St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-07-26
PoWDERYL,S VISIT.
The Master Workman Address

to that already tlOuTiShing organization, ana
the public speeches which he made III 81.
Paul, Minneapolis and Saltwater, in which
he set forth the principles of the order and
the benefits derived from it by both en-
pIoyes and employers cannot but result in
great accession to its ranks. In private
conversation Mr. Powderly expressed him.
self as greatly pleased with the prosperity
Of the Knights of Labor in this section, and
predicted for the order great influence in
the affairs of the Northwest. On Thursday
night he IectTed in Market hall. St.
Paul. to a large audience, in which address
he said that in the Knights of Labor
the laboring men were asked to come to-
gether, put aside their differences and quar-
relS of the past, and work for their own
benefit and advancement by agreeing and
uniting to achieve a result so much to be
desired. He demanded that the women
performing the same labor as men should
receive the same pay therefor. and in
stanced the manifest injustice of the system
which held them at pittance on branches
of industry at which men received higher
wages.
THE EIGHT-HOUR SYSTEM
The gentleman is an advocate of eight
hours labor as days work. and he took up
the argument for and against the system.
defending his position with ingenuity, at
lacking the objections to the plan with
skill, and exposing the faliacieS with which
the opponents sought TO maintain their
attitude. he did not, however, want ten
hours pay for eight hours work. Reduce
the hours" said the orator, land the wages
will regulate themselves" There are at
least 1000, 900 idle workman in the country
to-day. If 1900, 900 out of the II, 600. 600
working people would work eight hours in
stead Of ten. the two hours thus saved would
furnish employment for the idle l, 600, 600.
Thus the idle people would become con-
sumers as well as producers, and an addi-
tiOnal demand would be created for the
necessaries of life.
He referred to the murmurS of discomfort
which were coming up from the millions Of
people, and said something should be done
to benefit their condition. Capitalization of
capital was largely responsible for this dis
content. He did not want to see the people
discontinued, but ne was opposed to strikes.
TOUCHING THE SUBJECT OF SOCIALISM.
he agreed with some of the more advanced
socialists, but he had no sympathy what
ever with those who sought TO work re-
form through the trick, dagger OF the bull
let
At some length Mr.. Powderly reviewed
the scheme of ACKNOWLEDGEMENT whereby
foreign capitalist were possessed of millions
of acres of American lands, thereby pre-
venting citizens from settling there and
making for themselves homes. He advo-
Gated return of these lands to the people,
to whom they belonged not by condemning
them and paying for them what they were
worth, nor by taking them without paying
for them at all. Take these millions of
acres of land" said the gentleman, land
pay for them just what they cost the foreign
lords who own them"
1t was shown that the poor emigrant who
lands i'll America TO build for himself a
home is met at Castle Garden by the agent
Of the foreign land grabberS is induced by
the most advantageous offers to enter into
a contract with the agent, who advances
money and settles the emigrant on the far
Western lands. OF course it is not long be-
fore the mortgage is foreclosed the settler
loses his home and the farm passes into the
hands of the foreign land monOpolist to
swell the number of his acres. Mr.. Pow
derby wanted
\ CONGRESSIONAL ENACTMENT
preventing foreigner from owning foot
of American soil until he had declared his
intention of becoming an American citizen.
He declared that those foreigners had no
interest in American institutions, many of
territory, and all stood ready to throttle
Republican institutions at the first oppor-
tunity.
The system OF child labor in Eastern fac
tories was also dwelt upon. and it was
demonstrated that a state of affairs prevails
there which closely borders on slavery. He
wanted legislative enactment to prevent
child labor until the minor had reached the
age of IA years, in order that an opportu-
nifty could be offered for the acquiring of
knowledge. Numbers Of men were taken
to the polls on presidential election days
and voted who could not read the name
which their ballot bore. and who voted at
the dictation of their employer on penalty
of discharge, which meant more to them
than the people toward the Occident were
wont to believe.
CONVICT LABOR
was denounced, yet it was not proposed
to support the criminal in a life of
easy confinement at the expense of
the honest laborer There are roads in
this broad country which need to be put in
paSSable condition. There is no honest
labor at present to engage upon the work.
Why not build the roads of the cOuntrywt
convict labor? There are roads enough to
make to employ the convict labor for the
next fifty years to come. Make a surgeon
of the convict who evinceS a disposition to
carve his fellow men, and does neat lob
of thrOat-cutting," said Mr.. Powderly,
''and make lawyer of the convict who has
shown himself sllillful in executing a rob-
berry, and the honest worlingmen will not
be alone in his cry of down with convict
labor"
The speaker made several illusions dur
Ing the course of his lecture to the hero of
she war who died on that morning. He
was frequently interrupted by applause
and was attentively listened to by all
There was a goodly sprnkling of ladies in
the large gathering. Mr.. Powderly, whose
likeness was given in last Sundays GLOBE,
is aman a little above the medium height.
Is bald from forehead to the crown OF his
head. wears heavy muStache and spec
tacles, gesticulates but little, is easy in
movement and self-pOSseSSed, and an enter
tanning speaker. During his stay in the
city he was given an opportunity to view
st. Paul's industrial interests. On Friday
be departed for the East, leaving an excel
lent impression upon all who met him
and heard him speak.
AT MINNEAPOLIS.
The visit of General Master Workman
POwderly tOfhe Knights of Labor of Min
neapOlis last week was doubtless pleasing
both to the gentleman himself and
those who had the pleasure of meeting him
or listening to him. His lecture last Sun
DAY evening at Harmonic was attended by
over LOCO people, while his address Mon
day evening to the Knights of Labor at
Harrison hall was listened to by as many
members of the order. This was Mr..
PoWderly's first visit to Minneapolis, and
he went away an enthusiastic admirer of
the wonderful city. He considers the pro-
Of flaa -