Evening star., 1896-08-13
Letter From the Street Railway Mep
to the Metropolitan Director.
TART ACCUSATIONS OF INCORRECTNESS
A Claim That the Employees Side
Has Been Amply Proved.
NJ r. PHILLIPS PRAYERS

A special meeting OF the executive board
OF the Street Railway Assembly was held
this morning for the consideration of mat
ters relating to the troubles between the
assembly and the Metropolitan Railroad
Company. and one Of the principal subjects
brought to the attention of the board was
the letter OF Mr.. r. d. Weaver. one of the
directors of the railway company. TO the
Central Labor Union, and which was pub
lished in The Star of Tuesday.
The following reply to Mr.. weaver's
communication was adopted:
Mr.. Weaver states: i do not see how
words can make the position of this COM
pany more explicit than what the directors
have already stated Mr.. Weaver should
remember that actions speak palmer than
words, and that a mere and unsubstantiat-
ed statement calculated to catch public
sentiment is not conclusive proof. The
members of the Railway Assembly are the
only parties to the controversy that have
shown disposition TO be fair. They have
backed up their statements with afiidavits
of reputable and well-known citizens and
every other necessary evidence OF proof.
They have gone further. They have chal-
lenged TIE company that IL II Will prove
Its charges that the men discharged were
promoters Of discord between company and
employees, and that they were not dis
charged for being affiliated with organized
labor. to be true, the assembly would
give up the fight.
Stntcment Challenged.
Gould anything be fairer than that?
Mr.. Weaver further states: The company
desires it to be distinctly understood that
no man has been discharged for being a
Knight of Labor We contend that the
true facts in the case preclude the possi-
biIty of the matter being understood In
tOht Mr ir,-t &c mot
responsible for what he says or Mr. NeaN-
is handling the truth with considerable
carelessness, 1t being a question OF veracity
between them. Two South Washington
business men called upon Mr. Phillips re-
Gently to recommend the employment Of a
friend. Mr.. Phillips presented 10 them a
list of names of those he intended TO dis
charge because they We're union men, ana
said that the man whom they recommend
ed would be employed on the condition that
he would not join any union.
Two responsible citizens of the north
west appeared before a notary public and
took a solemn oath that Mr.. Phillips did
tell them that he would discharge III"
man they recommended II he Joined tie
Street Railway Union, and Will Mr.. Weaver
deny for one moment that the union mea
have been Disseminated against FOR The
last twelve months? Are not these facts
sufficient TO convince any fair ana jIsiiy
disposed person that the company lid en-
tertain strong animosity against the Rail
way Assembly and It's members, and their
discharge was only act Of wanion, re-
vengeful spite?
"Mr. Weaver intimates that the state
ments made by the employees are unworthy
of belief because they are deeply Interest
ed parties. To our minds th- company
is as much interested as the employees.
Therefor mere statement from one II as
much entitled 10 respectful conSid'ra-
lion as one from the other. except that thu
men corroborate their side with IN. best
of evidence.
No Evidence Forthcoming.
The company can produce no evidence
to sustain its position, but n mere state
ment from deeply Interested parties The
statement made by Mr.. Weaver that the
company still retains In It's employ Knights
of Labor, both officers and members, he
must have known to be absolutely false.
There was time before the company be-
gan its guerrilla warfare against the as
sembly that there Were hundreds of MEM
ners in its employ, hut today the fingers
Of one hand are sufficient TO number all
who would dare acknowledge Their mem
bership. And We defy Mr.. Weaver 10
name one single man in the employ OF the
company who is an officer OF the Railway
Assembly. or who has been one during the
last seven months. who ever fllcd an;
office in this assembly except inside
quire Therefore Mr.. Weav.r's only arsu-
ment of defense falls to the ground. IL
cannot be that so prominent a business
man as he would he guilty OF a deliberate
fasehood. 1t only tends 10 verify what
We have claimed all along, that the Ill
rectors We're misinformed.
But Mr.. Weaver's defense for his ac-
tions proving false in one particular IL
weakens his whole argument and renders
anything that he mas said or may say IN
the future subject to suspicion. He claims
that Providence recognizes the Justice OF
their cause; therefore, in some mysterious
way, keeps the cars well supplied with
patrons. We are disposed to think that
that is begging the question. In fact. ii
gives the whole document a Samuel l..
Phillips flavor. We remember how i'm
pressively he told our committees last wear
that he prayed for his employees every
night. We wonder if he prays for them
now they walk the streets looking for
employment, objects OF his revenge?
Verify is ii written, The fervent prayer Of
a righteous man availeth much
EXECUTIVE BOARD STREET RAIL
WAY ASSEMBLY, 1896