Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-23
POWDERLY'S APPEAL.
He Reviews Briefly the Circumstances
Leading to the Recent Strike.
Labor Organizations and knights of Labor
Throughout the Country Asked TO Aid
In Securing Victory.
A DAY OF ExPEcTANCY.


decided on or whether 1t will be post
poned until Monday. There were plenty
of rumors afioat this morning in the cor
ridors of the st. Cloud hotel. which lie
now the headquarters OF the five big
Knights. The difference in statements
of Mr.. Sargent of che firemen and Mr..
Sweeney of the switchmen was COM
mented on freely. Mr.. Sargent said
yesterday he and his three colleagues,
the chiefs of the orders which comprise
the federation, were unanimously in ia
vor of Mr.. Powderlv s declaration In ia
vor of strike, and they would carry his
views before the meeting of the supreme
council which will take place in Terre
Haute tomorrow. When Mr.. Sargent
and the two other chiefs of the fedora
ton had left the hotel yesterday, Mr..
Sweeney told reporter that the posi-
ton OF the supreme council on the mat
ter was the same as it was before the
leading members of 1t conferred with
Powderly, and that then the four chiefs
were not unanimously in favor of q
strike.
''It is immaterial what MIR. Sweeney
now says, said Mr.. Wright this morn
ing. ellis influence in the supreme
council does not carry as much weight as
MIR. Sargent, who is chairman. I be-
lieve the council will indorse Sarseut's
views. They see there is nothing else for
all of us to do but TO strike. The foun-
datiou of the right of workingmen to or
ganize would be abolished by moneyed
organizations, and We have got to
tight.''
Chief Arthur has not been heard from
on Mr.. Powderly pertinent queries as
to which side of the fence he is going 10
encamp, and it Is not expected he will
until he finds out what the supreme
council of the united order of railway
employees is going to do.
At 80 CLOCK to-day Commissioner
Donovan of the state board of arbitra-
ton reached the Grand Central depot
and went ct once TO the office of Mr..
Webb. Mr.. Webb being questioned
said there was no conclusion reached by
Mr.. Donovan and himself. Mr.. Dono-
van was also reticent, and positively re-
fused to say anything OF what had taken
place ut the interview, but added there
was little hope of settlement by means
of arbitration. Mr.. Donovan will call
upon Powderly this afternoon. When
he has placed himself IN full possession
of facts from both parties he will make
known the result for publication. If in
case no statement can be reached here
the commissioners will return to Albany,
where a full meeting of the state board
will be held. 1t is understood the state
board of arbitration will at once investi-
gate the strike, which II has power to do.
ARTHUR's WAY OF DOING BUSINESS.
CLEVELAND, ONO, Aug. 22.-When
Chief Arthur of the Brotherhood OF Lo-
connective Engineers was asked this morn
ing what reply he wished to make to Mr..
open letter addressed to him
through the press, he replied he would
be pleased TO give Mr.. Powderly the in
formation he sought. The letter, how
ever, must be addressed to him officially,
Us he never paid any attention TO letters
such as was published this morning. The
position of the engineers was we'll known,
but MIR. Arthur would be glad to empha-
size it If Mr.. Powderly addressed him
letter in an official way.
FROM PowDERLY's PEN.
NEW YORK, Aug. 22.-The following |
is an appeal, in part, which Mr.. Pow
DERBY made public last night.
The public may have formed erroneous
impressions of the position of the Knights |
in this controversy. We don't pretend to |
dictate TO the company that it shall not |
discharge men, but in all fairness |
the discharged men should be told why |
they were dismissed. During the session |
Of the last legislature the Knights of |
New York were acting on the passage of |
q weekly pay bill. The committee OF
knights, representing the employees of |
the New York Central, were faced IN the
legislature committee room ut Albany by
of a
beaten. questioned and terrorized. Some
Of the members of that committee, who
" ere at the time employed by the Gen.
trail, were
DISCHARGED WITHOUT CAUSE,
IT rather without any given cause.
There exists not a shadow of doubt in the
we're singled out for endeavoring to Sc
aw.
After thoroughly investigating the
muses. which led TO the strike, and after
making every effort in their power to
induce the. company TO arbitrate
,r submit to an investigation
oy impartial men the question at
ssue. namely, whether the men
discharged because they were knights of
Labor and for the purpose of destroying
heir organization, as they believe and
or for just cause aud proper
'easons, as the officials OF the COM
,any allege. The general executive
Ioard have by unanimous vote deter
mined TO stand by the men who, whether
he strike was opportune or not, had no
alternative consistent with their man
lood. l have no doubt but that it is the
of the management to de-
troy the organization of labor along the
inc of the New York Central railroad
inless the organization subsequently
,ends knee to the will of the Wander
pitts.
During the controversy Messrs.
roucey and Webb stated. and repeated
he statement, that the men were not
discharged because they we're Knights of
labor. and they expect the public to be-
ieye them
SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY SAT- so.
Both of these gentlemen deny certain
hngs In relation to their conversation
With me. which both Devlin and myself
re prepared to make an affidavit to. l
nay, therefore, be excused IL 1 am not
repaired to accept rs being true beyond
question any denial by them of state
nents made by the men whose words
houid be of equal value with theirs.
Everything that could in honor be