Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 April 1886 — GENERAL [ARTICLE]

GENERAL

Reports from Labrador are to the effect that the people living between Esquimaux point and Blanc Sable are subsisting entirely on dog meat, and expressed that unless relief reachesjfiehi many will starve to death.. . .Proffesor.Foster, meteorologist of lowa, predicts that' great stonnswilljpass over in rapid succession during the last ten days of April. . .. Thebe was a prolonged conference between Jay Gould and T. V. Powderly at Ne wYotkonThursday. March 30. "The whole discussion.’’ a New York telegram reports, ‘‘was on the subject of arbitration genet-ally, upon which a unanimity of opinion was expressed. Mi. Gould is in favor aff'tntntrtrtirmT'tmtra^'tht f ing the difficultyxSh—the Missouri Pacific Railroad had been referred to Mr. Hoxie, the following telegram Was sent to him at the_re<juesf of Mr. Powderly: To H. M. Gentn^l-Mmiager,-StJ^iuis-u—.. Wii: yen :n« et the General Executive Board of the Knights of Labor, ortho committee of your employesfrom the Knights of Labor. for" the purpose of making. a>ettHHu.ent of present difficulties alike honorable to Both parties, eitherl on the basis of arbitration or bv muttUil agreement, the same td be binding on all parties? InapsWerto this*Mr. Hexre tejegrapKel the following from St. Louis: “ A. L. Hopkins: Replying to tour inquiry of this date. I have to say that yesterday I received from Mr. Gould the following message rhereis quoted the message beginning “in resuming the movement of trains,* rtc/, to which 1 sent the foilowitig rejp—i——V i,—■ - —. l w 11 —f— —— Jay Gould: ’ , -y I have vour message in relation to your inter, view with Mr. Powderly, and also’ the/ letter of instructions, ami ' will carrv out the same to the best df mv abilitv. I aiu.itherefore, willing to nteeTa cemiffittee of tjur employes without discrimination, who are actually at work in-the service of: the company at the time such-committee is appointed, to adjudicate with them any grievance that they may have. H. M. Hoxie. The Executive Committe? *f the Kpigh a of Labbr tnereupon telegraphed to Marini Irons, at >St Louis, as follows: Hare your executive committee ordertbe men to return to work, and also select a special <*6minittee from the employes of the Missouri Pacific to wait on Mr. Hoxie to adjudicate any grievances. Do this as quickly as possible. “Asekiovs hitch exists between the _ .. • rr • T

Executive Committee of the Knights of Labor and the railroad officials regarding the terms cm which the knights are to lie taken back, and from present appearances the strike is us far from settlement as ever," says a St. Lonis telegram <»f the 2d tawL A committee of Knights waited ui»on Master Mechanic Bartlett jtt th- Missouri Pacific shops and teixLervd iiiin the services of the old shop employes. A list of fifty - two names was l>a:uL-d T<> Mr. Bartlett, who/aft er scanning it, checked off Sevent/4n of them asr the names of the men whom he would employ. The Others, he said, could riot be taken back. Attempts <>f a similar nature were made by committees of the strikers at prominent points all over the Gould systemi In every instance, the Executive Board claimg, the committees teceived the sauie feply to then- ofers. Be-ports-of committees, received by telegraph, determined the Executive Board to issue an address to the public, and tri continue the strike until the roads consent to take buck all (if the strikers. The address is as follows:

Ar showing the sincerity of the railroad managers in their treatment of the Knights of Ijil>or, we re»j>ectful)y state tliat jnirßuant to the order of our general executive board we this day Rent a •committee to the managers of the several rail roads, offering to return the imh to work, au<l in no instance would they be received or treated with, each official in tumeither refusing them a bearing or evading them with specious subterfuges for direct answers, or refusing them employment Mr. Hoxie has agreed to receive a committee 'Of employes to adjust any grievances which may exist. He refuses i>ersonallv and through his sulji rdinates to recognize any rot us as employ* R and refuses to receive any but such as he calls employes. In short, after himself and Mr. Gould have conveyed the impression to the world that they are Willing to settle, they refuse to Settle. Now we appeal to a candid and suff ring public, on whom is falling all the weight of this great conflict, if we have not been deceived enough? How much is long-suffering labor to Lear? This great strike never would have been had Mr. Hoxie condescended months | ago to hear our complaints. We do not claim to be more than human, it should not be-ex-, pect.-d of us to l>e more than human. In this country jmsitiou makes no man king or slave, and imperious refusal on the part of one citizen to conferwtth other citizens with whom he may have business connections, when such refusal begets great business and social revolution. is not only a mistake but a crime agaiust the public. Mr. Gould is invoking the law against little criminals who are made desperate by his poljcy of duplicity and oppression, and yet a terrorized public does not invoke the law against the arch-cr.initial of the land. If we cannot be allowed, to return to work the strike must goon. THERE were 200 failures in the United States last week, against 191 the previous week, 225 in the corresponding week in 1885, 143 in 1884,190 in 1883. and 129 in 1882. The total number of failures in the United States from January 1 to April 2-. i» 3,339, against 3,911 in a like portion of 1885, a decline of 572. against 4,-190 in 1884. 3.160 in 1883, and 2,146 in 1882. Canada had 360 in three months of 1886, against 437 in a like share of 1885, a decline of 67. Special telegrams to liradxtrei’t'H report a less satisfactory condition of general trade than last week, due in large part to. the continuation of strikes at various centers, as well as to the interruption to railway traffic in the Southwest. Floods in the Central. Southern, and Western States have helped to depress trade through the , destruction of bridges and the overflowing of country roads. At the large Eastern cities the vohime of merchandise moving is of only moderate proportions.