Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-27
Mr.. BABCOCK HERE
He Holds a Conference With K. of
L. officials.
THE METROPOLITAN R. R. TROUBLE
What the Discharged Men Are
Now Doing.
PO S S IBLE BOY TT

service OF the metropolitan Ra1lrOad COM
pany a few days ago by order Of the board
of directors, were today very confident Of
being reinstated in their former positions
In the course of a few days at the farthest.
This feeling Is shared by the members Of
the executive board of the General Assem-
bly, of the Knights of Labor. most Of whom
are now in the city, and they can, at q mo-
ments notice, hold meeting and extend
such aid to the discharged men as may. in
their Judgment. seem to be necessary In or
der to bring Mr.. Phillips to the acceptance
of the terms asked for by the K. of L.
Mr.. BnbcOck In Consultation.
Mr.. H. B. Martin, a member Of the gen.
eraf executive board of the X. of L., who
went to New York early yesterday morn
ting, in order to have conference with
Representative Babcock of Wisconsin,
chairman of the House District committee,
in reference to the discharge of the men
referred to. returned to Washington today.
accompanied by Mr. Babcock, and during
the morning conference was held, at
which there were present Mr.. Babcock. Mr..
Martin and General Secretary-Treasurer
John ". Hayes Of the K. Of L.
The history OF the whole controversy was
carefully gone over. and Messrs. Martin
and Hayes explained in detail to Mr.. Bah
Geek everything that has occurred between
the Metropolitan company and its employees
events that led up to the strike of 1891.
when, after the company's lines were tied
up for several hours, President Phillips
yielded to the demands Of its employees
ard, In part, granted them more than they
asked for.
Mr.. Babcock was urged by Messrs Martin
ard Hayes to call on Mr. Phillips and ask
the latter to reinstate the discharged men
and 1t is understood that Mr. Babcock will
do 50, but 1t is hardly probable that any
thing looking to the restora ton CT the men
to duty can be accomplished before the
directors have another meeting which need
not be delayed more than a day or two
Replies to the Circular Letters.
Although the first of the circular letters
sent to each Congressman throughout the
country by General Secretary-Treasur.r
Hayes was not mailed at the post office
here until late night before last, replies from
a number of those who reside in the vicinity
of Washington have been already received,
and IT Is stated that in each instance the
reply was favorable, while that from Rep
resentative Otey of the Lynchburg Va
district was particularly gratifying and re-
assuring to the recipients.
Mr. Otey's Interest.
The communication of Mr.. Otey it was
stated. informed General Secretary-Treas-
urer Hayes that the former had already
written to Mr. Phillips in reference to the
matter complained of, and that he had
asked Mr.. Phillips to furnish him with a
full statement of the pending trouble, as
10 why the men were discharged. &c.
adding that he was favorably disposed
toward the cause of labor and that he had
many members of the Knights of Labor in
his district.
Should Mr.. Babcock fail in the object of
his mission to President Phillips the gem
eral executive board of the K. of l.. will,
as stated by a member of the board. leave
no means untried to defeat the railroad
ccmpany,and if unsuccessful in the present
Instance will attack every measure in their
interest that may hereafter be brought be-
fore Congress.
1t is hardly probable that the regular
weekly meeting of the Street Railway AS
sembly will be held tonight. The general
executive board has advised that the meet
Ing be postponed, as matters. they say, are
progressing favorably to the discharged
OF the assembly at meeting might be fol-
lowed by their discharge also
1t was today stated Oh what Is believed to
be good authority that the railroad COM
pany this morning had men detailed to
board all the cars of the F, East Capitol
street and 9th street lines and ask each
motornan, conductor and driver If he was
loyal to the company and would stand by
the latter.
Patronage Said to BE Falling OF.
1t is claimed that the patronage of the
Metropolitan lines has already fallen off to
a noticeable extent and that it was owing
to the action taken yesterday afternoon by
the general executive board of the K. of
L., who sent agent to the base ball
grounds with placard on which was paint
ed in big letters, Don't ride on the 9th
street cars. The oldest men have been dis
charged" 1t is alleged that the immediate
result was that as sooE as the game was
over so many people patronized the 7th
street cars that the 9th street line did not
get hundreds of passengers where they have
heretofore obtained thousands
Some of the discharged men are putting
IN most of their time visiting various busi-
ness houses and asking the proprietors and
those employed there not to patronize the
cars of the Metropolitan company, and 1t
is said that in the great majority Of in
stances they have been successful in secur-
Ing promises.
Whether there will be a formal boycott
by tie local assemblies composing District
Assembly No. 66, Knights Of Labor, and
of the latter and the Federation of Labor
of the Metropolitan Railroad Company will
depend entirely on the expressed wishes Of
;he Street Railway Assembly in the mat
ter, and the leaders of the latter have not
as yet given the subject serious considera-
tion, and it is said that If the plans which
are at present being used to bring injury,
so far as finances are concerned, to the
Metropolitan are fairly successful no for
NAL boycott will be declared. This, how
ever, is a subject that will be discussed in
the near future
Fnflcd to Find the Railroad Officers
Representative Babcock this afternoon
called at the headquarters of the knights
of Labor and, 1t was said, informed the
discharged employees above referred to that
Immediately after the termination of his
interview this morning with Messrs. Mar
tin and Hayes. he called at President Phil
lips office to see him In reference to their
reinstatement, and was there informed that
Mr.. Phillips had gone to the country and
1t was not known when he would return.
Mr.. Babcock next called at the Office Of
Vice President Wilson, and there learned
that the latter was also out OF the city
Mir. Babcock then engaged several messen-
gers and sent a message to the office of
each member Of the board Of directors,
but each was away, and no one there knew
or if he did would not tell when his en-
ployer might be expected to again put In
an appearance at his place of business.
Mr.. Babcock told the men, 1t was stated,
that he intends to see President Philips in
reference to their case, which is the OBJ
ject Of mis- present visit to Washington
and that he will not again leave the city
until he knows from Mr. Phillips personally
whether or not the men are to be given
their former positions.