The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-05-01

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report OF Governors Martin and Marina
duke of their investigation and confer
ence with Mr.. Hoxie was read, showing
that, in their opinion, the strike was not
on the ground of the violation OF any
compact with the employees and knights
of Labor by the Missouri Pacific nan
agement.
81 think this correspondence shows"
said Mr.. Gould at the conclusion OF the
reading of some letters between Mr.. HoXle
and the Knights of Labor, "that we have
led the horses to the trough, but they
wouldn't drink. Our shops were open,
but the men wouldn't go to work"
Then he entered into an account OF his
conferences with Messrs. Powderly and
Mcdowell of the KnigAts of Labor, which
did not differ materially from the state
ments of those gentlemen before the COM
mittee. Mr.. Gould thought the acts OF
the Knights of Labor were very different
from the representations made to him and
their pledges to him; that the private In
structions of Mr.. Powderly were different
from his general circular.
Mr.. Gould maintained that he acted In
good faith, but he thought it was bad
faith and too much liberty on the part OF
Messrs. Powderly and Mcdowell, when
they made public his note of instructions
to Mr.. HoXie, to arbitrate the troubles.
He had not consented to its publicity at
that time.
Mr.. Gould read personal letter which
! he wrote to Mr.. Powderly on March 20,
| in which he stated that the matter of ar
| bitration was wholly within the discre-
| ton of Mr.. HoXie, and informing Mr..
Powderly that he (GOubd) did not want to
| be understood by his telegram to Hoxie,
in which he said that "we see no Objec-
ton to arbitrating troubles with en-
ployes, past and future" as saying that
there should be arbitration. 1t was only
Il consent to arbitration on his (GOuld's)
part and that Hoxie was left free to act
or not.
TGould's explanation, taken in connec-
ton with that of Mr.. Mcdowell yesterday
makes the Misunderstanding clear. The
representatives of the KRghts of Labor
took Mr.. Gould's consent to arbitration
as declaration of acceptance of the
proposition made by the Knights of La
Dor to arbtrate, while Mr.. Gould thought
he was simply consenting that Mr.. Hoxie
should arbitrate.
Considerable time was occupied by the
witness in reading the proclamations by
local assemblies, Knights of Labor, upon
the assumption of victory in the termina-
ton of the strike. He read a portion OF
the proclamations in dramatic way, his
weak voice at times rising to high pitch,
One of the proclamations denounced the
witness as "a master fiend," "a robber OF
rich and poor; buyer of votes to rob us
of our little hOmes;" ga blighter oil
lives" As the rough passages were read
Mr.. Gould's voice trembled with feeling,
and at times the tanning, surging crowd
present Uttered and smiled.
Mr.. Gould introduced large bunch OF
printed matter, the same being copies o
al the correspondence between himself
and his subordinates with representative
of the Knights of Labor, together witt
all notices issued by the Missouri Pacih,
officers and Knights of Labor bearing oil
the strike. From this he read many let
tiers, kilograms, notices, etc, and com
mented upon and explained them, givin!
his reasons and those of his subordinate
for issuing much of the matter, and tn
. effect of some of the proclamations mad
= by the Knights of Labor.
Mr.. Gould evinced thorough knowl
edge of the strike, and the causes of it
and showed that he had made prepare
tons for testifying intelligently ant
fully. Frequently General Swayne real
from the printed compilation, which wa
prepared for the appearance OF MI
Gould before the committee.
/ Mr.. Gould stated that he would entc
this matter as a part of his testimony, bu
. that he wished to read or have read cer
$ tain portions of it to the committee tina
! he might explain its purpose.
t When the committee reassembled afte
i recess, Mr.. Grain asked Mr.. Gould wha
d he knew about railroad companie
: evading the laws by contracting wit
2 construction companies for buildin
= roads. Of this the witness knew moth
c ing.
Referring again to Mr.. Powderly's II
: terview with Mr.. Gould, Mr.. Grain aske
: what, if Mr.. Gould regarded Hne strik
; as over at that time, was the object OF tn
l. interview. 1t was, he said, simply
" talk the situation over and to discus
Il the general principles of arbitration
o When asked about reference in som
II of the published dispatches to Wall stree
II influence, Mr.. Gould asserted that he ha
engaged in no speculative transaction
IN either long or short in Missouri Pacif
rs since the lst of January last.
Mr.. Cultivate asked Mr.. Goul
er whether the interest of the company {
6, the welfare of the public would have So
j, fered by the action of Mr.. Powderly
IN proposition to arbitrate, as indicated
le his telegram to the Knights of Labor
e, st. Louis. MIR. Gould answered this |
RS saying that when he and Mr.. Powder
G. separated he did not think an agreemc
I'd had been reached. Mr.. Cultivate fC
ne lowed this up by saying there seemed
IN be a divergence in views between NJ
nc Gould and Mr.. PoWderly, which occurr
rs after the interviews, but repeated t
e question, again asking what objection
to Saw in accepting Mr.. Powdcrly's propo
tiun to arbitrstc. Mr.. Gould explain
e. that his objection was that the matt
ne was in Mr.. HoXie's hands, and he pI
rs posed to let it stand there.
S, Mr.. Cultivate seemed not to regard til
Sc as a satisfactory reply, and asked the ]