St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-08-26
KNIGHTS IN A HOLE.
They Ask for Bread and the
Federation Responds With
a Stone.
It Praises PoWderly and De-
nounces Webb, But Can't
Order a Strike.
Thus the Central Strikers
Are Left to Their Own
Resources.
Leaders Of the Knights OF
LaborFeel Glum and Webb
Is Jubilant.

is JuDlIdnC.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind, Aug. 25.-The
Knights of Labor asked for bread, and
their brethren of the United Order of
Railroad Employees, better known as
the Federation, responded with stone.
1t is true that the morsel is concealed
in a jar of honey, but it will be none
the .more digestible to the knights on
that account. 1t is common remark
here tonight that the final decision of
the conference could not have been
more to Mr.. Webb's taste had the third
vice president of the New York Central
and his associates manipulated the
wires that controlled the twelve men
who compose the supreme body. The
unfortunate Knights are left to their
own resources. They are not even af
forded the balm of pecuniary sup
port, and their general master
workman is referred by the chief
of the Federation to the press dis
patches for the official reply to his
appeal. The outcome may prove a
same time it is vindicaton of the con-
servatism and prudence of the Fed
Grafton. 1t was formed to prevent
strikes instead of to promote them, and
in the very first case upon which its SUI
preme tribunal has been called to sit in
Judgment it has demonstrated its inten-
tiOn of
Living Within Hts Laws.
And yet it was only after warm strug-
gle that the conservatives prevailed as
against the supporters of war to the
knife. When the members of the coun-
Gil came together this morning every
man was determined that the issue must
be faced without further delay. The
report of the committee was taken
up and debated in detail. Downey,
of Chicago, one of the representatives
of the switchmen's union. distinguished
himself by a two hours speech, in
which he brought sledge hammer aryu-
ments to bear against the proposition to
embroil the united orders in strike.
There was no lack of speakers Oh the
other side, and the debate, waxing at
times and exceedingly warm, went on
for nearly five hours. Finally a
resulted numerically is known only
to the delegates and will appear only
in the secret orders OF the order, while
the former are as tight-mouthed as
clans. 1t is believed, however, that
the three delegates from the switch
mems union, two from the conductors,
two from the trainmen and one from
the firemen voted in the negative.
This would make the vote eight
to four, and it required the vote
of two of the three members repre-
senting each order to decide which
way that organization should vote, but
it also required unanimous vote of all
four orders before strike could be
ordered. Hence, even had two repre-
sentatives of three orders been in favor
of backing the Knights by general
tie-up the solid opposition of the three
purpose. AS it was, the friends of peace
had enough votes, and to spare. The
delegates breathed sigh of relief
After the Crucial Fest
had been applied, and then proceeded
with alacrity to prepare general state
ment for the public regarding the
strike and the position of the federation
in the affair. This occupied considera-
BILE time. and then another debate was
precipipitated by the introduction of a
resolution so changing the constitution
of the body to to require a tWO-thirdS
vote Of the organizations embraced
under the constitution to declare
strike instead of unanimous vote as
at present. In support of the PROPOSE
tion strong arguments were made. 1t
was declared that it was almost an utter
tn fri ha
constitution now stood, and 1t was
urged that the amendment proposed
would not in any way change
the case, calculating disposition of
the membership, or make strikes
any more frequent than they are
under the existing code. But the talk
was of no avail, for the proposition, on
being put to a vote, was defeated
another victory for the conservatives.
With this disposed of, the business for
which the supreme council had been
called together was completed, and it
only remained to adopt votes of thanks
to the hotel proprietors and other citi-
Zens whose hospitalities had been
extended. At 6 o'clock, after
session Of nearly ten hours, the twelve
men, looking decidedly weary yet cheer
full over the final conclusion of their
labors, emerged from the club rooms.
1t was announced that the report to the
public would not be given out until 8
o'clock, and this was taken in some
quarters as indicating that the council
had decided upon
Some Step or Another
which it proposed to consummate with
in the intervening three hours. This
notion, however, was dispelled by the
denial of Grand Secretary Debs, who,
replying to other questions. said: ''The
question of rendering financial support
to the striking Knights of Labor was
not considered in any torn. That is
something with which we have
nothing to do. We have given
them our moral support, and we
can go no farther. If any of the sepa-
rate orders composing the federation
want to assist the knights financially
they are liberty to do it. AS matter of
fact the knights have not asked for
anything of the kind and 1 believe that
Mr.. Powderly will be satisfied with our
decision, and | certainly do not believe
that he expected us to order strike in
behalf of his men. What other members
of the executive board may have
thought or said is another matter with
which we have nothing to do, The po-
sition of the strikers who are members
of the federation, and also of the
knights of Labor" continued Debs, sis
just this. By striking they have ac-
knowledged their allegiance to the
knights, and to that body they must
look for support. Not having acted
hQder our constitution. or by our or
ders. we cannot help them. They
violated our laws in striking,
although we coincide that, having
subsequently obtained the sanction of