The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-08-27
BEFORE THE BATTLE.
A FULL STATEMENT OF THE
STRik Frs CASE.
The Chief of tho knights or Labor Appeals
Ia the Public tn stand by the Working
men I'm Their Great Fight with Capital.

| mon I'm Iheir Great right Win shpitai.
Mr.. Il. V. Powderly, Grand Master Of
the Knights of Labor, has issued the
following appeal TO the public:
! To the People:
For some time the management ~ the
| New York Central and Hudson River Rail-
soad have been discharging employees who
nave been active I'm labor affairs. II hap
pens that all those who have been dismissed
are members OF the order OF Knights OF
1 Labor, and have at time or another
been officers OF the order, or have served on
committees which waited on the officials
with "a view OF presenting grievances. These
discharges became so frequent and were SO
clearly evidence OF settled purpose on the
part OF the company To disrupt and destroy
| the organization OF the knights of Labor
| on the Central System that the Executive
! Board OF District Assembly No. 246, In which
the knights OF Labor upon the system are
| enrolled, found IL necessary Ia call a special
meeting in New York To consider the situa-
! ton.
| In the meantime the Executive Board.
having been apprised OF the condition OF
| affairs, sent one of its members j. j. Hol-
! land. to New York with instructions 10 use
/ all possible efforts 10 bring about an AMIGA
Bile adjustment OF the difficulty. On his ar
| rival In New York. after a conference with
representatives OF the District Assembly. he
waited upon III. Walter Webb, Third Vice
: President and acting manager OF the COM
he had called To endeavOr to adjust the UNI
! plcasantncSs existing between the company
| and its knights OF Labor employees. Mr..
1 Webb denied that there was any trouble
| existing between the company and Its en-
ploycs. Mr.. Holland told him that he. as a
member OF the General Executive Board Of
the knights OF Labor had come at the re-
quest OF the men, through the organization
| 10 which they belonged. District Assembly
! 2l6. Mr.. Webb frequently declared that he
| would not discuss the matter with any one
not an cmploye Of the company and closed
| the interview by saying:
Il don't care To state what preparations
we are making for strike. We are maxi
! ing such preparations as would seem roa-
sonable and proper 10 any prudent railroad
man. hut | don't 'believo there is going 10
! be a strike. | can't believe that tho men
will act in the ill-considered manner In
which IT is alleged they will act. Should
| n strike be ordered, | am pretty confident
! that Mother the Federation nor the Knights
woub move many OF our men from our
| service"
| Finding all efforts TO effect peaceful set
| Element Of their grievances impossible, and
| being convinced that IL was only "a question
| of time when they would be one and all dis
| charged unless they forfeited their man
| hood and abandoned their privileges as
| citizens OF free country, by renoumcing
| their rights 10 join their fellows in an Or
| ganization calculated To protect their just
: rights without intrenching upon those Of
others, the District Executive Board had
no alternative but 10 order strike, which
| they did.
| On Wednesday, morning John Devlin, OF
the General Executive Board. and myself
waited on Mr. Touccy, General Manager,
| and endeavorcd 10 have the matter arbi-
trated or investigated. Mr.. Toucey was
| emphatic in his refusal On the afternoon
of that day Mr.. Webb was visited and he re-
| tod xVha haI 4,
suggested 10 him that disinterested parties
| hear and determine; IL was also suggested
| that during the investigation che strike be
declared OF and the investigation proceeded
with. That was refused. Then Mr.. Webb
refused my proposition that he sit with me
| in the presence OF the men who were dis
| charged and allow me To question them in
his presence that | might know the facts of
the case and be better able 10 arrive at a
| decision.
During the session OF the State Legislature
| the knights of Labor OF New York were
active in the passage Of the weekly-pay
! bill. The committee Of the knights, repre-
! senting the employees of the New York Cen
trail Railroad, were met at Albany by the
attorneys Of the railway and browbeaten,
questioned, and terrorzed. Some of the
members OF that committee, who were at
the time employed by the New York Cen
tral, were discharged without any given
cause. There IL not a doubt I'm the minds
| of the committee that these men We're sin
gled out for endedvoring Ia secure the
| passage Of the above mentioned law. After
thoroughly investigating the causes which
| led To the strike, and after making every
| effort in their power 10 induce the company
TO arbitrate or submit To an investigation
! by impartial men the question at issue the
| general executive board have, by n unan-
! imous vote, determined TO stand by the
/ men, who, whether their strike was oppor-
tune or no, had no alternative consistent
with their manhood.
| Everything that could I'm honor be dono 20
terminate the strike on an honorable basis
| for the men was done, and the alternative
OF unconditional and absolute surrender on
! the part of the men or "A protest against the
! tyranny of the officials OF the New York
Central & Hudson River Railroad was pre-
| scented To US
Under the circumstances IL would be un-
manly. 1t would be cowardly and unworthy
of the sons OF men who struggled and died
for the rights OF humanity. We did not
seek the quarrel. The General Executive
, Board knew nothing OF IL until II was
thrust upon them and now that we have To
face IL we ask Of the entire order OF the
knights of Labor To come 10 our assistance
| with the means To win the strike. We are
not craving for sympathy. We are not In
need OF moral support. We have 10 fight "A
power which owes its lofty bearing To the
wealth il has piled up from the labor OF its
| mand and we want money To carry ON the
| struggle.
We ask all members OF organized labor to
come to our aid. We not only ask labor or
ganizations but we ask OF the great public
| beyond our organizations Of labor to come
To our relief. 1t l. not because few cents
more day or some paltry concession To the
men was required that this strike was pre-
| cipitatcd. 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 10 Wash
ington 10 secure legislation favorable ~ the
whole people and secure the repeal OF GER
taip unjust laws. Ii Is I'm the hope of turn
ing ouf attention away from these matters
that this warfare Is made on this part OF
the allied forces.
The conduct OF the men since the strike
begun has been most orderly and COM
mendable and until IL closes no Knight Of
Labor will be found I'm an unlawful act of
any kind We are pledged % maintain the
law. We will obey the legal commands OF
the state. but not OF the corporation which
defies public opinion and has no regard for
Justice when dealing with its employees
Cancellation and arbitration can deal with
the most intricate questions of dispute. The