The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-08-19
KNIGHTS OF LABOR.
Powderly Defines in Full the
Aim of the Organization.
TEXT. OF HIS LETTER TO WEBB.
Conference Asked-The New York Central
Railroad bid Not Discharge Men Be-
cause They Were knights.

eHCe U'3LWeen V lCe-1reSlu6nL W6DD, OF the
New York Central and Grand Master
Workman Powderly, was made public to-
night August Is Powderly addressed a
letter to Webb, saying he had been inves
tigating the cause of the Central strike,
and asking for an interview on Monday to
discuss the question of arbitrating the
differences which existed between the
New York Central and it's Knights of
Labor employees. Webb. in reply, granted
an interview, but at the same time wished
that the matter might be presented him in
writing.
Powderly replied next day, saying he
had been called away from the city, and he
was obliged to commit to paper what he
would rather discuss in person. He says:
'if am correctly informed, old and faith
full employees of the New York Central
have been summarily dismissed from the
services OF the company because they were
active members of the Knights of Labor.
1t is reported to me that up to the time of
their discharge they were faithful
to the interests of the company
and not one word of discredit
of these who were discharged prior to
Aug. 8, 1890 That, in brief, is the state
lnent of the men. The frequency of the
dismissals left but little room to doubt in
the.nuindS OF the men that they were all in
danger of discharge at a moments notice,
hence the strike The whole question
hinges upon the discarge of the knights of
Labor because they are such 1t it can be
shown that these men were working
any injury to their employers, right
minded men will say they were
treated as they deserved. If they were
discharged for cause, the railroad company
has everything to gain and nothing to lose
from an Investigation. Ii they deserved
dismissal from the service of the company
we will not ask for their reinstatement. If,
however, they were displaced because of
their connection with the Knights of Labor,
it should be known, for if that be the policy
of the New York Central that no knights
OF Labor are to be employed, then state
ment to that effect will clear up all
doubts and there can be no future
misunderstanding. There will be nothing
then to arbitrate so long as you hold to that
opinion. Your interests, the public inter
ests, those of the owners, of the company
you represent, and the rights of men to
organize for self-protection are all involved
in this contest. The policy of the order of
the knights of Labor IS to work peacefully
in the line of educational and legislative
reform. 1t is not the policy of the institu-
ton, no matter what its enemies may say,
to enter hastily upon strike. The pres
ent strike may be pointed to in REPUTATION
Of that last assertion, but until
an investigation into the cause or
causes is had that must remain
disputed question, while hundreds of cases
that have been pc acefully and quietly ad-
justed through the intervention of the
Knights of Labor, although not heralded
broadcast as they would have been had
they ended in strikes, prove that our aim
is to avoid strikes rather than precipitate
them.
1.-The interests of the public require that
freight and passenger traffic should work
smoothly; the interests of the company re-
quire exactly the same thing, and in addi-
tion that such traffic should prove remuner-
alive. The interests of the working PEG
pie are the same as others, but
their right to organize ana select
the organization they wish to belong is
fully as dear to them as their pecuniary
interests can possibly be. Here is an or
ganization the aim of which is to work for
educational and legislative advantages,
called upon to defend it's members who, I'D
to the time of their dismissal, had worked
only in an educational and legislative direc-
ton.
"Surely we have right 10 question why
they were discharged. Each man, no mat
ter how humble, is as much part of the
public as any other man. True the New
York Central is tributary to the comfort
and well being of the community.
but the community gives to the
corporation in question its strength and
wealth OF that community at thirty are
working people w 10 belong to that same
element of society that dare not arrange for
their own welfare Some one has said
since this began: Money is not everything
in this world He was a railroad director,
believe. He spoke truly, for liberty is far
dearer to the laborer, and that
is what he struggles for, and
tina. is what is denied him when
he is discharged for being Knight of
Labor. If liberty was valued so highly
that men offered UP life and treasure and
sacred honor to gain it, surely their chill
dren would not be blamed for striking for
it. Whether they struck wisely In this
case is to be determined. Who is to deter
mine. You may feel that you are right
Both are partisans, and if an impartial
verdict is to be reached impartial men must
arrive at it by hearing both sides and then
Judging. The men are willing to
submit the case to such arbitration
and will not be unreasonable. Will you
consent to the same? If you will agree to
submit this matter to arbitration, we can
meet and arrange the details and agree as
to how the parties may be selected The
newspapers report that you are refusing
tosubmit to arbitration. This cannot enter
into settlement of the trouble But your
letter leads me to believe you were mis-
quoted and still hope for speedy termi-
nation of the strike through arbtration.''
To this communication from Powderlv
Vice President Webb replied as follows:
Replying, | have to say that no person
discharged from this company prior to
August ana referred TO in your commuui-
cation, was discharged because he was a
member of your order. The immediate SUI
periors of each of the said persons reported
TO the division superintendent or superiu-
tendent of motive power and he
investigated each case prior to the
discharge, and facts of such dis
charge having been reported to the manage
ment of the company, they were further
investigated, and the action of the division
superintendent or superintendent of mo-
tive power fully approved. The manage
ment of this company does not deem it CON
sistent with its continuance of prosperity
in business and the discharge of the duties
it owes to the people to submit the pro-
priety of It's action in the discharge of any
of its employees to arbitration. / have
read your communication with care and /
think the foregoing answers the points pre-
seDted by you and defines the position of
this company"
Webb said to reporter to night that the
freight service was complete and every
thing working smoothly between here and
Buffalo. All freight received yesterday had
been cleared up and left for its destination.
The places of all strikers have been filled.
and there was not a single vacancy on the
road.