The Delta independent., 1890-08-26
A LETTER FROM ,PowpEREy.
He Explains the Circumstances Which
Led to the Strike and Calls Upon
Wage-Workers to Stand
ToUathor


Together.
NEW YoRK, August 21.-To-night
Mr. Powderiy made public the following:
During the session Of the last State
Legislature, the Knights Of Labor Of New
York were active in the passage Of tho
weekly payment bill. The committee of
the knights Of Labor, representing the
employees Of the New York Central, were
faced in the legislature committee room at
Albany by the attorneys of the railroads
and brow-beaten, questioned and terror
lied.
'Some Of the members OF that commit
tee, who were at the time employed by the
New York Central railroad, were dis
charged without cause or rather without
any given cause. There exists not the
shadow of doubt in the minds of that
committee that these men were singled
out for endeavoring to secure the passage
OF the above mentioned law. After thor
oughly investigating the causes which led
to the strike, and after making every
effort In their power to induce the com
pany TO arbitrate or submit to au investi-
CATION by impartial men, the questions at
issue, namely, whether the men were dis
charged because they were Knights Of
Labor and for the purpose Of destroying
their organization, a. they believed and
maintain, or for just cause and proper rea-
sons, as the officials of the company allege,
the general executive board have by 3
unanimous vote determined TO stand by
the Yyhathar thair ssriG
tune or not They had no alternative
consistent with their manhood.
"I have no doubt but that 1t is the deter
minstion of the management to destroy
the organization OF labor along the line of
the New York Central unless the organ
ization subsequently bends the knee to
the will Of the vanderbilts.
During the controversy Messrs. Toucey
and Webb stated, and repeated the state
mcnt, that the men were not discharged
because they were Knights Of Labor, and
they expect the public to believe them
simply because they say so. Both OF these
gentlemen deny certain things in relation
TO their conversation with me. which both
Mr.. Devlin and myself are prepared to
make affidavit to. may therefore be ex-
cuscd II am not prepared to accept a. be-
ing true beyond question any denial by
them Of statements made by men whose
words should be of equal value with
theirs. Evcrythin that could in honor
be done 70 terminate these strikes on an
honorable basis for these men was done,
and the alternative OF unconditional
and absolute surrender on the part of the
men or q protest against the tyranny
OF the officials of the New York Central,
was presented TO US. Under the circum-
stances such surrender would be unmanly.
II would be cowardly and unworthy OF
sons Of men who struggled and died for
the rights Of humanity.
1--WE did not seek the quarrel The
general executive bo ard knew nothing of
IL until 1t was thrust upon them, and now
that we have 70 face it, we ask the entire
order Of the Knights of Labor TO come
To our assistance with tho means 70
win the strike. We are not craving for
sympathy. We arc not in need Of moral
support, for, away down in the hearts OF
the American people, could they all be
heard on the question, the sentiment Is on
our side and in our favor. We have to
fight power which owes its lofty bear
ing TO the wealth it has taken from the
employees Of the road. Untold millions
arc at Its command and We want money
to carry on the struggle.
I'VE not only ask the knights OF Labor
to come to our aid, but we ask 1t OF all
members Of organized labor. 1t il our
Ts l,.,, .
easily vanquished 1t will ause the COM
pany TO repeat the experiment. We not
only ask labor organizations, but we ask
OF The great public, away beyond our or
of labor, to come to our relief.
We are fighting against power far more
dangerous than that which laid down its
arms at Yorktown 100 yeara ago. Then
the fight was with one king. To day 1t il
against hundred, one of whom said in m
after. diuner speech not long ago: There
are fifty men in this country who have II
In their power to control the currency OF
the United Statcs, control the commerce
aud at days notice TO stop every wheel
in tho territory of the United States.
THE struggle is far more momcntous
than IL was during the American revolu-
ton. Then our fathers fought for liberty,
now we are fighting to maintain it. Then
the enemy WAS 5000 miles away. To. day
he Is intrenched in our dominion. He has
his fingers around our Legislatures. He
stands At the doors Of our Congress to bar
,ut legislation in the interests OF the
masses. He presumes TO dictate to the
Of the Nation.
"Hc attempted 10 strangle and corrupt
the Judiciary, and he does nll of these by
no shadow OF Divine rigA:., -ss,at by the
power Of money wrung from the bending
back Of the railway labsrers; wrung from
tho mortgages Of farmers OF tho land
wruug from the business inte rests OF
America; wrung from tho very hearts of
tho best and noblcst OF the Nations poor.
at Ia against such power rs this,
power that cares for no power but its own
that VIC struggle, and whether we win or
Iose In the present contest, our battle will
now go on until the power 10 weakened
forever or tho public 10 damned Quea-
lion tho opportunities Of the battle II you
will, but Its justice cannot but b apparent
10 every disintercstcd person.
ut is not because few cenis more .
lay or some paltry concessions TO the men
require that this striko was prcciritated.
Tts origin lies way beyond these consider
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