Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-08-20

| ArbitratOrs-The Strike.
NEW YORK, Aug. 20. The following
is the correspondence that passed be-
tween Vice President Webb. of the New
York Central, and Mr.. t, V. Powderly,
general master workman of the Knights
of Labor:
NEW YORK, Aug. 16.
H. Walter Webb Third Vice President
New York Central and Hudson Rail
road:
DEAR SIR-Since reaching this city,
have been inquiring into the causes which
led up to the present strike on the New
York Central and Hudson railroad The
investigation consumed the greater part
of to-day, and will no doubt be prolonged
for several hours. believe that by Mon
day morning will be in possession of the
facts in the case from the standpoint of
the men, and if you will kindly grant me
an interview on Monday morning, be-
tween 10 and II O'Clock, | would esteem it
great favor desire to discuss with you
the question of arbitrating the differences
which existed between the New York Cen
trail and Hudson railroad and those of its
employees who are members of the Knights
of Labor and who were discharged from
the service of the company prior to Aug.
S, 1870 Very truly yours,
7. V PowDERLY,
General Master Workman Knights of
Labor.
TO this communication Mr., Webb
answered us follows:
NEW York, Aug IS.
Mr.. r. V Powderly, St. Cloud Hotel, New
York:
DEAR SIR--Ihave just received your let
ter of to-day, asking that grant you an
interview on Monday morning between
10 and 12 o'clock. have had interviews
with Messrs. Holland, Hayes and Donovan
in reference to the matter you wish to be
considered, and inasmuch as some of the
reports of such interviews were greatly
misrcprcsented and distorted, ! would
suggest that It is for the interest Of all con
cerncd that the matter you wish presented
to me be put in writing. Ii, however, you
wish, am quite willing that the inter,
view you ask for shall be held at the time
you name. Yours etc,
H. WALTER WEBB.
Mr.. Powdeily replied to Mr.. Webb as
follows, his letter being dated Sunday:
NEW YORK, Aug. II.
II. Walter Webb Esq, Third Vice Pres
dent New York Central and Hudson
River Railroad.
DEAR SIR--On receipt of your commu-
nication last evening determined to call
upon you tomorrow morning, for a per
sonal interview is much more satisfactory
than correspondence can possibly be
Since then | have been called away from
the city, and | am obliged to commit to
paper what ! would rather discuss with
you in person.
If | am correctly informed, old and
faithful employees Of the New York Cen
tral and Hudson railroad have been sum
marily dismissed from the service of the
company, because they were members of
and active in the knights of Labor 1t is
represented to me that up to the time OF
their discharge they were faithful to the
interests Of the company and that not
one mark of discredit stands against the
industrial record of any of those who
were discharged prior to Aug S, 1870
That in brief this is the statement of the
men. The frequency of disms5lls left
but little room for doubt in the minds of
the men that they We're all in danger OF
discharge at Il moments notice, and
hence the strike.
The whole question hinges upon the dis
charge of Knights of Labor because they
are such If it can be shown that these
men were working injury to their EN-
ployers right minded men will say that
they were treated as they deserved If
they were discharged for cause the New
York Central and Hudson River railroad
has everything to gain and nothing TO lose
from an investigation. If they deserved
dismissal from the service Of the company
none of us will ask for their reinstate-
ment. If, however. they were displaced
because of their connection with the
knights of Labor it should be known, for,
if it is to be the policy of the New York
Central and Hudson River railroad that
no Knights of Labor are to be employed
then a statement to that effect will clear
us of all doubts, and there can be 40 fu
ture MISUNDERSTANDING There will be
nothing then to arbitrate so long as vnn
hold TO that opinion.
The interests of the public the interests
of the owners of the company you repre- /
sent, and the rights of men to organize
for selfprotection are all involved in this
contest The policy of the order of the
Knights of Labor is to work peacefully in
the line of educational and legislative re-
form. 1t Is not the policy Of the inslitu-
tion, no matter what its enemies may say
to enter hastily upon strikes. The pres
ent strike may be pointed to in refutation
of that last assertion hut, until an in
vestigation into the cause or causes is
had, that must remain disputed ques
ton, while the hundreds Of cases that
have been peacefully and quietly adjusted
through the intervention of the knights
of Labor, although not heralded broad
cast. as they would have been had they
ended in strikes prove that our aim is Ia
avoid strikes, rather than to precpitate
them. Tine interests OF the public re
qure that freight and passenger traffic
should work smoothly. The interests Of
the company require exactly he same
thing, and, in addition, that such traffic
prove remunerative. The interests of the
working people are the same as the others,
but their right to organize, and select the
organization they wish to belong To, Is
fully as dear to them rs their pecutiary
interests can possibly be-
Here is an organization, the aim OF
which IL TO work for educational and leg
islative advantages. called upon to defend
its members who, up to the time Of their
dismissal, had worked only in educational
and legislative directions Surely we have
a right TO question why they were dis
charged Each man, no matter how hum
bic, is as much part of the public rs any
other maH True the New York Central
and Hudson railroad is a tributary 10 the
comfort and well-being Cf the community,
but the community gives TO the corpora
tion In question its strength and wealth,
and of that community at least two thirds