Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-08-28
INNINGS.
The Grand Chief Comes Back
at Powderly.
THAT ALLEGED CASE OF DODGING.

| Another Version of the Matter-Ths
Some Caustic Northumberland
Growing Worse at the Chicago End OF
the Strike Beit-Lake shore Men Quit
-Powderly Gives Barry Blast.
NEW YORK, Aug. esp. NJ Arthur,
chief engineer Of the Brotherhood of Lo-
connective Engineers. has written the fol-
lowing letter to an engineer on the Third
Avenue Elevated railroad in response to a
letter on the subject of the New York Gen.
trail strike. This is the first written ut
terance of Arthur which fully defines his
position toward the Central strikers and
the Knights of Labor. The letter is ad-
dressed to r. II. Holman:
DEAR SIR AND BROTHER: Your letter of
the sd inst. with Mr.. Powderly's letter and
other clippings from the New York papers in
closed, Is received and contents carefully
perused. In reply will say that have not re-
ceivei any letter from Mr.. PowdeSly. He
claims to have written me private letter on
the trouble and wants me 10 define my posi-
tiA. If he considers lis letter that appeared
in the new spapers a private one, l don't, nor
will answer letters that reach me in that
way.
That Telegram from Powderly.
1t is unnecessary for Mr. Powderly or any
one el,e to ask me TO define the position of
tue b. of l.. Z. in the present trouble on the
New York Central and Hudson River rail
road. The policy OF the brotherhood is well
known to him and the public. as it has been
repeatedly explained from the public platform
aud published in the newspapers. He says
that some time ago | telegraphed him (mean-
ing mel that would meet him in Cleveland.
When l arrived there l could not find him
high or low. Learned that the telegram had
been received by him, tut my efforts to locate
him were fruitless."
Arthur's Version of the Incident.
Now the facts in the case, as near as / can
remember, are these: Some four years ago
received a telegram from Powderly requesting
me to meet him at the Union depot In Cleye-
land on the arrival of a certain train on the
Lake Shore roa1. Owing to my absence from
the office did not receive the message until
after the departure OF the train, and 50 in
formed him by letter, addressing II to him at
Scranton. | do not believe he stopped over and
looked for me. III he had, he would have had
no difficulty in finding me at my office or al
my house. as | am always at the one or the
other when in Cleveland.
Nothing Non-Committal About This.
He tells willful falsehood when he says
other leaders have been unable TO find me
when they tried TO do so. Any man who tries
| to find me when am In Cleveland can do so
with very little effort, and no man, whether q
leader or a private in the ranks of labor, ever
came to my office that he was not treated
courteously. While / differ with men as TO
the best methods TO be employed TO secure GER
tain ends, have always been liberal enough to
concede to every man the same rights and
privileges | ask for myse T.
His Advice tn the Engineers.
When the present trouble on the New York
Central first Oct urred l advised the engineers
TO abstain from all participation in IT, and to
attend strictly TO their own business. | gave
the same advi when the strike occurred on
the Gould system few years ago. My advice
to the Brotherhood of Engineers, when men
employed on other branches OF railroad serv-
ice have been on strike was TO mind their
own business, and not do anything that did
not properly belong to them as engineers.
Can MIR. POwderly say the same? think not.
Neutral Position Advocated.
Whenever the engineers have been on a
strike we never asked any other labor organi-
cation q assist Us. II is true some members OF
the order during the @, b. and q. strike i'm
perfume the switchmen to quit but they did
II on their own T. responsibility, and not by the
authority of the organization. Consequently
hold that we justifed in maintaining
strictly neutral position when others are en-
gagged in a conflict with their employers.
A Question for Powderly to Answer.
Mr.. Powderly accuses members of the b. of
l. Z. of taking the pla es of the striking fire.
men. II that is true the division of which
they are members will deal with them. II is
not within the province of my authority to
deal with individual members. wonder il
Mr., Powderly had the knights expelled who
took the places of our men on the c., b. and
O.? Yours Fraternally.
p. NJ. ARTHUR, G.. c. E.