Mexico weekly ledger., 1882-07-27
"THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR"

In the August number of the North
American Reuiesy there is an article
entitled 1.-The Organization of La
bor," from the pen of T. V. Powder
ly, which traces the origin of a Sc
cret political organization under the
name Of ''The Knights of Labor"
and in which are to be found the fol-
lowing historical extracts:
"The principle business of the trade
union of late years has been to re-
lieve the distresses of sick and dis
abled members and to try and secure
fair days wages for fair days work.
In the multifarious branches of trade
capital has its combinations and
whether intended or not, they crush
the manly hopes of labor. To pre-
vent this, the trade union has resort
ed to the strike. The fault that l
have find with the trade union of the
past, is that it has rarely sought for
any other remedy. Arbitration has
been seldom resorted to and if the
idea of cooperating with or adjusting
any other union was hinted at the
leader of the trade union issued the
'Form no entangling alliances with
other trades.'' But while the leader
of the trade union inyeighed against
tangling alliances with other trades,
his employer formed alliances with
with other employers of labor, and
when a strike took place he knew
where to look for men- to take the
places of the strikers. While the
trade unionist was devising the best
means of supporting his brethren on a
strike, his employer was interesting
himself in having laws passed by leg
islatures which made it penal offence
to engage in a strike under certain
conditions. The narrow minded pol
| icy that forbade alliances also dis
couraged any attempt on the part of
working men to engage in politics.
Now strike cannot remove or repeal
legislation, for at best it only secures
Temporary relief, it may result in an
advance of wages; but if so, it is
dearly bought victory and at the first
opportunity reduction of the wages
obtained ensues. The strike too is a
weapon of force, and "who overcomes
by force has but half his foe." If
the men that willingly lose one, two,
three or six months time IN a strike
would continue to work, and would
set apart the money thus spent for the
purpose of creating cooperation
fund, and if those that contribute to
their support would donate the money
they advance for the purpose of adj
ding to that fund, they would soon
amass sufficient to erect factories and
shops enough to give employment to
their idle brethren. But as ordina.
rily conducted, l fail to see any last
ing good in strike"
'Men who found the trade union toe
narrow and contracted to suit theiI
views will find all they have sought
for in the KNIGHTS OF LABOR, an or.
ganization started in 1869, but kept 6
profound secret until the beginning Of
the present year. This association
desires, primarily the abrogation o.
all laws that do not bear equally upoI
capital and labor the substitution Of
arbitration for strikes; the prohibi
ton of child labor, equal pay fol
both sexes for equal work; the reduc
ton of days work to eight hours. 81
that laborers may have more time fo1
social enjoyment and intellectual inn
provements and be enabled to reap
the advantages conferred by Labor
saving machinery; to prevail upoi
government to establish a purely ma
tional circulating medium issued di
rcctly to the public without the inter