The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-19
WILL THERE NE ANOTHER srRIKEs
views Of a Molly Mcguire orr the Fr0-
granme Of tire WOrkingMen.
TN Y Tribune

Ever since the late railroad strikers
were put down the question whether or
not there would be another general
strike has been widely discussed. Some
have claimed that the time for riots OF
even greater extent than the last was
not far distant, while others have been
emphatic IN their contradiction OF such
statements. Yesterday "a Tribune re-
porter called upon member OF one of
the workingmen's societies, and con-
versed with him on this subject. The
workingman was Molly Mcguire. or as
no prefers to be called q Knight OF
Labor. The substance OF his remarks
on thefuuestion OF another strike OF the
different brotherhoods, and how they
will act In case they find repetition OF
their recent action inevitable, may be
summed up briefly as follows:
"There are In New York at present."
he stated, " sixty.four laboring mems
societies, which, while having the same
object In view, do not act In unison.
although they may not In harmony
with each other. In Philadelphia there
are almost as many, acting on the co.
operative system, and the number Of
the societies IL proportionately large in
all towns In the Union. These num-
beers include the secret societies. They
have In view protested object to keep
an understanding between employer
and employed; but lately, owing to
certain conditions, the leaders OF the
different unions convinced the mem
bers of the advisability Of striking, and
the resent riots were an illustration OF
the influence which the societies have
over the men. These conditions still
exist; they are even worse now than
before the strike, and what are the
hundreds OF men out Of employment
to do /? The strikers In the late
riots were put down promptly
by the military tthe last thing
expected by the striSers), but In the
event of another strike they will be bet
ter prepared. But an effort Ia being
made to paoify those laborers who are
without work. There is to be bill pre-
sented to Congress next month by
Messrs. Butler, Banks and Kelley,
which provides that the government
shall furnish man, as a settler In good
faith. with tract of land large enough
to make comfortable farm, give him
seeds and tools, and sustain him for one
year, the cost OF which is to stand rs
mortgage on the farm. Ii this can DO
done. it will remove the superfuous
working men to the pla,e where they
are most needed, or, in other words, pre-
vent competition between an American
WOIkIuELllAu Wu0 CiuuOL live
under 81 Is day, and an Italian who
can support himself comfortably on SO
cents day."
"In case this bill is not passed." he
continued, "and that soon, too, there
will be only one course open for work
ingmen to follow, and they are prepar-
ing themselves for it now. Meetings are
being held, both public and secret, OF
the different societies representing all
trades. viz: The Engineers Brother
hood, Brakesmen's Society, Tradesmen's
Society. and the Knights OF Labor, 9TH
erwise known as the Molly Maguires.
All are acting together; the members
are being instructed how to act In such
a case. Steps are being taken to have
arms in readiness to fight the military,
and all precautions will be taken to
make the strike, ii 1t is possible, a sue
cessful one. The promptness with which
members OF these societies act may
be illustrated by the fact, that lately In
Philadelphia, when the occasion seemed
to warrant it, In less than two hours
more than ten thousand men were col
lected, although no communication per-
ceptible to those not participating in
the movement was held between them.
In case the future strike is successful,
the strikers will insist on the govern
ment taking in hand the management
OF the railways, which will lead, it is
thought, to the government taking
charge of all mines, and finally OF
most OF the other trades, and thus pre-
vent competition from running the Ia
borer."