Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-03
BACK ON THE ROLLS.
Plate Printers Apologize and Agree
to Take Their Chances.
MEREDITH EVIDENTLY INDORsED.
A Claim Made That the Knights of labor
Have Been Defeated
FOSTERS STATEMENT OF THE TROUBLE

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2.-The action of
Secretary Foster in allowing the discharged
plate printers of the Bureau of Engraving
and Printing to have their names placed on
the 'chance rolf of the bureau, while ap-
parently victory of the Knights of Labor,
is said by the Treasury officials to be really
victory of Chief Meredith over the organi-
zation. Several months ago Captain Meredith
discharged the men for 'cause," which was
explained to mean drunkenness, insubordi-
nation, etc. The influence of the Knights
of Labor was brought to bear, and demand
made for the immediate reinstatement of
the men. Captain Meredith refused to COM
ply with the demand, and the controversy
was carried to Secretary Foster, who took
it as legacy from the Window administra-
tion.
Then ensued long and bitter quarrel be-
tween the discharged men aud the knights
of Labor on the one hand and the Treasury
Department and the Federation of Labor
on the other. The latter organization has
large membership among the employees of
the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and
they were determined to prevent the rein
| statement of the members of the rival Or
ganization.
FOollJh IN n nOLcs
Secretary Foster was placed in an en-
barrassing position, and especially as the
knights threatened that unless their de-
mands were complied with they would
make war in an official and direct way upon
the Republican party in Ohio After sew
eral months of controversy six of the seven
/ men discharged by Captain Meredith have
| been placed on the "chance roll, and the
long and bitter fight is apparently ended for
| the present at least,
Captain Meridith now feels that he is JUS
| titled in claiming the outcome of the fight to
be an evidence that he and not the Knights
| of Labor is running the Bureau of Engrav-
| ing and Printing. The placing ofthe names
| of the discharged men upon the "chance
| roll" does not mean that they are now en-
| ployed bp the bureau. but simply that they
take their places with the long list OF appli-
| cies occur There are large number of
| names on the 'chance rolf now, and ac-
| cording to the statement of Captain Mere
dith, it may be week or it may be six
| months before there will be vacant places
| for the restored men.
THE MEN APOLOGIZE.
Captain Meredith is disinclined to make q
| public statement of the reasons that led the
| department to give the discharged men an
| other chance, but it is well known that he
made the recommendation upon which Sec
| retary Fosters action is based. What is not
generally known, however, is the fact that
before the names of the discharged men
were placed on the '.chance" roll they
agreed that their discharge was justified by
their actions, and promised hereafter to
abide faithfully by the rules of the bureau.
| This is why Chief Meredith feels war
ranted in claiming that he has demonstrated
clearly that he is managing the affairs of the
| Bureau of Engraving and Printing entirely
independent of dictatfon from the X. of L.
| Secretary Foster evidently iss very much
gratified to have settled the controversy on
another chance, while at the same time
| the action of Chief Meredith in discharging
them is indorsed. The Secretary, being an
independent officer, feels free to speak his
mind, and he does not hesitate to give out
the impression that the interference of the
Knights in the affairs of the Department
was rebuked by him and what he regards as
their unreasonable demand refused.
STATEMENT OF FOSTER.
When asked to-day for an explanation of
his action in permitting the names of the
discharged men to go upon the "chance"
roll, the Secretary said: "seven men were
discharged by Captain Meredith, chief Of
the bureau, for good and sufficient cause.
They were members of the Knights of Labor
and that organization demanded an investi-
CATION of Captain Meredith's action, with
the object, of course, of having the men re-
instated. The demand was refused. -
"Then after that there had been much
correspondence and several hearings, to say
newspapers. 1 offered to waive all the
questions in dispute as to the action of the
Chief of the Bureau in discharging the men
and to allow them to go on the "chance"
roll; that is, to be placed or the same foot
ing with other applicants for places in the |
bureau, in fact to treat the men as original |
applicants for places, as If there had been |
no discharges or no controversy whatever.
PowDERLY's LETTER
"This offer was also declined, and then
1a&&
know, the alleged threats of political inter- |
ference. The Knights of Labor, therefore, |
did formally decline to accept my PROPOSE |
tion, but the discharged men, as individuals, |
did not, for six out of the seven have ap- |
piled for the privilege and the privilege |
placed on the chance rolI.'
''Tne seventh man, Mr.. Jordan, has not vet |
applied, and don't think he will. Thus you |
see that three months after the Knights of |
Labor organization formally declined my |
proposition, looking to the ultimate REIN |
statement of the discharged employees, the |
men themselves acting in an individual |
capacity, agreed to it. That is ali have to
say on the subject"
JORDAN RULED OUT.
Jordan, the one man Of seven who the
Secretary thinks will not ask to be rein
stated. is the man who was most persistent
and loud in boasting of the power of the
knights to control the affairs of the bureau,
and indulging in threats ofpolitical boycott
ing in Ohio. The Secretary's feeling of CON
fidence that Jordan will not apply
to be reinstated probably grows out /
of his knowledge that Jordan
feels sure his application would
not be granted. Secretary Foster is greatly
gratified that the names of the discharged |
men are now on the "chance roll" as q re-
suit of their own act, and Chief Meredith is
even more so, for he evidently feels that if
his action in discharging them had not been |
Endorsed by the Secretary, the administra-
tion would now be looking about for a new