Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-08-27
WON | HELP 'EN.
The Knights Must Fight the
Battle Themselves.
So Decided at the Terre Haute
Conference.

hnights Are Not Members of the FEEDER
: alton Strike News.
TERRE HAUTr, Ind, Aug, 81. The
supreme council of the United Orders
of Railway Employees Monday evening
arrived at conclusion about the
Knights of Labor strike on the New
York Central and Hudson River rail
road, which decision the council Off
cially promulgated as follows:
HEADQUARTERS OF THE SUPREME
COUNCIL OF THE UNITED ORDERS
OF RAILWAY EMPLOYEES.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind, Aug. 20, 1890.
| To All Labor Organizations:
MEN AND BRorHERs-On the night OF
Aug. u strike began ON the New York
Central and Hudson River railroad, in
volving about 5000 men in the employ of
the said road, who we're members of a
| great labor organization known as the
| knights OF Labor The reason set forth
by Mr. Il. V. Powderly, chief executive of
| the order, may be summarized as follows:
The pcremptOry discharge of between
fifty and sixty men, employees of the road
and members Of the Knights of Labor,
because they were Knights of Labor,
without giving them any reason what
ever for the discharge.
Prior to the strike the men involved
sought through the representatives, of the
! order to hare their grievances adjusted
but their appeal being dlsregarded, Il
strike was inaugurated
After giving details about the visit of
Grand Master Workman Powderly to
Mr.. Webb, tho third vice president of
the road. with whom he ATTEMPTED to
settle the trouble, the report refers to
the calling Of the convention of the su-
preme council Of the United Orders of
Railway employees, and says:
Tie council having heard the state
ments of it's members, who had Wis
tied New York for the purpose of ascer-
tanning the true condition of affairs. ex-
haustively discussed every important
proposition and arrived at conclusion as
follows:
Flrst-That the position of the knights
of Labor, rs set forth by T. " Powderly,
grand master workman. and the general
executive board Of the Knights of Labor
meets with our unqualified approval.
Second-That the courso pursued by H.
Walter Webb toward Mr. Powdcrly and
the Knights of Labor Notwithstanding
Is
purpose to disrapt and destroy labor or
ganizations on the New York Central and
Hudson railroad, as was done by Austin
Corbin on the Philadelphia and Reading.
Ihird-That the policy of H. Walter
Webb is de5potlc TO al extent that out
RACES every principle of American citizen
ship, and if generally adopted, would, if
successful, reduce American workingmen
to tho 1acsfa1 ol condition Of vopfo
Fourth-That H. Walter Webb by the
employment of Pinkerton thieves, thugs
and murderers, vile wretches from the
slums and brothels of New York and
other cities, to kill workingmen because
they dared to protest against his rule, and
strike for their rights, is guilty of crime
of such enormity as will associate to the
name of II. Walter Webb forever with
those who, dressed in little brief author-
ity, have used their money to secure
power to degrade their fellow-men.
Fifth-Tllat the efforts now being put
forth by H. Walter Webb to destroy the
Knights of Labor would were circum-
stances changed, in like manner be made
to destroy the organizations of engineers,
flremen, conductors, trainmen and switch
men, and, If successful, it is only Ques-
tion of time when similar effort will be
made to seal the fate of other labor organ
izations.
Sixth-That II. Walter Webb by the
course he has pursued toward the knights
of Labor and the representatives of labor
organizations, has SHOWN total disre-
gard of those princip cs of citizens SOY
ereignty, dear to every American worthy
of that name, and considering only his
money power and the corporate power OF
the company he represents, his acts,
which speak louder than words say, in
the language of w. III, Vanderbilt, once
the autocrat of the New York Central, |
1.-THE public be damned.
Seventh-H. Walter Webb seeks to sup
port his arrogant attitude towards work
ingmen and labor organizations by an |
nouncing that the New York Central and |
Hudson River railroad is private property |
and that his acts in the treatment of his |
employees is in no sense n matter of public |
concern that he can with impunity dis
charge men and remand them to idlene3s |
and poverty, and render them homeless
wanderers without giving any reason or
explanation whatever for his conduct, dis |
regarding the fact that the corporation for |
which he plays autocrat is thing created |
by laws, in the making of which, the men |
he seeks to degrade have voice, which, |
once united, will bring his corporation to
the bar of justice where his millions and |
the other millions he represents, will |
cease to be potential in directing ques-
tions of right.
In view of the foregoing facts, the SUI
preme council puts upon its record its
unanimous and unqualified approval of
the strike on the New York Central and |
Hudson River railroad for the couse set
forth by I. V. PoWdcrly, general master
workman, as also the efforts made by Mr.
Powderly to bring the strike to an honor
able termination. In this general express
sion of approval of the action of the
Knights of Labor the course of Vice Pres
ident Webb is as unequivocally con
demned.
The power of the supreme council in the
matter of the strike has been exerted to
aid the Knights Of Labor, through their
10 secure the recogni
tion of their order by the officials Of a rich
and powerful corporation, to secure for
workingmen, the victims of autocratic
power, hearing, and to perform such
other kindly offers as were proper under
the circumstances, demonstrating SYM
pathy and good will. thereby aiding the
Knights OF Labor 10 bring the strike to a
close upon principles OF right and Justice.
In this, the council met with failure ow-
ing to the autocratic attitude Of ii. Wal
Ter Webb.
Il now becomes necessary for the SUI
preme council 10 say, that owing 20 the
fact that the order of the Knights OF
Labor Is not member OF the Federation
al Railway Employees. the laws Of the
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