The Indianapolis journal., 1890-08-22


without any given cause. There exists not
the shadow of doubt in the minds of that
committee that their men were singled out
ior endeavoring to secure the passage OF
the aforementioned law.
After thoroughly Investigating the causes
which led to the strike, and after making
every effort in their power to induce the
company to arbitrate Of submit to an in
yestIgation by impartial men. the ques-
tons at issue. namely. whether the men
were discharged because they were Knights
OF Labor and for the purpose of destroying
their organization, as they believe and
maintain, or for just use and proper rea-
sons, as the officials of the company al
lege. the general executive board have by
o unanimous vote determined to stand by
the men, who. whether their strike was op-
perfume OF not. had no alternative con-
sistent with their manhood.
Il have no doubt but that it Is the deter
minati0n of the management to destroy the
organization of labor along the line of the
New York Central railway unless the
ganization subsequently bends the knee to
controversy Messrs. TOucey and Webb
stated. and repeated the statement, that
the men were not discharged because they
were Knights of Labor. and they expected
the public to believe them simply because
they say so. Both of these gentlemen de-
ny certain things in relation to their con-
versation with me- which both Mr.. Devlin
and myself are prepared to make affidavit
to. may therefore be excused if am not
question any denial by them of statements
made by men whose words should be of
equal value with theirs
Everything that could in honor be done
to determine the strike on an honorable
basis for these men was done, and the alter.
native of unconditional and absolute sur
render OF the part of the men or a protest
against the tyranny of the officials of the
New York Central was presented to us.
would be unmanly. 1t would be cowardly
and unworthy of sons of men who on two
hemispheres struggled and died for the
right of humanity. We did not seek the
quarrel The general executive board
tbr"st nothing tbs1 of .na it until it. was
have to face it. we ask of the
entire order of the Knights of Labor
TO come to our assistance with the means
to win the strike. We are not craving for
support; far away down in the hearts of
the American people, could they all be
heard on this question. the sentiment is
on our side and in our favor. We have to
to the wealth it has taken from the labor
of employees of the road. Untold millions
are at It's commands. and we want money
to carry on the struggle. We not
only ask of Knights of Labor to
come to our aid. but we ask it
1t Is our turn. 1t will be yours
anon. If we are SO easily vanauished as to
make company to repeat the experiment
We not only ask labor organizations but
our organizations of labor to come to our
relief. We are fighting against a power
far more dangerous than that which lald
down its arms at Yorktown one hundred
years ago. Then the fight was with one
king. To-day it is against hundred. one
of whom said in an after-dinner speech not
long ago: There are fifty men in this
country who have it in their power to con-
troll the currency of the United States, con-
troll the commerce. and at a days notice
the United States The struggle is far
more momentous than it was during the
American rev olutiOn. Then our fathers
fought for liberty. now we are fighting to
miles away. To-day he is entrenched in
our own dominion. Hehas his fingers around
our Legislatures. He stands at the doors of
Congress. to bar out legislation in the in
terests of the masses. He presumes to die
tate to the executive Of the Nation.
He attempts to strangle, and cor:
of these by no shadow of divine
right, put by the power Of money wrung
from the bending backs. of the railway
farmers of the land; wrung from the busl-
ness interests of America; wrung from the
very hearts of the best and nOblest of the
Nations poor. 1t Is against such power
as this, a power that cares for no right but
it's own, that we struggle. and whether We
win or lose In the present contest the battle
will 60 on until power Is weakened forever
or the public is damned
Question the oppOrtuneness of the battle
If you will. but its justice cannot but be
apparent to every dlsinterested person. 1t
is not because few cents more day or
some paltry concessions to the men require
that this strike was precipltated. Its
origin lies away beyond these considera-
tions. The real animus lies in the fact that
our order has been struggling with the
questions which concern the control of
trusts, corporations and syndicates by the
government Of the people. The allied
forces of the Knights of Labor and
the Farmers Alliance are marching on to
Washington to secure. legislation favor
able to the whole people. They are going
there to secure the repeal of certain unjust
laws which stand in the way of progress
and which antagonize justice. 1t is the
hope of turning yOur attention away from
these matters that this warfare is made O
part of the allied forces. 1t is to weaken
us when we can do the worst harm and the
country the greatest amount OF good that
these annoyances are visited upon us.
1--WE are not the disOrderly men that
their papers paint US. The orderly and
law-abiding conduct of the men on strike
has won the admiration of the public and
yet the best feelings of the community
have been destroyed by the introduction of
an armed force under the command of
Robert PinkertOn, man who holds no
commission from the State or Nation to
recruit or arm men for military duty. Had
the. interests of the State of New
York required it there were many
thousand of old veteran soldiers within her
borders who faced death in all it's forms o
quarter of century ago that our country's
flag might be planted over q nation of free
men, who would willingly have stepped to
the front again did the Nation or State
need their aid. We have a military force
within the State itself sufficient to meet
any possible emergency. 1t was not neces-
sary to call upon them, and yet hireling
mob of the worst character in the land
York to terroriZe her citizens, to provoke
men to- anger and wrath. to shoot down
those who asked for the right to be heard
in their own behalf. The conduct of the
men since the strike began has been most
orderly and commendable, and until it's
close no Knight of Labor will be found IN an
unlawful act of any kind. We are pledged
to maintain the law. We will obey the
legal commands of the State but not of the
corporation which deties public opinion
and has no regard for Justice when dealing
tration can deal with the most intricate
questions of dispute.
1.-The unchrisrian attitude of the New
York Central officials is best illustrated by
the manner in which they violate the laws
of the land through their agents. During
this strike Robert Pinkerton is the
agent of that railroad company. He
advertises for men; they respond, and are
hired without regard to qualifications of