The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-08-22
Result Of the Conference on
the Railroad Strike.
The Question to Be Considered by Local
Assemblies Before Final Action.
An Appeal for Aid From Grand Master Pow.
derly to All Members Of All
Labor Organizations.
Special Dispatches to THE MORNING CALL.

of Railroad Men would be held at Terre
Haute Saturday. with the undoubted re-
suit that a strike on the entire Vanderbilt
system would be ordered.
This day has been to the labor leaders
here like pause in battle, or rather it has
been to them day of preparation after
declaration and before a set-to Never be-
fore has Powderly been personally in
the heat of contest like the one
believed to be coming lie never yet
has ordered strike, and feels some
pride in the record of peace which he feels
is his. There is little doubt, however,
about his determination in this case. His
men say he is here to stay, and the Exncu-
tive Board says its headquarters during the
strike, if one is ordered, will be in this city.
1t is clear that Powderly and his cabinet
intend, if the strike is made general, that
the responsibility shall be brought just as
close as possible TO the rank and file. This
purpose underlies the orders of the board to
Master Workman Lee to convene his Dis
trict Assembly; also the order which has
gone up the river to Albany to convene
their District Assembly Monday. At these
meetings the local assemblies will voice
their disposition as to general strike,
and the result will be that
fair concensus of opinion among
the men may be had. The federation's
supreme body will hot meet till Saturday.
and will probably communicate its deter
mination to the Knights here that night or
Sunday. Albany District Assembly, whose
action will be influential in the evident plan
laid out by Powderly to make the men them
selves declare the strike general, does not
meet till Monday. As stated, fair conclu-
sion from facts and circumstances is that a
grand strike, ii 1T Is to come, will not fall
before next week.
PowDERLY's CIRCULAR.
To-day Powderly has been preparing the
following, which was made public to-
night:
For some time the management OF the New
l0ik central and Hudson River Railroad has
Deen dlschafgng employees who have been ac-
tive IN labor affairs. 1t happens that all those
who nave been dismissed are members of the
order OF Knights OF Labor and have at one
time or another been officers OF the order, or
have served on committees which waited on
oilclals with view of presenting grievances
These discharges became so frequent and were
so clearly an evidence OF the vltled purpose on
the part OF the company 10 dlsruut ana destroy
Inc LIBERALIZATION OF hnIgNtS OF LABOR upon the
Central system that the Executive Board of Dis
tilct Assembly No. 246, ia which The Knights
Of Labor upon the system are enrolled, found IL
necessary to call special meeIng 10 consider
the situation. In the meantime the General Ex-
ecutive Board having been apprised OF the con-
dltion OF affairs sent one OF its members. }. j.
Holland, 10 New York with Instructions to
use all possible efforts TO bring about
an amlcabe adjustment of the difficulty.
after a conference with lie REPRESENTATIVES
OF The District Assembly, In The course Of which
he Obtained alull knowledge of the trouble from
the standpoint of the men, waited upon Vice
President Webb. Holland stated 10 Webb that
lie had called upOn him To endeavor to adjust the
uhpleasantnesS existing between the company
denied that there was any trouble existing be
tween the company and It's employees
Holland told, him he. as member
OF Labor, had come at the request OF the men
made through The organization 10 which they
belonged, District Assembly 246.
REFUSED A DISCUSSION.
Webb brusquely 4celared that lie would not
discuss the matter win any one not an emliloye
OF the company. and cosed The Interview. Find.
ing all efforts 10 effect peaceabe settlement OF
their grievances impossible, and being
vinced that IL only a question OF
Time and the convenience OF the com.
receive their discharge unless they forfeited
their manhood and abandoned their privileges as
citizens OF fiee country, by renounciDg their
rights to join their fellows in an organization
calculated TO protect their just rights without
intrudiDg upon those of others the District Ex-
ecutiye Board had no alternative but TO order
acquainted with the details, and repetition Is
scarcely necessary. The most earnest and SIN
eere efforts OF the general officers TO secure
hearing for the discharged men were uuavail-
Ing. The correspondence which passed be-
tween the General Master Wore man and
Webb was published Wednesday morning.
