The morning call., 1890-08-19
NO ARBITRATION.
A Proposition Advanced by the
Knights Of Labor.
Correspondence Between POWdefly and
Superintendent Webb.
A Crisis In the Strike Likely 10 Be Reached
TO.Day-EfortS to Raise The
Freight Blockade.
Special Dispatches to THE MORNING CALL.

Special Dispatches to THE MORNING CALL
NEW YORK, Aug. 1S.-Webb. Third Vice
President of the New York Central Rail-
road, said at 10 o'clock this morning in re-
ply to reporter that everything was in
good shape to-day. 81 think" he added,
that we have seen the worst of the trouble
at Albany
A. W. Wright, member of the General
Executive Board of the Knights of Labor,
arrived in New York this morning from
Canada and completed the quorum of the
board. w right and Holland this morning
called on Webb with letter from Pow
derby.
CORRESPONDENTS BETWEEN PowDERLY
AND WEBB.
The cores pondence between Vice-Presi-
dent Webb of the New York Central and
Grand Master Workman Powderly was
made public tonight. On August 10th
Powderly addressed letter to Webb, say
ing that he had been investigating the
cause of the Central strike, and asking for
an interview on Monday tG discuss the
question Of arbitrating the differences
which existed between the New York Cen
trail and its knights of Labor employees.
Webb, in reply. granted an interview, but
at the same time wished that the matter be
presented to him in writing Powderly
replied next day, saying that he had been
called away from the city, and that he was
obliged 10 commit to paper what he would
rather discuss IN person. de says:
THE DISCHARGED EMPLOYEES.
~ inf nId nd f4ff
employees of the New York Central have been
summafily dismissed from the service OF the COM
psny because they we've active members Of the
knights OF Labor. 1t is represented 10 me that
up TO The lime Of tneir discharge they were faith
ful TO the Interests OF the company, aud not one
word OF dlscredtt stands against The industrial
record OF aGy OF those who were discharged prior
10 August 8, 1880. Thai, IN brief. Is Tie State
ment OF the men. Tie frequency OF dsmissals
left little room tor doubt In the minds OF The men
that they were all in danger of discharge at mo-
menPs notice, and hence the strike. Tie whole
Of Labor because they are sucn. IL II
can be shown that these men were
working Injury TO ihei i,o employers, al
as they deserved. If they were discharged for
cause the railroad company has everything to
gain and nothing to lose flom an Investigation.
Ii they deserved dismissal from The service OF
the company none OF us Will ask for their rein
statement. If, however. they were displaced
because OF their connection with the knights Of
Labor IL should be known, for II IL Is 10 he the
policy of the New Yoik Central that no knights
oil Labor al to De employed linen statement 10
thar effect Will clear up all doubts and there can
be no future misunderstanding There VIII be
nothing then 10 arbitrate, SO long rs you mold 10
that opinion.
INTERESTS INVOLVED.
The interests of the public, the interests Of the
owners Of the company you represent, and the
right Of men to organlzs Tor sell protection are
all involved In This contest. Tie policy Of the
Knights OF Labor is 10 Work peacefully In The
line Of education and legislative reform. II Is
not the policy OF The institution, no matter what
lis enemies may say, 10 enter hastily upon q
strike. The present strike MAY be pointed 10 In
relulaou Of that last assertion, but until an nyes
tigatiou into The cause or causes is had that must
remain disputed question. Hundreds OF eases
that have been peacefully ana quietly adjusted
through The Intervention OF tue 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. The interests of the public
require that the freight and passenger trafnc
should Work smoothly: The interests OF the
company require exactly the same, ana. IN add-
lion, that such traffic should prove remuneratiye
Tie interests Of the working people are the same
as the Others
RIGHTS OF woRKINGMEN.
But their light TO organize aud select <he or
ganZatiOn they wish TO belong 10 Is fully as dear
10 them as their pecunlaTy Interests eau possibly
be. Here Is organization the aim oil which Is
to work for educational and legislative adyant-
ages, called upon TO defend lis members who, up
| to lie time oil their Dismissal had worked only
| in educational ana legislative directions. surely
We have right to question why they were dis
| charged. Each man. no matter how humble, Is
! as lnuCD part oil Tie puUliC as dUl Ulucl
| Tue, The New York Genital is tributary 10 the
| comfort aud well-beng OF the community, but
the community gives To Tie corporation III ques-
| ton lis strength and wealth, aud OF that COM
muniry many ale working people aud belong to
that same element OF society that dare not Or
| ganZe Tor tlelr own welfare.
