Daily Republican., 1886-04-21
EVIDENCE.
HE GIVES THE CAUSE OF THE
STRIKE.
Penitentiary Convicts working Side BY
Side with Honest LAborera
store Orders,

StOEo OFOef9.
Thomas v. Powderly was before the
Labor Investigating Committee Mt
Washington yesterday, and was exam
ined 1T length In regard to the knights
of Labor and the recent Southwestern
Railroad strikes. In his evidence he
said:
1 have been somew hat misunder.
stood. When said 7 was willing TO
expose everything In connection with
the Organization IL those who manage
the railroads, or II one man In particn-
lar, would do the same thing, spoke
fairly and truthfully. I have no OBJ
lection TO showing up every thing con-
rected with the organization, Its secret
signs, passwords and everything else.
! am willing TO ley everything before
the committee and before the world. 1
want 1t understood that, 90 far as our
Executive Board is concerned, have
from over four thousand Assem- biies
letters OF endorsement of secret cir
cular Of mine, which .(since Il was 10.
suest) has been made public.
These endorsements bear me out In
what have said, so that you can un.
derstand from the tenor OF the circular
the character OF our organisation.
When l stated that our organization
was willing to meet our contestants be-
fore the Courts had no idea that
was making o wrong statement. I be-
lieve that the law Of the land Is higher
than any organization or corporation,
and that when man violates the law
Of the land, either as Knight Of Labor
or as private citizen, or as q mem beI
of corporation, he should be punished
for 1t. and that his connection with On
Organization should be no shield fol
him; and 1 have thought, on the othel
hand, that the man who violates the
law and who 10 worth millions of dol
lars sboulu suffer the same as the poor
man. have made that statement, AND
people have seen fit to see In 1t an invi
tation to anarchy. If that ia anarchy,
in the name of God what is Law?
Mr.. Crain-I find IL stated In the bill
Of grievances produced by you that thu
men asked for redress time and again
but in gain; that the Executive Com.
mittee Of the knights of Labor sough
to settle the matter, and that the reply
OF the General Superintendent OF tn,
Missouri Pacific Railway, refusing u
agree to o conference as proposed, ear
be produced.
Mr.. Powderly-Yes, I am told tina
along the Iron Mountain Railway ant
along other railroads in parts Of Texal
the superinteDd and foremen AT,
interested In company stores, aud tha
the men are compelled to deal in thes,
stores. The employees are not told, Ii
so many words, that they mast dea
| there; but they are reminded that 1t Il
| their interest TO do 30. II murmur o
Ioomplaint Ia to reach the ear Of th,
president of the company 1t must q,
| through the superintendent, and q mai
will be discharged az soon ss he utter
q word OF com plant. The men who's
money is invested In the railroad know
nothing about this. In many place
double prices are charged In thee
stores. s
Mr.. BuchAnan-wiil you be able Z
furnish specific instances of this kind
Mr.. Powderly-The committee wi
find proofs of all these things.
Mr.. Buchanan-Do you know whethe
the grievance set forth 10 the pape
which you read originated exclusivel
on the Texas Pacific Road, or In con
nection with other roads9
Mr.. Powtlerly-On the entire system
i Mr.. Bucbanan-Including the Mi
lsouri Pacific?
| Mr.. Powderly-Yes. The men ale
IcomplRin that convicts are brouRf
lfrom the peuitentiaries In Texas
work on the railroads, and that stripe
Isuits may be seen side by side " 1t
honest labor In track repairing. II
statement has been made to me
members OF the committed.
Mr.. Northumberland referent
has been made in the newspapers to
: contract of agreement made In 1888
Gan you produce that paper?
Il Mr.. Powderly produced what
, stated to be the original contract
agreement of 10Th March, 1885, pr
posed by the Governors of Missouri al
Kansas, and accepted by the represel
I tatives of the railtoad companies and
the worklngmen.
Mr.. Buchanan-And the prese
{ | grievances are that, In violation OF tn
agreement. and without notice, t
wages of the men were reduced. etc
al Mr.. Powderly-Yes.
MIR. Bucbanan-You spoke abo
Irailroads being operated uuder j
: 4eeivers. Has it been yoAsa observatt
, that sometimes Receivers may be @
piled for simply ~ stock iobbing Q
Ieration2
ell Mr. Powderly-I have entertain
= that opinion. l may be wrong.
lcourse have TO knowledge of the 1
IsIde workings of n railroad compan
but there is 30 much said to that Ell
T that thought such thing might
possible.
Mr.. BuchaDan-Hasi 1t ever occurT
n to you that possibly the power whi
lodged in Court TO apr oint Recei'
L was meant originally to be q tempoIs
device by which the property might
preserved until after foreclosure bei
L. nterod and q sale of the property ha
Mr.. Powderly-That has been !
idea.
al Mr.. Buchauan-I do not hesitate
~ say that the modern practice OF a Co
taking hold OF railroad and work.
1t for years is entirely foreign TO
e purpose for which the power v
a originally given.
~ Mr.. Powderly-That has been
le idea.
The Chairman-That is, that the
thority of the court Ia sometimes
voked to wreck railroad.
Mr. Powderly-Yes.
Mr. Buchansn-Is not a rsilr'
which is In the hands of Receiver
most dangerous competitor that
honestly conducted railroad can ha
n Mr. y--Undoubtedly.
Mr. Buchanap-You promised to
nish the com mittee with some view
30 she legislative remedy for trouble
the kind now exiating. VIII you a
in considering that question, take
eC view the complex nature of this |
ernment and the divided responsible
between Federal and Ssate legislat
80 IS 70 make your suggestions such
the National Legislature can duly