The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1890-08-21
PoWderly,s Letter.

New YORK, Aug. 19.-Vice President
Webb has made public the correspond
ence between Mr.. POwderly and himself.
Mr.. Powderly, on Saturday, wrote Mr..
Webb stating that he expected by Mon
day to have completed his inquiry into
the causes of the strike, and he would be
glad if an interview could be arranged
for Monday morning between 10 and IL
o'clock. He desired to discuss the qnes-
tion of arbitration of the differences be-
tween the company and the Knights of
Labor employees who were discharged
brior to August s.
Mr.. Webb replied, agreeing to the
interview, but suggesting that as reports
of interviews already had between him.
self and MesSrs. Holland, Hays and Dom
ovan on tho same subject had been great
ly misrepreSented, it would be for the in
terest Of all concerned If the matter
which Mr.. Powderly wished to present
were put in writing.
On Sunday Mr.. Powderly wrote Mr..
Webb that he was called away from the
city, and was therefore obliged to COM
NIT to paper what he would rather dis
cuss personally. he was informed that
old.and faithful employees had been sum-
marily dismissed because they were
members of and active in the Knights Of
Labor; that up to the time of their dis
charge they were faithful employees, with
good records. The frequency of the
dismissals left little room for doubt in
the minds of the men that they were
all in danger of discharge at moments
notice, and hence the strike. The whole
question hinges upon the discharge of
Knights of Labor because they are such.
II 1t can be shown that these men were
working injury to their employers, right
minded men will say they were treated
as they deserve. If they were discharged
for cause, the company has everything
to gain and nothing to lose from an in
vestigation. If they deserved dismissal
from the service none of us will ask for
their reinstatement. If, however, they
were displaced because Of their connec-
tion with the Knights OF Labor, it should
be known, for il it Is to be the policy of
the company that no members OF the
Knights of Labor are to be employed,
then statement to that effect will clear
up all doubts and there Gun be no future
misunderstanding There will be moth
ing then to arbitrate so long as you hold
that opinion.
The interests of the public and of the
company and the rights Of the men to Or
ganize for self-protccton are all involved
in this contest. The policy of the
Knights of Labor is to work peacefully
in the line of educational and legislative
reform. 1t is not their policy to enter
hastily upon strikes. The present strike
may be pointed to in rcfutation Of this
assertion but until an investigation Is
had that must remain disputed cues
tion.
The interests of the public require
that freight and passenger traffic should
work smoothly, the interests of the com
pany require the same thing, and in ad-
dition that such traffic prove remunerj
ative; the interests Of working people
are the same as the other, but their
right to organize and select the organiza-
tion they wish to belong to is fully as
dear to them as their pecunary interests
can possibly be. Here is an organization
the aim of which is to work for educa-
tional and legislative advantages, called
upon to defend it's members, who, up to
the time of their dismissal, had worked
only in educational and legislative direc-
tions. Surely we have right to qUes-
tion why they were discharged. Each
man, no matter how humble, is as much
part of the public as any other man.
True, the New York Central and Hudson
2i4ax railroad is tributary TO the