The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-04
FOSTER MUCH TROUBLED.
The Secretary Explains His Action
in the Plate Printer
Trou Bile.
PoWderly Sends Him a. Letter in
Which He Reviews the
Situation.
Kearrangement of the MiIitia-New Com
manders Assigned to tho Different
DtvisiOns--Thelr Orders.

WARRINGTON, July 3.-The secretary OF
the treasury received q letter this morning
from Grand Master Workman Powderly. of
the knights of Labor, reviewing the case of
the discharged plate printers in about the
same tone as his statement to the public,
and in addition intimating that the knights
of Labor will appeal the case to tho presi-
dent. Eecretary Foster, in spenking on tho
subject to-day, said that the letters which
Jordan, one of the discharged men, claims
to have received from offering him his old
position in the bureau was not sont by him.
The secretary explained that he was dis
cussing the case with Messrs. Cavanagh and
Devlin and had submitted several PROPOSE
tions to them which did not seem altogether
satisfactory. He said he was willing to
appoint seven men to places
in the bureau with the un-
derstandiug that Jordan. VINO is
making good living, would not return to
work. They wanted more than this" con-
tlnued the secretary, land said they were
afraid if Jordan were offered the place with
this understanding and it shonld get to the
ears of Meredith he would crow over them
and boast that they had been defeated. l
There had been several papers written dur
ing the conference, in about these terms:
Places were to be found for the other six
men, and would he accept position in bu-
reau.' l agreed to give them this letter, to
be given to Jordan, if they should promise
on their honor as men they would either re-
turn it to me or hand me Jordan's declina-
| tion. This was to soothe Jordan's feelings,
as it were. All this was contingent upon our
reaching an agreement. When / showed
Devlln and Cavanagh this letter, they de-
cliEed my terms andI showed the letter to
one side with the rest of the rejected manu-
script. We were discussing the situation
further and endeavoring to find another
solution when | received a card of the dele
CATION representing the Federation Of
Labor. Leaving Devlin and Cavanaugh
for few minutes | went over to talk to
| the newcomers, who told me some facts |
did not know before. For instance they
| informed me that there are now about ff-
teen apprentices in the bureau waiting for
presses, who, under the rules, are entitled
| to presses ahead of chancs men. This
would SO reduce available new work that
men who are now on the chance roll would
not all get presses in the new building.
Thus, to put on the seven dismissed men
would throw out printers who are ahead Of
them. After further talk on the subject
returned to Devlin and Cavanagh and
soon afterward the conference broke up. The
letter to Jordan, though signed, was but a
draft and was not intended to be sent. If
he received it delegates from the knights
of Labor must have taken it from my desk.
1t had previously been rejected by them.
l do not accuse them of stealing the letter,
but do say that the letter should never have
gone to Jordan. 1t was null and void.
When l returned to my desk / said good
bye and swept the papers into the drawer
bat did not notice that this letter was gone.
have reason to think they took the note
sent in to me by delegates of the fed
formation about Gomper's federation. My
name was put on the card by my private
| secretary in order to identify people in my
mind'