Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-08-23
AT THE NEW YORK END.
Another Proposition for Arbitration Re
jected by Webb.

Another Proposition for Arbitration Re-
jected by Webb.
NEW YORK, Aug. 23.-Commissioner
Donovan yesterday sent the following let
ter to Vice President Webb and
one of similar import to T. " Pow
derby: 1T having come to the knowl-
edge of the state board of mediation and
arbitration that another strike is seriously
threatened on the lines of your company,
l am instructed by the board to again
communicate with you and invite a joint
conference in the offices of your company
between you and representatives of your
employees with view of devising some
means, either by arbitration or such other
method as may be mutually agreed upon,
whereby the threatened strike may be
averted and abrupt interruption of travel
and transportation of freight be pre-.
vented"
Webb's Uncompromising Reply.
To the above Mr. Webb sent a reply in
which he first says that large number
of men have quit the employ of his COM
pany; have not asked for unemployment
but are continuing with the leaders of
labor organizations and seeking TO pre-
ways, the conferrance in lawful employ
ment of the persons who did not leave the
company's service, and others who have
been employed in the place of those who
did" This he says constitutes the pres
ent strike. The further strike may or
may not take place, and he believes it will
not.
Claims a Full Complement of Hands.
Mr. Webb then proceeds: "The operat-
ing force of this company is full, the pas
senger service of the company is regular
ly performed, and there is no obstruction
to its freight service, except lawless inter
ference and the apprehension thereof /
am not aware of any difference or grieY-
ance existing between the company and
its employees, and must assume that the
conference suggested by you as between
the officials of the company and the repre-
sentatives of our employees, is a confer
ence suggested between the officers of the
company and the officials of the Knights
of Labor.
DO Not Represent Employees.
"These officials represent not our EN-
plOyes, but persons who have left our serv
ice, and have not asked to be re-employed;
but who through those same officials of
the Knights of Labor, have asked that the
discharge by the company of certain per-
sons prior to the Sth of August be submit
ted to their investigation, and to arbitra-
ton by some tribunal to be selected in
some way; request which have felt it
my duty to decline" And he then declines
the proposal of the state board. He depre-
Gates interruption of traffic, but promises
that if the state will see that the road and
its employees is kept free from lawless in
reference, there will be no interruption.
Mr.. Powderly's reply is a simple state
ment that the knights are not only will
ing but anxious for arbitration, and hold
themselves in readiness to submit the
question at any time.
ys-~ Webb Makes an Explanation.
Mr.. Webb said last night that no man
has been discharged because he was a X.
of L. or y member of any other labor or
Ranization. He said some sixty men were
dismissed for drunkenness, incapacity,
breech of duty, characterization, and for
lack of sufficient work to employ them,
and he had been asked by Mr.. Powderly
to arbitrate in order to avoid threatened
strike He said he would decline to sub
nit the question of dismissal of employees
to arbitration as long as he held his posi-
ton on the road.