The morning times., 1896-06-26
K GEL. IWEs UP THE FIGHT
Continued From First Page.

yOur pefstAaf attention at once, as we
/ feel that we cannot permit such u great
| Injustice to our members to stand.
| Trusting that we shall receive u prompt
aud favorable reply frum your board. We
EXEcufIyE board STREET RAIL.
WAY ASSEMBLY 1896.
NO TIE-UP PROPOSED.
Several of the members OF the local as
sernbly said utter the meeting that the
assembly did not propose to tie-up the
| road. or To- make any move that would
tend to injpre the company's business. They
/ said they did not intend to call away any
| OF the employees of the company, for the
| reason that il wasn't necessary to do So
They intended TO lay tie whole mntter be
fore the board of directors and felt sure
| that what they thought was an inJns'ice to
the discharged men would be ratiried.
They said they felt satisfied that the CON-
| muDicauon which they had sent TO the
members of the board of directors would
receive careful consideration. and that
the difficulty would be amicably settled.
The following circular was issued and
sent out after u conference OF the general
executive board OF the or,ier OF the Knights
of Labor. This circular baa-b mailed
to every member of Congress, and II good
result Is expected:
AN APPEAL TO CONGRESS.
Hon. Dear Sir-The Adjournment OF Con-
gress brought with 1t more hardship for
the men employed ON the Metropolitan
Street Railroad, OF Washington. Mr.. Phil
lips, president If the company. has dis
missed from the service OF the company all
Officers Of the local assembly because IL
their membership in the Order Of the
Knights OF Labor.
This company is continually looking for
privileges from Congress-, and we appeal
sistance in your power in securing the
immediate reinstatement of these men, who
are being unjustiy treated by corpora-
yors shas from as e9eyed w wany yo yada6e
show your iuteress in the cause OF labor by
telegraphing President Phillips immedf-
ateiy Ia reiDstate The men anu write him
Ia the effect that he must not look for
any further legislation with your AS
sistance while he persists in discharging
men Tor their connection with the Order
you TO him will be OF great help II you
give IL The e-right ring. Please send me q
copy. JOHN W. HAYES,
General Secretary Treasurer
In addition to the circular issued by the
executive board to the members OF Congress
a telegram was sent yesterday to Mr.
Babcock, who is now in New York to the
erect that the board desires meeting with
MIN IN this. city as quickly as he eau get
here.
Secretary-Treasurer J. W. Hayes of the
General Assembly OF the order OF Knights
of Labor is very confident OF winning L..
fight against the company and so ex-
pressed himself In an Interview with The
Times. He said that organized labor de-
reated the company before aud can do It
again.
THE STRIKE OF 1894.
The preseDt complications are traceatIe
indirectly TO tine tie-up OF the Metro
politan lines on December IA. 1894, which
resulted in the humiliation or President
fhiiiips. and the complete granting OF
the dema nds of the employees.
Just abou the time or the strike the
company was negotiating for funds TO
make certain extensions and better equip
mept. the sim running up into the bum
dreds OF thqDsa nds OF Collars. 1t was al
ways understood thatthe Company was well
equipped fin9nc.aIy. and that the Eegotia-
lions should net have interfered with the
wages of the men.
When. therefore. the men heard that it
was Intended to- cut down their wages
there was indignation spread from ore end
OF the road tu the other. in which they
had the sympathetic assistance of all
lines in Wasiiir gton.
Although the employees of the Metro
politln line were not organized at that
it took them only the night of the 18th
OF December to come to the conclusion TO
go out. THIS was put into effect at few
minutes past O'Clock p. m, on Thurs
day. when the first car, due opposite the
Ebbitt House. stopped, md the driver
and conductor threw up their Jobs. The
cars continued to arrive and added to the
biocka de until the whole street was
biocka ded. Citizens githered in great
crowds. and the general sentiment was on
the side of the strikers.
The cause of this tie-up was the re-
I'm nv fta .,f ha nS
the men Il 1-2 per cent from the already
not too great pay.
TIEsUP WAS COMPLETE.
President Phillips and one of his subor-
dinates came the scene but 10 one as
sisted him to move the cars. At s O'Clock
there wasn't car on the road which
had not been piled up on F street and on
Fourteenth.
Later in the night President Phillips
gave in and according to the accounts
given OF 1t at the time by the men who
interviewed President Phillips he raised
his hand to Heayen in declaration of peace
with the employees.
This was distrusted. they believing that
some time he would try and be revenged.
Therefore on the folio owing Sunday the men
met at Typographical Temple and organ
lied their first union. Mr.. Sturgess was
the first president and was most instru-
mental in organizing this resistance to
the company's plans. He was elected
for a year but at the eni OF three months
the men became dissatisfied and elected
the present president, LIwrencc, who has
been chosen three times in succession.
The men now think it strange that Mr.
Sturgess is one OF the most favored men
ON the line by President Phillips
The next trouble, all of which bears on
the present disagreement, was with the
men OF the Ninth street line when its
power was changed to electricity. The
men began very early TO see that it was
proposed to substitute new men wherever
possible for the old and. tried servants of
the company. Cases where non-union men
had been put on evidently with the inten-
tion OF replacing the old men were recalled
to Mr.. Phillips attention. There was
long agitation. The men succeeded ard
as a result joined the Street Railway
Union. more than ninety per cent OF them
being now members.
THE PRESENT TROUBLE
The present. trouble, it is evident, will
be charged tothe employees by the Company.
The men, however. say that their opposi-
ton to the Legislation of the Metropolitan
Company in Congress is the result of the
continued and persistent warfare of the
Company on the union. The chief cause
of the opposition of tue men was that Il new
employc had to he certified to by two
merchants ana other business men. They
were also informed by the officers that
they Should hold no Communication with
the members OF the union. A Acting from
this provpcatsonstt is admitted that they
succeeded In having the Connecticut ave-
nue. extensions Of the line defeated
AS stated, the present disposition is to
let the justice Of their case win instead