Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-11
Correspondence in Regard to tho Met
ropohtan Railway
ORGANIZATION THANKEDBYA DIRECTOR
Present Status of the Difficulty
About Gambrinus Assembly.
VARIOUS LABOR NOTES

The regular weekly meeting OF the Gen.
trail Labor Union held last evening at Ty-
biographical Temple was largely attended.
President Milford spohn occupied the chair
and in the absence of Secretary Torrens
Mr.. Joseph p. McCrink was appointed Sec
rotary pro tenn. Chairman william Silver
of the committee appointed to negotiats
with the board Of directors OF the Metro
politan Railway Company submitted cor
respondence with Mr.. Robert D. Weaver,
member Of the board. which was placed
OH file and the committee was discharged
from the further consIdera ton of the sub
ject. The first communication was q let
ter from Mr.. Silver to Mr.. Weaver. under
date of August 2. ard was as follows: THE
committee. of which I am a member. Is in
possession Of the circumstances leading up
to the difficulty existing between the Met
ropolitan Railroad Company and its EN-
ployes. and would like II possible to have
an interview with the directors OF the road
previous to taking any definite action. The
committee would then be in q position to
act intelligently by having the facts as
presented by both Sides To this no reply
was received by Mr.. Silver. Under date of
August e. MIR. Silver wrote to Mr.. Weaver
as follows: Pardon me for again address,
ing you In relation to arranging for a
meeting between the directors Of the Met
rOpOlitan Street Railway Company and
committee of the Central Labor Union of
this city. as it is necessary that the com
some prospects Of the desired meeting.
whereby the necessary information can
be obtained previous to any final action be-
Ing taken. Please let me know previous to
Monday evening next whether such meet
ing can be arranged or not"
Mr.. Wenver's Reply.
To this Mr.. Weaver replied on the same
4 foxo ~
August . is at hand. and in reply beg leave
to submit to your committee the inclosed
official statement of the directors of this
company. I do not see how words can
make the position of this company more
explicit than what the directors have al
ready stated, namely:
THAT the company wishes 1t to be dis
tinctly understood that no man has been
discharged for the reason that he was
known, or supposed to be. a member of the
order of the Knights Of Labor and the as
sertion that the recent action of the COM
pany was based upon any question OF
membership in any association wha. ever Is
In every respect wholly unwarranted,
false and miSchievOus.
The assertion of the dismissed employees
that they were discharged because they
were Knights of Labor is designed to en-
list the sympathies of their fellow work
men. in the hope that they will be able to
force this company to reinstate them. Any
statement. therefore. made by these en-
ployes proceeds. necessarily, from deeply
interested parties. where's the directors of
this company had no interest whatever in
discharging them except the proper man
aRement of the cOmpany's business. l do
not see. personally, how the directors can
make themselves more definitely under
stood. If their written statement, prepared
after due deliberations. is not to be be-
lieved. of facts exclusively within their
own knowledge. but the statements of the
discharged employees. which. from the ma
ture OF the case. Is mere assertion Ia to be
preferred. then 1 do not see how an oral
confession would have any great weight.
As to the boycott.
Il beg to say in this connection that a
boycott Is remedy which In my Judgment
ought not to be established except In the
most extreme cases. and where the facts
of the case are absolutely without ques-
tlon: otherwise great injury is done all
parties. workingmen included. Where 1t
Is voted. except upon the plainest evidence,
1t generally fails Of its effect. like all
other hasty and inconsiderate actions.
From mere sympathy. misguided by false
and interested statements, this company
has been boycotted by a number of asso-
Citations which have ignored entirely the
solemn assertion OF the directors of this
company. and IT is only the Central Labor
and associates. that has had the fairness
and the justice to conceive that there are
two sides to this question. Like all other
unjust and hasty actions. 1 am happy to
say that the prosperity of the company has
not been affected nor it's receipts diminish
ed, showing that there is an overruling
providence which brings to naught all Of
our acts when inspired by revenge.
Il thank you again for the considerable
conduct CT the Central Labor Union. and
trust that you will take the action Of the
directors In still retaining in their employ
Knights of Labor. both officers and mem
bers. as the best refutation that these men
were not Disseminated against because Of
their connection with that body. 1 repeat
again. no man has been. will be, dis
charged except for dereliction of duty"
MIR. George A. Malone, chairman of the
committee appointed to communicate with
the officers Of the Columbia and Maryland
Electric Railway Company and ask that
union nen be employed ON that improve
ment. read the following letter. which he
received from Mr.. D. NJ Newbold, pre- ident
of that corpora ton: THE work of building
the electric road between Baltimore and
Washington Is being done by a construc-
ton company. l have no interest beyond
moneyed investment in the enterprise. I
shall see the contractors, however, and
give them your letter. AS this road when
finished will have tendency to largely
reduce fares between the two cities, all
interests conducive to its success should
be considered"
The Beer Brewers.
Under the call of unions. the delegate
from the Beer Brewers Union read the fol-
lowing letter. which he had received from
E. Kurzenknake, national secretary of the
National Brewery Workers Union at st.
Louis. in reference to the claims of Gam
brinus Assembly of this city: 1T Is under
stood that our national executive board
will sustain the steps taken by the brewery
workers of Washington In regard to af1ilia-
ton with the Central Labor Union of the
American Federation OF Labor. as we ad-
vised you to do months ago. We hope that
the separation from the Knights of Labor
won't do you much harm. as we under
stand these people are mostly temperance
anyway, and. besides that. at the verge Of
bankruptcy. l will place your resolution
before the national executive board tomor-
row. and hope that you will keep me in
formed in the future how you are getting
along
The following resolution was by a unan-
imous vote referred to the legislative COM
mittee who will call on the District Com
missoners and urge that the request be
granted:
Resolved. That the Commissioners of
the District are hereby requested to begin
work at once on the Langdon school build
ing. the appropriation therefor, having been