STRUGGLE FOR LIBERTY.
| Some one has said since this strike began that
''mUuty IS mol everything IN this world" lie
was railroad Director, believe. He spoke
truly, for liberty Is far dearer To The aborer and
that Is what lie struggles for and that Is what Is de-
nied him, when lie is discharged for being Knight
OF Labor. II liberty was once valued SO highly
that men offered up life aud treasure and sacred
honor 10 gain II, surely their Children should not
be blamed tor striking for II. whether they
struck wisely in this case Is YET TO be deter
mined. VINO is to determine? You may feel
that you are right. and Tie men may feel mat
they are right Both are paIllsahs. ana IL an I'M
partial verdict is TO be reached, impartial men
must arrive al 1t by hearing both sides and then
judging
ARBITRATION DESIRED.
The men are willing to submit the case to such
arbitration and VIII not be unreasonable VIII
you consent to do tne same? III you Will agree
TO submit this matter TO arbitration, we can meet
auQ arrange details anu agree as To now tue par
ties may be seected The newspapers report that
you are refusing to admit that Arbitration can
enter into the settlement OF the trouble but your
letter leads me 10 believe that you were misqu0ted
and 1 still hope for speedy ielmDaIlon oil the
stri6e through bitration.
vICE-PREsIDENT Webs REPLY.
To this communication from Powderly
Vice-President Webb replied as follows:
Replying have 10 say that no one OF the per-
sons discharged from this company prior TO
August Sth and referred 10 In your communlca-
tion was discharged because he was member OF
your order. The Immediate superiors OF each OF
the said persons reported 10 the Division super
intendent or Superintendent OF MOVIE rover,
who Investigated each case prior TO their dis
charge, and the facts OF such discharge having
been reported TO the management OF the company
they were further Investigated and the action OF
the DIVISION Superintendent or Superintendent
OF Motive Power fully approved. The posi-
ton OF lie central man cement oil this company
do not deem IL consistent with its continuance
and prosperity I'm business and with the
discharge OF The dulles il owes to the people To
submit the propfiety OF It's action In The dis
charge uf any OF Its employees 10 arbitration. l
have read your communication with care and
think the foregoing answers the points presented
by you aud defines the position OF this company.
A CIPHER DISPATCH.
Lee, representing the Knights of Labor
of this city. sent the following mysterious
cipher dispatch to the New England Pro-
tectiye Railway Union at Boston to-day:
Whatsoever whatever, or more, be in
readiness" 1t is understood this is the pre-
Jude to a general strike and it may come at
any hour.
THE FREIGHT SERVICE.
Webb said to reporter tonight that the
freight service was complete and every
thing working smoothly between here and
Buffalo. All the freight received yesterday
had been cleared up and left for its destina-
been filled, and there was not single va
caucy on the road.
BUFFALO, Aug. 19-Trainmaster Malo-
ney was working hard at the East Buffalo
yards all day to raise the freight blockade.
He succeeded in getting out twelve trains
of the dressed beef cars crowded on the
East Buffalo siding. Some Of the meat
must be spoilt by the delay. Stockmen suf-
fer bitterly, because thousands of dollars
worth of stock cannot be sold, because it
cannot be shipped.
GENERAL STRIKE THREATENED.
Grand Master Sweeny Of the Switch
mems Aid Association, Chief Conductor
Howard Of the Brotherhood Of Railway
Conductors, Grand Master Wilkeson and
| Grand Vice-President Morrissey of the
brotherhood Of Railway Trainmen, and
| Chief Frank Sergeant head of the Broth
| erhood OF Firemen, constituting the Execu-
tive Committee of the Supreme Council of
the Federation of Railway Brotherhoods,
| left for New York tonight. They will lay
the matter before Wehh tn-mnrrnM One