The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-08-28
Mr.. Arthur Charges Powderly
With Willful FalsehoOd.
THE SELFISH BROTHERHOOD,
An Organization That Neither Asks
Nor Extends Fayors.
Arthur Remembers How Knights Took
Engineers in ssQ'' Strike-New York
Central Clsims to Be Running All
Rirht-Chicago switchmen Still Out.

New YoRK, Aug. 27.-The letter given
below was written by p. M. Arthur. CHIEF
engineer of the Grand international
brotherhood OF Locomotive Engineers. to
the engineers on the Third avenue elevated
road. The letter is in response to letter
on the subject of the Central strike, and
the first utterance of Arthur which fully
defines his position towards the Central
strikers and Knights OF Labor. The letter
is as follows:
CLEVELAND, Aug. %.
&. r. HoIman-Dear Sir and sBrother: Your
letter of the Esd inst, with Powderiy's letter
aud other clippings from New York papers in
closed, is received. In reply will say that
have not received any letter from Powderly
He claims to have written me a private letter on
the trouble, and wants me to de-
fine my position. If he considers his
letter that appeared In newspaper
private / do not. nor viii answer letters that
reach me in that way. It 10 unnecessary for
Powderly or any one else to ask me to define
the position of the Brotherhood OF Locomotive
Engineers in the present trouble on the New
York Central. The policy of the brotherhood is
well known to him and the public, as il has
been repeatedly explained from the
public platform and published In news
papers. He says ''Some time ago
Itelegraphed him (me aning mel that / would
there could not find him. high or low. /
learned that the telegram had been received by
him, but my efforts 10 locate him were fruit.
less" Now the facts In the case, as near as
can recollect, are these: some years ago re-
ceived q telegram from Powderiy, at the Union
depot in Cleveland, on the arrival OF certain
train on the Lake Shore road. Owing
TO my absence from my office l did not
receive the message till after the departure of
the train. and SO informed him by letter, adj
dressing II to him at Scranton. do not believe
he stopped over and looked for me. IL he had
he could have had no difficulty In finding me at
my Office or at home, as / am always at one or
the other when ia Cleveland.
He tells willful falsehood when he says that
ether leaders have been unable TO find me when
they tried TO do so. Any man who tries TO find
me when am in Cleveland can do so with
very little effort, aud no man. whether q leader
or private in the ranks of la
Dor, ever came to my office who
was not treated courteously. While I differ
to secure certain ends, have always been lib
eral enough to concede TO every man the same
rights and privileges ask for myself.
When the present trouble on the New York
Central first occurred I advised the engineers to
abstain from all participation in it and attend
advice when the strike occurred on the Gould
system few years ago. Ny advice to the
Brotherhood of Engineers, when men
employed In other branches of the railroad
service have been on strike, was to mind
their own business and not do anything that
did not properly belong to them as engineers.
Can Powderly say the same? ! think not
Whenever engineers have been on strike we
have never asked other labor organizations to
assist N. It 10 true some members of the order
during the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy strike
importuned switchmen to quit, bat they did it
on their own responsibility, not by authority OF
the organization. Consequently hold that we
are perfectly justified in maintaining strict
neutrality when Others are engaged in a conflict
with their employers.
Powderly accused members of the Brother
hood Of Locomotive Engineers Of taking the
places Of striking fremen. IT that is true, the
division Of which they are members will deal
with them. II is not within the province of my
authority to deal with individual members and
wonder II Powderly had the Knights expelled
who took the places of our men on the Chicago,
Burlington d Quincy. Yours fra.ernally.
T. NJ. ARTHUR.