St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-08-23
SARGENT'S ADVICE is STRIKE.
To-Day's Conference at Terre
Haute Will Decide the Question

Haute Will Decide the Question.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind, Aug. 22.-ltw will
not be the fault of Frank P. Sargent, or
due to any deficiency in his powers of
persuasion ifevery employe of the New
York Central railroad who is member
of the various orders identified with the
Federation of Railroad Employees does
not find himself enrolled under the
banner of strikes by sun-down to-mor-
row. The grand master of the Brother
hood of Locomotive Firemen reached
here shortly after 8 o'clock this after
noon, with his mind fully made up that
the eXigencies of the situation demanded
heroic action. Immediately upon his
arrival he was met by Grand Secretary
Eugene Y. DebS. and the two had
conference of over an hours duration.
w. Howard, the grand chief of the
Brotherhood OF Conductors. who is
temporarily making his headquarters in
this city, and of Grand Master S. E.
Wilkinson, of the Brotherhood of
Railway sTrainmen, who slipped in
from GaleSburg an hour i'll advance of
Sargent. Having corralled them, Debs
piloted them to his residence where.
for the last three hours, the trio have
been in consultation with closed doors
and drawn blinds. The Importance OF
Howard's participation lay in the fact
that his colleagues. Grand Secretary
and Treasurer Carr and Assistant Chief
Moore, have been unable. in cOnSe-
uuence of the short notice given, to
reach here in time for to-mOrrOW'S meet
ing of the supreme council of the fed
Grafton. 1t is within Howard's scope
and authority to appoint substitutes for
the absentees. But should he fail to do
so the gathering
Would Come to Naught
from the fact that the iron-clad constitu-
tion expressly provides that fall men,
bership of twelve must be in attend
ance before strike can be ordered. 1t
is understood that Howard was at firsta
little dubious regarding assuming the
responsibility of appointing substitutes.
but that he finally yielded to the
arguments presented. AT any
rate it is definitely stated that
a full representation of conductors will
participate in the conference. IT the
federation decides to order general
strike tomorrow it will be based upon
the ground that the present fight is one
of organized capital against organized
labor. This was expressly stated by
Grand Master Sargent tonight. That
official is primed with facts and
figures that will take over three hours,
he says, to present to the supreme
council. He is thoroughly convinced that
in striking at the Knights of Labor, Mr.
Webb and his associates are inaugural
ing war not so much upon the organi-
ZatiOn because it is an organization, but
upon the principle of organized labor,
and that. should the Knights get the
worst of the fight, hOstilities would i'm
mediately be inaugurated against the
engineers, fremen, conductors, brake
men and switchmen. 'sWebb," said
Sargent. stakes the ground that no one
has the right to question his actions. In
my interview with him l asked him
whether, supposing fireman was dis
missed without cause, and as he con-
sidered unjustly, supposing he went to
the superintendent OF motive power
and was unable to obtain satisfaction,
that he then appealed to his order,
would l then be given recognition. To
this Mr.. Webb replied, but only
that the officials of the road were
fully. able to settle all such
Matters themselves. his manner and
style fully convinced me that in a
such a case his action would be just the
same as it has been toward Powderly
and the Knights. Now / have never
yet met railroad official yet VINO has
been unwilling to meet me and to dis
cuSS with me on any matter affecting
| the interests of our men. Not one of
| them has ever supercillOuSly told me that
| their people could settle the matter
without Intervention. l have always
| endeavOred
To Do What Is Right.
and it has been my experience hitherto
that railroad men do the same, thing.
l had never met Powderly until the
present time.'' continued the grand
master, '.but 1 am thoroughly coa-
vinced. and shall so report. that he is
honest and fair, that this trouble
| is not of his own seeking, and
! that if Mr.. Webb had shown the
| slightest disposition to treat him
| fairly the Knights of Labor would have
| been back to work before this. The
| present situation has been forced on
| him. l shall heartily indorse every
| thing he has done. when the question
| comes up tomorrow as to what action
| we shall take regarding the request of
Powderly for assistance-for that is the
| form In which the matter will resolve
| itself. 1t is not now question as to
| how much beef is buried on the New
York Central, but whether organized
labor will be crushed and buried to boot y
| Sargent was shown the interview In a
| Chicago paper Of Friday in which