Evening star., 1896-07-10
ACTION OF KNIGHTS
Fighting Back at tho Metropolitan
Railroad.
WILL NOT USE TIE LIN E
More Letters to andFrom Members
of Congress.
l NOT USE TIE LIN E
THE DIS ARGED MEN

| The executive board of the Street Rail-
| way Assembly met late yesterday afternoon
| and by an unanimous vote adopted pre-
amble and resolution requesting the Dis
| trict Assembly No. &C, Knights Of Labor.
to place the Metropolitan Railway Company
| on the unfair list The action Of the local
| assembly was later Endorsed by the central
! body, with the proviso made at the request
| Of Mr.. F. M. Dent chairman Of the ex-
ecutive board of the Railway Assembly.
| that they should not go into effect until
| the day after the adjournment OF the
Christian Endeavor convention. The pre-
| amble and resolutions are as follows:
Whereas, the Metropolitan Street Rail-
way Company of Washington, D. c., has
deliberately Disseminated against and dis
charged their employees for no other reason
| than their active membership in aslabor or
! ganization, and
] Whereas, no satisfactory reply or ex-
| PLANTATION has been received to our request
| for hearing or reinstatement. except a
| published document, which practically ad-
| mits every charge we have made against
| the company, and
Whereas, we are in possession of and
! have produced affidavits and other in
formation in support Of our contention,
| therefore, be it
Resolved. that We, the knights of Labor
| of the District of Columbia condemn the
| action of President Phillips and the Metro
| politan Railroad Company as harsh, tyran-
| meal and subversive Of the rights OF
| American citizens.
| Resolved, that we hereby pledge our
| selves to refrain from patronizing the cars
| OF the said railroad or any business con-
| Germ by which the said road is in any way
assisted or upheld in its antagonism ito
| union labor.
| "Resolyed that we call unon all rnonnhora
! OF organized labor in the District of Colum-
bia, ard every friend and believer in the
| rights Of citizens to freely join any organi-
zation for the betterment of their condi-
tion. to aid US in teaching this road our
contempt for such practices, and be it
| further
| Resolved. that we shall henceforward
| oppose the granting Of any public privi-
| 1eges to any quasi-public corporation un-
| less that corporation is willing to concede
| Justice and fair treatment to it's en-
ployes."
| The Discharged Men.
The action Of the Local Assembly and
the District Assembly, as above stated, is
| the elimination of the troubles which have
| as already stated in The Star, existed be-
tween the Metropolitan Railroad Company
and the officers and members of the execu-
tive board OF the Local Assembly for ten
days past, and which eliminated in the dis
charge of twelve employees from It's service
| by the railroad company.
the reelection at the annual meeting of
| the stockholders Of the Metropolitan Com
pany Wednesday of the old board Of direc-
| tors has convinced the discharged men
that there is but small chance that they
| will be re:nstated in their former places
and they are quietly getting ready for
| fight with the company, which 1t is felt
can ca no longer be delayed if the principles
| maintained in the District of Columbia. 1t
| Is understood that Mr.. James Trainor, one
of the discharged employees Of the road, has
1 received very fattering offer from an old
friend to take charge of the plantation of
the latter in Alabama, and it is probable
that Mr.. Trainor will accept. Before
| entering the service Of the Metropoli-
| tan Railroad Company Mr.. Trainor was
a successful farmer. and 1t is believed he
would again be equally as fortunate.
| 1t Is also stated that Mr.. F. NJ. Dent to-
ington at much greater pay than he was
able to earn as q motor man, and he will
also. it Is understood, accept the position
| Sent to Congressmen.
| The general executive board of the
Knights Of Labor has prepared supple
| mental statement to that printed exclu-
sively in The Star Of Tuesday, relative to
| the pending troubles between the Metropol-
tan company and its discharged employees,
and a copy of both has been sent to each
| member of Congress. The paper, after re-
i e~~>
| lows: .s..&
I'VE have gone into the matter at this
| length to show to every member of the
United States Senate and House of Repre-
| sentatives, as well as to our own members
| the justice Of our position, apd until the
Metropolitan road grants just and fair
| treatment to its men, as heretofore out
lined, We shall ask Congress not to grant
any privileges or extension of franchises
already enjoyed.
Every Senator and Representative has
| constituents by the thousands among the
wage-workers and farmers, who will and
! do sympathiZe with the wronged employees
| Of the Metropolitan Railway Company, and
| the tenor of the letters so far received Is
| srmcient to show that radical change
must take place in the policy Of the COM
| pany before the next session Of Congress-
or 1t will go into effect very shortly after It
| convenes.
| I'VE believe that our propositions are rea.
! sonable. and II any OF them are considered
| arbitrary or excessive we stand willing to
| submit them to any impartial tribunal for
| adjudication None of the questions in dis
| employer hesitate over their discussion, We
| feel that only stubborn and mulish dis
| inclination to recognize any union of men
can be at the bottom of Mr.. Phillips re-
| fusal to squarely meet the issues presented.
I'VE commend this statement to the care
| full consideration of our national legislators
| more particularly, and would urge those
| who have not done SO to write at once In
II
pany to understand just what 1t may cx-
pect from a continuance of the present un-
| Just discrimination
More Letters.
Letters continue to be received from
Congressman.
Senator Perkins wrote as follows from
San Francisco: Il would be glad to serve
you. or your friends, but being SO far dis
| tant from the seat of action, and knowing
nothing about the merits Of the case or the
names of the parties to whom you refer,
| do not see how 1 can do anything until 1
return to Washington, when, II you will
give me the names, l. will try and use my
! influence to have them reinstated, provid-
| ing they are worthy and capable
Representative Grove L. Johnson, at Sac
| ramento, CAL. wrote:
| Il have no right to interfere in the pri-
| vate affairs Of your company. Yet, as
| member Of Congress have a voice in. the
| enactment Of legislation governing your
| company and all other railway companies
In the District Of Columbia, hence it is not
| inappropriate for me to address you in this
| matter. II your company has discharged
| men solely because of their membership
| in the order of the Knights of Labor I
| think that you have treated said employees
| improperly and have ignored the plain pro-