton is contrary tJ strikes. 1t has an
educational oIgsn'z Ition.
Mr.. Orain--Do You not think (it has
40 struck mel that Mr.. Gould himself
was vers fairly disposed toward your
oTganiEatiou2
Witness-Thst has been my full
impression from what saw Of him.
My impression was that he wanted 10
be fair that he intended to be fair. It
has always seemed to me that Mr.,
no1lo % r!i' on the hig!h! horse =. Com
whicb no was unwilling to come
IN, and that when Mr.. Gould found
him rebellious in not carrying out the
arbitration he ought to have issued q
positive order tn that effect, or posi-
bly, had Mr.. Hoxie resign. But he
turned round and split hairs with the
committee. He had agreed to aIbi-
trate everything, past, present and
future; but he would not take this
special arbitration out OF Mr.. Hoxie's
hands.
Mr.. Crain-You mean that Gould
permitted himself to be controlled by
Hoxie2
Witness-That is the way it has APP
peared to me. Still / cannot UNDER
stand the letter OF instructions
offered by Mr.. Hoxie.
Mr.. Crain-With the exception of
that circumstance, which seems sus-
pcious, your impression is that Mr..
HOxia is the responsible party for the
of the striker
Witness-Yee, sir. l never met
him personally, but, from talking
with those who have met him, l am
srongly inclined to that opinion.
Mr.. Buchanan-A statement has
been made in the newspapers 10 the
effect that you and Mr.. Gould were
working this matter together for the
purpose OF lite effect upon the stock
| do not wish TO humiliats
you enough to ask you il that be true,
bnt / simply mention the fact so as to
allow you to make any explanation
you desire.
The Witness-I never saw any state
ment to that effect; never had any
acquaintance with Mr.. Gould until i
met him la connection with this mat
ter; | have never bought or sold
share OF stock on margin. There is
not word of possible truth in the
suggestion.
Mr., Burnside you think that the
system of pooling the earninge Of the
railroads had anything to do with the
striker a.
WitSsss mo. The most economical
is that which neCessi-
tstes the least expenditure. The gen.
eral theory So to the building up Of
new lines of railroads, causing com.
petition and reducing rates, ia a grand
Business should be done
with the least possible investment,
not only OF labor, but OF capital; aud
until the possibilities Of a single rail-
road are exhausted a second line
should not be built. But there is
something in the way of government
supervision Of railroads, by means OF
which the benefits resulting from nom
competition shall not inure alone to
the railroad company but to the whole
people Take, for instance, two cities
like Buffalo and New York. The New
York Central had line OF railroad
between those two cities, and had a
monopoly Of the business. 1t cost
that company 90 per cent. to operate
the road, leaving 40 per cent. Of net
earnings. Another line was built
along side, aud there you have got 100
per cent. of expenses. If the
thing could be regulated so that
one railroad should do the bust.
mess it would get not only fair
return Of its capital but it would be
enabled to give lower rates Of traffic
and better wages to its employees,
Mr.. Burns-There being already
two railroads built and being operated
is 1t better for a majority Of the work
ing people Of the country that there
should be competition between those
two lines, or that there should be {
pooling Of their earnings2
Witness--It would be better that al
the business should be done on tn,
one road at the minimum OF cost, anC
that the benefits Of il should 20 no
alone TO the owners OF the road, but
to the country at large. In Other
words, you must not double expenses
in order to get economy.
Mr.. BuIns-Would you then sug
Veet tln abandonment Of Ona linz M