August 20th. JOhn Devlin of The Executive
Board and myself waited on Toucey,
General Superlnlendent. and endeavored 10 have
the matter arbtraied or Investigated. Toucey
was emphatic IN his refusal. On the afternoon
OF that day Webb was visited by the same gen
tiemen and he reiterated what Toucey had SAID
in The morning 1t was suggested 10 him that dis
interested tarics hear ana determine. 1t was also
suggested that during the investigation the
slrlke lie decal ed OFF and the investigation pro-
ceeded with. That was refused. Then the fol.
lowing proposition was made by me: "Mr. Webb.
could you not sit down with me IN the presence
OF the men who were discharged aud allow me
so so that I i might s know stS the iaets sss"Vei ei
the case and be better able to arrive
at deelsIon?" This Webb emphatically re-
fused. Deylin ihen said: do understand you
TO assume that the public and employees have
10 rights that You are bound TO consider, and
40 you look upon the matter simply as though
Tie railroads were your own property? Be-
cause II you take that view of IL there is
no need OF saying anything further" webb
heslialed and took refuge in silence. The
puDllc may have formed erroneous Impressions
OF the position OF tile Knights in the cOntIo-
versy. we do not pretend to dictate to the com
pduy tHdl IL snail not ulScDdrg6 employees Dut Ill
all fairness The discharged men should be told
why they were dismissed.
THE WEEKLY PAY BILL.
During the session OF the last Slate LEGISLATURE
In the passage OF the Weekly Pay BIZ. A com
mttee OF knights, representing the EN-.
ployes OF he New York Central, were faced
10 the Legislature committee room at
brow beaten, questioned and terrorzed.
some members OF that committee who were at
m NIL NI. N-..
were discharged without cause, or rather with
out any given cause. There exists not a shadow
OF aouot IN my mind and that of the COM
mittce that these men were singled out for
eDdeaV0ilng 10 secure the passage Of
the above mentioned law. After thoroughly
investigating the causes which led to the strike,
anu aIief making every effort In their power to
!nouce the company TO arbitrate or submit TO an
investigation by impartial men the question at
issue, namely, whether the men were discharged
because they were Knights OF Labor and for The
purpose oil destroying their organization, as they
DeileVe or maintain, or for a just cause and
proper reasons as the officials Of the company
allege.
WILL STAND BY THE MEN.
Inc General Executive Board have, by a unan-
lmous vote, determined TO stand by the men,
WHO, whether their strike is opportune or
not, had no alternative consistent with their
manhood l have doubt but it is
Inc determination OF the management to destroy
new YORK Central unless the Organization sub
sefvienlly bends the knee to the will of the
vauuel onts. Durlng the controversy TOucey and
WepD stated and repeated tile statement that
the men were not discharged because they were
hnlghts. and they expected the public
TO believe them, simply because they
say So Both these gentlemen deny
certain things in relation to their conversation
win me which both Devlin aud myself are pre-
pafea TO make affidavit TO. Everything that
could ~ honor be done to terminate the strike on
nonofaDle oasis FOR those men WIS done; and
Tue alternative OF an unconditional aud ALSO
lute surrender on the part of the men or
protest against the tyranny OF the rail-
Ioau omciais was presented 10 us. Under
tne circumstances such surrender would be
unnanly. Ii would be cowardly and unworthy
lne sous OF men whom for two hemsphrres
shrugged ana dled for the rights OF humanity.
THE QUARREL UNsoUGHT,
we did not seek the quarrel The General
Executive Board knew pOthing of IL until IL was
Unjust uion them, and that have 10
lace we ask tile entire der OF Knights OF Labor
10 come 10 our assistance with means 10 win Tho
strike. We have TO fight power which owes Its
lofty bearing TO The wealth II has made from the
employees 0f The road. Untold millions are at It's