Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1886-03-25
THE RAILROAD TROUBLES.

between HOXfe and POw0erly.
KANSAS CITY, No. March 2O.-Gover-
nors Marmaduke and Martin and the Labor
Commissioners of Missouri and Kansas
were closeted at the Coates House all day
yesterday with Grand Master Powderly and
committees of the executive boards of the
Knights of Labor. The result OF the con-
ference was that the two Governors went to
St Louis last night to confer with Mr..
Hoxie, the charmen of the executive board
of til Gould system having left the matter
Of settlement in their hands.
After the conference the following was
received from Vice-President Hoxie:
T.V. Powderly, Kansas City Mo-:
THE MISSOURI PACIFIC RAILWAY COMPANY
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, ST. LOUIS, Mo-,
March 49, 1so6.-l have just received your
Telegram OF the 18th inst, asking If i viii
meet yourself and committee to arrange a
settlement of the pending difficulties. As
thls company now has contracts and agree
ments with various labor unions and organ
izations and is not unwilling to continue to
make such agreements as circumstances
may require with such unions and OrganiZa-
tons OF its employees as have shown dispo-
sition to carry out in good faith their under
takings, and as il has had in the past con-
tracts with your organization and its repre-
sentatives have heretofore had conference
with yourself and other members of your
executive committee, it is but Just and
snOulu give you the reaSOuS
Tor thls company now declining to meet
yourself and your executive committee
which II would have done before this strike
was inaugurated.
The usual object of such meetings between
railway companies through their represen-
tatives, and committees Of their employees,
IS either to discuss such differences as may
have arisen in order that an understanding
may be reached of the rights and relations
existing between them and such mutual con-
cessions made as will avoid strikes and the
fIynsrf h.rn off 4 nfh
hand, TO settle and compromise such differ
enccs between the parties after the griev-
ances of the employees have been presented
and redress refused and after resort has
actually been had to the strike as the only
remedy In the present case neither of tn 3
above reasons for conference exists, but
The anomaly Is presented of u strike which is
without redrcssable grievance, which is en-
tered upon without notice to the company
and which has resulted in the wanton and
malicious destruction of this company 8
property by violence and incendiarism, and
IN the almost total stoppage of its business
by threats. intimidation and force.
A review Of the history of the past year is
essential to full understanding of the pres
ent conditions. The differences between this
company and its employees, resulting in the
strike of March. 1855, were settled by the
voluntary interccSSiOn of the executives and
officers of the States of Kansas and Missouri,
ana not with your organ cation. The agree
ments subsequently entered into with COM
DlttceS OF your organizations have been
faithfully carried out by this company.
Minor grievances under these arrangements
have from time to time been presented con-
S!dered by the infringement and ad juSted in
manner apparently satisfactory to the petit
toners, and for the sake of peace and har-
Inony TINS company has repeatedly, on the
demand OF your organization, made changes
IN its stan by the removal of officials entirely
satisfactory TO the company but objection
able TO some of ycur members.
In our meeting with you of last August in
New York your committee then stated that
no grievances or complaints existed against
the Missouri Pacific railway on the part OF
your organization, through Noncompliance
with the contracts then existing, but that it
was necessary to utilize your organization
upon the Missouri Paci fic road to force an
adjustment of the dIfliclrties then pending
with another organization. Similar action
has been taken by your organizat ion in three
instances within the last ght months: first,
in threatening that the members of your or
ganZation upon the Missouri Pacific would
strike if it cont nued to exchange business
with the Wabash road; SccOSd, when the
members OF your organization compelled q
strike Of a portion of the employees of this
company III carrying out your boy colt against
the Mallory | ne at Galveston. Tex: third, in
the present instance, when the existing str Ike
was forced upon this company by the dis
charge of one {. A. Hall 10y the receivers of
the Texas and Pacific raway-a road i'm the
hands of the United States court, and in the
management of which this company has no
voice or control, a fact which your UrganiZa-
ton fully recognized when your committee
made application to the receivers of that
Z.
Instances might be cited where endeay Ors
have been made 10 use this company for the
purpose of boycotting individuals who had
Incur1d the displcaSurc of your organization.
Az especially aggravated case of the fail
ure OF your organ Zation TO carry out its
agreements was that OF the workmcn at the
Palestine shops, who. in the last days of Feb
ruary, stopped work on account of an alleged
grievance which was thercupou adjusted in a
manner to their entire satisfaction so that
they resumed work with the agreement to
under concessions ~ he
company, but within ten days thereafter
again left their work on the demand of your
organization in ordering the present strike
and without any grievance whatever against
this company.
These continued stoppages of the work of
this company without cause have be-
come so frequent that, believing the flu
ture will be as unsettled as the past, it
can not consent to renew the agree
ment voluntarily and arbitrarily abro-
gated by your organization, and longer
submit to it the management of our
business. This company, through its repre-
sentatives, is and has always been, willing to
meet the public through committees or midi
Viduals on matters of public concern, and if
yourself or other intelligent citizens can
suggest practicable methods whereby the
present situation can be changed and traffic
permanently resumed, this company will bt,
pleased to meet yourself or them as citizens,
but not as representatives of .our organiza-
ton, to discuss pending difficulties or any
other matters of public interest.
In conclusion desire emphaticaly to state
that the responsibility for the future cOntln-
uance OF the present unluStitable strike will
not rest with the management OF this compa-
ny, but inaSmuch as your orgG niZation has
committed the error of striking first and en-
deavorng to negotiate afterward. il has the
power to and should end the present troubles
10y permitting such of our former employees
ard others as desire TO work to do so without
fear of threats and intimidation, leaving this
company free to resume its operations and
adjust with its employees. as ii is at all times
ready ana willing to do, any grievances they
may have. H. NJ. HOME.
To llr. Hoxies telegram Mr.. Powderly
sent the following reply:
III; NJ. HoXie. first vice president, Missouri
racine halfway Company, st. Louis:
KANSAS CITY. Mo-, March 19.-Since you
will not meet with me as general master
workman of the knights of Labor, / Unjust de-
cline to meet with you in any other capacity
and the responsibility for the future con-
tinuance" of the strike must not be charged
TO the KIN ghts of Labor snce the executive
oflcer OF the order VIII not be permitted to
meet and co-operatewith you in settling the
strike.
1t was my intention, had you consented to
meet with me, to endeayor to effect such a
settlement as would prevent impositions be.
ing practiced upon the employees of your
company by subordinate officials. ard pat an
enu TO Strikes on your lines for the future.
T. V. PowDERLY.
Having failed in my attempts to bring
the parties together" said Mr.. Powderly,
IL shall now allow matters to take their
course. Tomorrow | shall go to Chicago
and thence TO Canada or the East to attend
to other business. If Governor Marmaduke
and Governor Martin do not succeed in eff
fectlng an adjustment then the men and
the company will have 10 do it,
Arbitration Secured.
COLUMBUS, o., March 2O.-The street
railway company ran one car over the line
under the requirement of their charter yes.
for5a> Tho