St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-03
.POWDERLY is SAVAGE
The Leader of the Knights Of
Labor Has His Anger
Aroused.
Secretary Fosters Version Of
an Interview Is Stated to
Be False.
Mr. Powderly Claims to Hold
Written Proofs Of His
Statement.
Only Active Politicians Are
Wanted by Rusk--Gossip
Political.

Master Workman Powderly, of the
Knights of Labor, has prepared the fol-
lowing statement relative to the cOntro-
versy over the plate printers dropped by
the bureau of printing and engraving at
Washington:
Up TO this moment have not said
word publicly. but feel that the state
ments charged to the secretary of the
treasury merit some recogni-'
ton and denial, since they
are unqualifedly false. he has
stated, SO it is alleged, and he has not
denied it, that the plate printer trouble
was not the subject of discussion at the
meeting held at Mansfield between Mr..
Sherman, Maj. Mckinley and himself.
The matter was discussed at Mansfield.
as l am advised, and hold the proofs
over the signature of Maj. Mckinley
himself. On his return to Washington
the secretary of the treasury sent to the
general worthy foreman of this order.
Mr.. CaYanaugh. TO come TO Washington
so that the matter could be settled.
The general worthy foreman complied
with the request. and on June 10 had
moments Interview with the secretary
OF the treasury, who, without discussing
the merits of the case. named to him
that day as a time when he would meet
the committee. At the hour mentioned
Mr.. Cayanaugh called at the treasury,
saw Mr.. Foster and concluded an agree
ment to restore the discharged men to
their places, and even went so far as to
write letter to one of them TO advise
him whether he wished to be reinstated.
That letter is
Written in His Own Hand
and over his own signature. We hold
that letter as proof of what we say. Mr..
Delvin made the memorandum of the
terms of which the agreement was
drawn and on the strength Of which he
wrote the letter. The terms are as fol-
lows: That the men who have been
dropped from the rolls in the plate print
ing department shall be restored to their
former places, or places of equal i'm
portance in pay, and that they shall be
treated with the same fairness
and consideration as other plate
printers by the chief and his
assistants in the bureau. That four of
them shall practically berestored within
ten DAYS, and the balance within two
weeks from this date" Mr.. Devlin'S
proposition was that all the discharged
man should be restored to their former
places within ten days, but in order TO
conciliate the secretary he prepared the
foregoing, and 1t was approved by Mr..
Foster, secretary of the treasury, and
Mr.. Meredith. chief of the bureau. 1t
was stated by Mr.. Meredith that the
agreement could be carried out
without the displacement Of any
man in the department. These delib-
erations were concluded, and those pres
ent were congratulating themselves
upon the happy termination of the diff
Guilty, when a committee of plate print
ers was called into the secretary's cham
Der by Mr.. Meredith. The card which
announced their arrival bore this in
scription: "A delegation from the
GOmpers' Federation of Labor desires
to be heard before an agreement is
arrived at with the Knights of
Labor" These men had been called
away from their machinery at II O'Clock
that day, just as soon as it became
known that Mr.. Cavanaugh had ar
ranged with the secretary for an inter-
view. They we're drilled by Meredith
as to their speeches and conduct while
deliberating with the secretary, but the
Instructions Were Not Complete,
for Mr.. Meredith forgot to tell them the
name of the organization they were
supposed to represent before the sec
retary, and they gave the name of an
association that does not and never
did exist. After a short interview with
the committee, the secretary turned
TO Mr.. Devlin, and snatehing some
papers from his hand. said: "If there
is to be a fight with this organization of
yours. l don't know but what l had
better fight YOU" To that Mr.. Devlin
replied: If it is to be fight, l guess
we can do a little of that ourselves"
Mr.. DeYlin then called his attention to
the fact that he had concluded an agree
ment to settle the matter: that in that
agreement no man. whether Knight of
Labor or member of the Federation
of Labor, was to be Disseminated
against OF displaced. but the secretary
stated that he would have to send for
Mr.. Gompers before he could arrive at
q further understanding OF the case.
| The advisers of Mr.. Foster have in
fiueneed him so to act as to give the
controversy such a look as to impress
the people that it a struggle between
labor organizations. Such is not the
| case. We have no fight with any labor
! organization, and this contest will not
| be so regarded by the general officers
of the Knights of Labor. Mr.. Foster
has an undoubted right TO consult with
1 Mr.. Gompers if he pleases. but the fact
still remains that none of the men be-
long to any organization but the
Knights of Labor.
GOmpers on Hand.
WASHINGTON. July 3 President
| GOmpers and Secretary Evans, of the
| American Federation of Labor, arrived
/ from New York this afternoon and
| called on Secretary Foster in relation to
| the troubles in the bureau of engraving
and printing. These gentlemen form
ally protest against the in
| Justice of showing any favOritsm
| to a particular class of printers.
| Mr.. Gompers did not express any
objection to the secretary's action in ig-
noTing the past record of the seven dis
charged Knights of Labor, but he in
sisted that it would be unfair to give
those men any preference over other
persons occupying places OF chance
printers and applicants for presses.
| Mr.. Gompers believed that the rules
governing the employment of plate
| printers should be strictly observed.
| During general talk with the secre-
| tary over affairs at the bureau, Mr..
| Gompers expressed great confidence in
the fairness and ability of Chief Mere
| dith.
4 ~ II