New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-23
THE ROAD REMAINS FIRM.
BUSINESS MEN APPLAUD ITS STAND.
IT is A QUESTION OF PRINcIPLE-No INTER
FERENCE BETWEEN EMPLOYER AND EN-
pLoYE SHOULD BE TOLERATED.

Yesterday among prominent business men OF the CITY
and gathered additional opinions regarding the possible
extension of the NewYor Central strike and the effect
upon business Among the most Interesting opihou' d'o
those Of the cOaldcalers, whose views Oh the SITUATION
are expressed at length and show a unanimity OF
opinion not only to The gravity OF u'e SlV'"''o"
but as TO supporting the position OF the railway COM
pany.
John W. Condn of Acker. Merrall & Condit. speak
ing for the groccrs. said An extension oil the s'rhc
would be very disastrous to general business ana "ou
interfere greatly with the shipment OF our eOons
The trouble would be month from now thah IL
would be at present Tie ROAD II ah IS"' III ''0
matter and the men are all wrong
Francis r. lhnricr of Thurbcr. Whyland d Co.. ex-
messed himself as follows AT present the stihc Is
not sufficiently extended TO enable the formation OF
positive opinion and it Will be dmcuH 10 tel "i'a'
the effect Of further troubles Will he untll It's in eA
tent is known Speaking more part'uiarl! vi ''o
character Of the controversy, Mr. Thnroer SAID As
far as am able TO judge, IT comes down to question
OF facts-whethcr not the men were disclarSeu %
cause they belonged TO the Knights Of Labor. Mr.
Wcbb dsavows that this Is the case. and by Inference
admits the right of men to organize. right when
no faIr-mndcd mdn can deny. The cueShOh no" II
10 decide which is right, and the public, being very
largely interested In the settlement Of the question:
ought In some way TO have n voice III the matler
While no one can deny an employer the risht 10 Ms
satisfactory service or reduction Of force In conse
ou.nce of a reduction OF business, there is the work
mans side of t controversy we'll the employers
side 70 be considered and II Mr. webb Is sincere III
his statement that no men were dlschdrseu pco~iao
they were members OF the knights Of Labor. 1t would
seem that no harm could result from submitting 10
On investigation by some person or persons VINO ~'nu
he bcyond q suspicion OF bias toward either side
"The Vanderblts have always had the reputation
CoruelIus Vanderbilt especially IS considered more
than usually kind and humane man. should thlhh
lie would prefer TO take the men at their "oru anu
have the controversy Investigated. rather IMAM suHer
tho loss which must inevitably result from h'h
% such Investigation. Mr. Powderly's statement
seems fair and reasonable The only people who ap-
pear 10 have acted precipltatcly and without cause
are the men who first went out on the strike As
things now arc II looks If the public would nave 10
suffer until one side or the other gives H. or uHli
the company or Mr. Webb concludes that al lnve,uga-
ton by some one In whom both sides would nave
confidence would be better than 70 have Suspension
Of traffic with consequent loss
J. c. Nichols spoke for the firm OF hnStlh' "l'n'7
& Co An extension Of the strike would Affect Us
very badly he said especially regards our south
crn trade which begins earlier than that from INC
West ANYTHING like widespread trouble W0ud DC
disastrous blow To the general business oil uc oou''
try 1t woud not be becoming I'm ~ to say 10" tno
strike should be settled. but ~ merchants we WYNN"
like II settled som
A member OF the firm Of c. Burhhalter co.; " ne
trouble would not affect u very seriously a. we 90
rDf,,ty a near y business, which conld be done 10y
steamboat or other railroads Mr.. Webb i rlsh' anu
hope he will come out on top
A representative OF the ho7sc Of l.. C. Hazard ("
Co thought there might be great trouble III the end
10 The strike is extended but no difficulty wa Icing
experienced at present. The firm had stopped snip
N.rifl Cant trail
was only lust beginning. but II the strike should " on
between September 10 and December d. when they
would be shipping twenty times a. many gooh' ~ now
they might feel the effect Of it very seriously
Francis H. Lcggctt Il Co.: An extension Of the
strike would very disastrous at this busy season ana
il would work still greater disaster III snort u"c'
when the crop men would be ready a. send thcr
products 10 the Eastern markets and We "0"H uV
an xlous 10 send them goods In return. Tho pubic
will suffer no matter how the difficulty ends
Mr. pifcnthalcr Of the 1rrn OF Is. Fischer TO-
Greenwich and Duane sts.; " In event o' tc"''"'
strike we would continue TO bc helped to some extent
as heretofore by the boats but the enlargement anu
proougation Of the strike c0nd not fail greatly 10 IN
terfer, with shipments. More than that. 1t Would
destroy confidence indncc tmidiy and seriously check
the buying Of goods for tile season Just opening
Charles II. Brooks. Of the firm OF Joshua L. Bailey
A. Co. said he would like IA have the strike fought 10
the end. a corporation cannot exist uhiesN IL hHh
as- ia business on business principles. and business
pr,nc,plss are not 20 let outside men Interfere be
tween employer aud employe. Mr. Wbb says That
the men were not discharged because they were
knights Of Labor but have 10 doubt while Mr.. WcbO
is essentially correct that their being Knights had
good deal 10 do with the matter. They Inter
estcd I'm the work Of their organization that they
neglected their duties rs employees OF the "cw ork
Central It was not the duty Of the persons above
them to inquire into the canse Of th' negligence but
simply 70 report the fact. Thus. while Mr. Webb
knew nothing Officially Of the Of their absence It
was on account OF the labor organization The knights
claim that the discharge wa- a blow struck at or
caulzed labor In 80 much A. organized labor inter
fcrcs with the prompt and efficient discharge Of the
duties for which the railroad company pays the men.
Il wac, and justly. too. OF course the strike. e.
peclay II II IS extended over the Whole vanderbilt
system will be great loss 10 New York lobbcrN ana
to the merchants In the small towns Oh the line Of
those railroads. but IT Is better to suffer loss now to
have the principle firmly established that an employer
must have no outside Interference between himself
and his empOye. OF course. rs you see, firmly be
cve the railroad Will win
f. NJ Townsend seemed 10 think that the good Of
the community and Of business interest, required
different solutions Of the strike question. lie said
that could not help but be Of great benefit to the
business interests of New-iork to have the strike
settled at once no matter In what way but that for
the community at large. and from q moral point OF
view he thought that the railroad should stand out 10
the last Like most OF the other seen. he could
not that the interference Of any outside person
was justlfablc, especially in the present instance.
where he thought the men clearly In the wrong
a member of the firm Of Mills q Glib said that
though II would be Of great temporary gain aud con
vcncncc 70 have the Strike settled at once, the only
way 10 have permanent good o)nc from 1t wond be
10 have the railroad win. For the men would not be
satisfied If they did obtain what tlcy are striking for
aud would play the trick again. Right and
justice must prevail, and when the men are wrong, as
they are now The company should not Weld an inch. y
Mr. Morse, of oodward Lawrence & CO.. Nos ga
and 3lG broadway, said that IT seemed The general
sentiment OF all the men with whom he had cOnvcrscd
about the affair that the railroad c0nipany In
The right and that the only way 10 prevent great boss
in the future was to suffer the temporary nc0nven-
iencc and hack I'M the COMPANY In IFS cndcavOr 10