New-York tribune., 1886-04-22
C1ITSr orA1, THE STRIKES.
OPINIONS OF MCDOWELL AND pow. AA l.
GREAT INCREASE or THE KNIGHTS SINCE THE
GRAND-sr. RIOT.
rBr TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUNE.1

WAsuINGToN. April 21.-The Labor 1nvestl-
ca,on Commit tee transferred it's headquarters to-day
from the Hotel to the room OF the House
COMMITTEES Elections The proceedings were uh-
usually duh the whole. but they were reheVed ~
times by salles of the chairman and the congress-
,ooal wit of several members OF the committee VINO
see med moro upou convincing the rcrrescnt-
tIves OF labor present that Congressman are mortar he
other men than upon getting at the true inwardhess OF
the strikes the West Indeed, tae delicacy with whch
the witnesses handled by members OF the COM
mitee presented strong contrast to the short
work made at that very time OF tho Pan-Eecric saes
man IN two floors below. The vote OF inc
laboring seemed to lie always upPermost IN the
thoughts OF the committee. One member actually asheo
witness pardon for prcsuming TO ask certain quce
ton. Ouy after being assured that no harm wouiu
ensue If he did. the reexamination re-
sumed Tho greater part OF tho day was taNon
up by tho testimony Of W. o. Mcdowell VINO
told what he knew about the celebrated inervieww
Jay Could the OF the strike. the oIJecS oi '""
knights OF Labor. the evils Of competition uder certain
conditions Government: Intervention ana Credit Moph
Ter and construction companies. and waered stock In
the afternoon Mr. Powderly, who had been close ~
tendant upon the proceedings again went on the stand
and rave succnct and graphic account OF the origin OF
the order OF the Knights of Labor and its purposes
Mr. Mcdowell stated that he lay cmber OF the
knights OF Labor bat held no official position
Tie Chairman-what the objects OF that organiZa
uoni
Mr. McDowel--To elevate the members by helping
them to educate themselves; by hclpag thcm to save
that which the average workman has wasted through
bad habits; to lift him from the condition into Whch he
hos fallen through such habits and make him Thereafter
an em ployer instead Of employees so TO educate MIN
by comparison OF ideas and by discussing questions
that hclp to educate he is able to deal with ana
erasp the subjects which affect only himself but his
employer: that he may become better workman. com
mand better wages. and by cooperating with his en-
p.oycr ho him to such profits that he VIII be able 10
pay better wages.
In response to question by Mr. Grain, the Witness
read statement all the details of the attempt
10 arbitrate between tho Knights Labor represented
BY Mr. Powderly and the Missouri Pacific represented
by Dir. Gould. He read the letters which passed De-
tween those gentlemen March 81 ana which have al
ready been published
Mr. CraIu-wna the origna, cause Of this strike
Witness in reply to this question made long state
ment involving the difference between tho prnc PIE OF
payment OF day work and piece work, aud quoted Mr.
Gould as saying that By king change OF that sort
in the Western Union Telegraph Company he had
effected saving OF so per cent
added that the general OF this strike and OF
recent strikes country had been the success
fu strike on lines in NewYork last Febru-
ary That had commanded such universal public sym
pIhy that workmen. whenever they had grievance or
wrong Joined together and made applications to form
assemblies OF Knignls of Labor This was 50 general
that the order had increased more in the month OF
February IL had in the prior eight years IA
au additional he alleged the universal system or
watering railroad stock, which made II necessary for
railroad managers down the rates OF labor as
much as possible.
Mr. Crain--what remedy can you suggest for that
Mr. McDowell-Thc remedy is TO enforce the law. The
law every requires that dollar for dollar SHAH
be paid for railroad stock; but that provision OF law Is
evadcd by the railroad forming themselves
into a Credit Mobier or construction company, and
themselves 800 OF stock for every dollar or
dollars work Take for instance, the recent con-
struction Of the West Shore Railroad
Mr.. Crain-Do you not think that Mr. Gould himself
was very fairly posed toward your organization
Mr. McDowell-That has been my fun impression from
what saw of him. Ny impression was that he wanted
be fair. that he intended to be fair IL has always
seemed to that Mr.. Hoxie WAS high horse from
which iie unwilling to come down, and that when
Mr. Gould fond him rebeous in not carrying out the
arbitration ought tc have issued positive order to
that effect possibly compe:!-i Mr. Hoxie to resign
turned round and split hairs wits the committee
He had agreed TO arbrate everything. III fuure
but would take this special arbitration out OF &
Hoxie's hands.
Mr.. Cran-YOu mean that Mr.. Gould permitted him.
self to be controlled by Mr.. Uoxe
Mr. McDowellThat is the way IT has appeared to me.
Mr.. Cran-Your impression is that Mr.. Hoxie is re-
sponsble for the continuance OF the strike
Mr.. McDowell-Ies. sir.
Mr. Buchanan A statement has been made in the
newspapers to the effect that and Mr.. Gould were
working this matter together for the purpose of Its cect
upon the stock market.
mir. mcDowel.-I never had any Acquaintance with
MI Gould until l met him in connection with this
matter have never bought sold share OF stock on
a margin. There Is not word Of trdth in the susges-
tion.
Mr. Parker-Does not this trouble arise from compe-
ution Of laborers Is not that one OF the bottom
sources OF ali this trouble
Mr. McDoweil-No, you will find that tho great diff
Guilty has not been d demand for increase Of wages
Mr. Parker-But If you remove the competition OF
labor IN these disturbed regions does not that put
end almost to the possibility OF strikes
Mr. McDowell-As you put IT, it does.
Mr.. Parker-I would like to hear your views as to
adjustment OF this competition in labor
Mr. Mcdowell One Of the best suggestions that has
been made 10 me on the subject would like repeat
1t that conference should take place between repre-
sentative from the labor organizations and repre-
sentative from trade ORGANIZATIONS; that they
should and thoroughly discuss the whole question.
AS TO this contest between capital and labor. look
upon them being necessarily partners much
man aud wife. Such discussion as that would be
preached by railroad men in different spirit
from that which they would manifest in discussion
with insubordinate brakemen In this way, there would
gathered the wisdom OF able who had been think
ing over the subject. do not feel that / have bad
enough experience be able to recaptuate the results
OF such a conference
Mr.. Parker-Is 1t desirable to continue tho inlporta
tion OF labor other countres-not pauper labor
Mr. McDowellIt would be pretty hard upon laboring
men TO put a tariff upon competitive labor would
like to think little upon that subject Still. 1t does
seem to me that capacity to absorb Chrisendon is
somc what strongly taxed.
Mr.. Powdery recalled to the stand.
The Charman-I think 1t very important from the di-
rcction which the examination has taken that the
ler nd Orl q he IA q
Labor.
Mr.. Powdery-About eight months after the close OF
the War the garment cutters OF Philadelphia organized
as the Garment Cutters Society OF Philadelphia The
intention pay to sick members a weekly allow
ance, and TO bury the dead In fact IT benevolent
organization They continued TO hold meetings for four
years. At the end of that time, night III October