St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-10-02
FOOLED BY Jay GOULD.
Powderly Defends His Course in
the Southwestern Strike.

POwderly Defends His Course IN
the Southwestern Strike.
ST.. LOUIS. Oct. 1.-The general exc
cutive board of the Knights of Labor
began a session to- DAY at the Laclede
hotel in this city. Ever since the
Southwest strike in 1886 there has been
more or less trouble in this section, and
it is believed that the present meeting
will result in settlement of many
things in that connection which have
long been bone of contention within
the order. Replying to criticisms upon
his action during that strike Mr.. Pow
derby to day said:
My record in the matter of the Southwest
ern strike is open to inspection and is under
stood and Endorsed by the order. The strike
was ordered without due authority. The
constitution of the order was violated. |
have in my possession numerous letters from
local assemblies begging the executive board
for Gods sake to step i'll and end the struggle.
After my trip West during the strike l re-
turned TO New Xork and there met Mr.. Gould.
/ supposed that he was man of his word.
At the conference held in the Astor house
Jay Gould said that he would arbitrate the
trouble with his men. This was all we had
asked. and l ordered the strike off. The
next day Jay Gould stated that he meant by
arbitrating with his men, those who were in
his employ at the time: What nonsense and
duplicity that was. Gould had no trouble
with the men who were at work. l was sim
ply trapped.
lIn an interview tonight Master
Workman Powderly said that he came
with trunk full of papers bearing on
the Southwestern strike and stood
ready to answer all charges.
There is general misrepresentation in re-
gard to the Southwestern strike. Not nearly
oil of those in Il r,iOhfS of
Labor, and nothing like all the knights OF
Labor favored it. AT that time we had only
between 5000 and 1000 men employed
on the Gould lines and many of these
were clerks. accountants and book
keepers, who had nothing to do with run
ming the trains. 1t can be seen that only a
small proportion of the strikers were Knights
of Labor, as about 10000 men were called
on either voluntarily or lnvoluntarily by the
stake. AS TO any want OF support, or
action favoring the railroad authorities,
no charges were made against me at
the time, and think it a little too late now.
1 have letters sustaining my position and can
produce them. P0Wderly cannot be IN every
city in the country at the same time, but
when he speaks he can prove what he says"
"Can you say what your position in regard
to the appointment of Furlong as chief Of
the government secret service iS?''
Il opposed him, and still do so most siren
uously. Ny reason for so doing is his prose
cution. or, rathar persecution, of men en-
gagged on the Southwestern strike who were
innocent of all wrong DOING / am conf
dent that some men committed illegal acts,
although l have no personal knowledge
of any but the men whom FurlOng per-
secuted had been guilty of no crime or mis-
demeanor whatsoever l have the authority
of the trial courts for this statement; as
citizen l deem it my duty to inform the
president when he is appointing an un-
worthy man to Office, and did this in the
case of Furlong."
WAS your protest that of an individual or
that of the board of knights of Labor
Il protest in both characteristics as T. v.
Powderly and afterwards received indorse-
ments which made me the spokesman OF the
order. do not know how some of the sgi-
natures of Western district assemblies were
obtained 10 Endorsements of Furlong's can
didacy Some were improperly obtained.
know, and the matter will receive full in
vestigation."
GLOW long will you remain in the city?"
1.-THE executive board will probably be in
session about two weeks"
Tonight Master Workman POwderly
attended mass meeting of local as
sembies, presided over by o. X. Lake,
the leading local Knight. Mr.. Powderly
addressed the meeting and boldly
denounced his enemies. He read
a number of letters with reference
to the Furlong matter, showing
that the fOrgeries alleged were commit
ted, and at the close of his speech he
was Endorsed by the meeting in all he
has done in opposition to FurlOng in
cluded, and the promised discontinue
of PoWderly when he reached st. Louis
has already fallen through.