Huntsville gazette., 1890-08-30
NUMBER 80.

matter of the strike has been ex6rted 20 AID
the Knights of Labor, through their; repre-
sentatives, to secure the recognition of their
order by the officials OF q rich and powerIul
corporation, to secure for workingmen, the
victims Of autocratic power. hearing, and
to perform such other kindly offices as were
proper under the circumstances, demon
strating sympathy and good will, thereby
aiding the Knights of Labor to bring the
strike to close upon principles of righ
and justice. In this the council mot with u
failure, owing to the autocratIc attitude OF
IL. Walter Webb.
1t now becomes necessary for the SUI
preme council to say, that, owing to the
fact that tho order of the Knights OF Labor
Is not member of the Federation OF Rail-
way Employees, the laws OF the supreme
council do not permit its doing more than
1t has done to aid the knights of Labor, and
its inability to participate otherwise in the
strike Is now known and appreciated by
Mr.. Powderly.
Referring to the laws of the supreme
council relating to strikes, the matter Is
concisely presented as follows: Iii the first
place. fthe members of the organlzati ons.
on any railroad have a grievance it is sub
mitted to the proper officers of the road by
the local grievance committee In the
event of failure to obtain satisfaction the
chief executive officer of tie order
having the grievance Is called upon
and in connection with the committee
seeks to amlcably adjust the diff srences- II
fail ure still attends the efforts to adjust the
trouble, then the supreme colncil is con-
vened at the headquarters of the rail-
road officials, with whom a conference Is
requested, and its influence Is exerted to
obtain q settlement alike just to all parties.
II failure still follows efforts to reisove the
cause OF complaint, and che council, by
unanimous vote. decides the grievance to
Of nch " q q n a q
promptly ordered, In which event the mem
bers OF the various organizations employed
on the road where the grievance exists, viz:
fremen, conductors, trainmen and switch
men abandon their work.
In conclusion, the supreme council places
| it's high appreciation upon the manliness OF
| the knights of Labor employed on the New
| York Central & Hudson River road in strug
| CLING to maintain principle sacred to
| every working m an on the cont inent and to
all men who love justice and hope for the
| tri umph Of right over wrong fragrant as
ever stained the pages of history.
| [Signed1 FRANK SARGENT.
Attest: W. A. SHEEHAN, Secretary
Nearly all the members Of the com
Gil left for their respective headquar-
ters on the midnight train. BY their
| gentlemanly demeanor, substantial
presence, general courtesy and con
servative bearing they created de-
cidedly favorable impression.
Before leaving, Delegate Downey Of
the Chicago switchmen, said: "We
came here in the interests of the peo-
pie whose servants we are. We are
| paid to serve their interests. While in
moral sense we are in sympathy with
the Knights of Labor, the in
terests of those to whom we are
directly responsible governed our
acts, and no other course was
opened If we have erred it has been
with the head rather than the heart,
and we are willing to stand the curses
of those who disagree with u.s."
81 am entirely satisfied with the out
come" said Chief Sargent. There
were no kickers when we had finished.
If any question comes up in the future
| directly affecting the orders in the Fed
GRAFTON, the switchmen, for instance,
| we will meet it like men,"
Several other delegates spoke in the
same strain.
Local Knights of Labor are paralyzed
at the result Of the appeal Of their
chiefs. They had confidently expected
| that the Federation would rush to Pow
derly's assistance, and through gem
eral tie-up endeavor to bring Webb to
| terms. The cause of the men on the
Central, they say, is lost one, and with
the defeat goes ruin of the prestige and
most Of the strength Of the order.