Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-08
LABOR PROBLEMS.
Address of Master work man POwder1
GRIEVANCES OF THE ToILERs-CsE OF DYNA-
MITE DENOUNCED.

GRIEVANCES OF THE ToILERs-rsE OF DYNA-
MITE DENOUNCED.
A telegram to the New York Herald from
Hamilton. Ont, gives account of. the re-
conveninv of the general assembly OF the
Knights of Labor at that place yesterday, and
reports the annual address delivered by General
Master Workman Powderly, ~ follows:
VIEWS OF MR.. PowDERLY.
In his message Mr. Powderly says: "When
the summons went forth in 1S7. to the un-
known and scattered dis isions of the order of
the Knights of Labor il was answered in the
city OF Reading, on January 1, 1873, by the
representatives OF four hundred assemblies.
To-day the representatives of four thousand
assemblies respond 10 the call for the ninth
regular session OF the general assembly of the
most powerful organization of workingmen in
the world. In 1873 the order was unknown 10
the world and belonged to a few; to-day il is
known anc respected every where and belongs
to every man and woman who tolls for 81 liveli-
hood, To every maui and woman whose labor
does not bear full fruit. Our work cannot be
fsation is moulded to-day il must have I'm view
the complete emancipation of the slaves OF the
sarth iruIn the tyranny of aggregated capital.
THE ORDER MIsREPREsENrED.
After brief review of the history of the
order the general master workman recon-
mends that lecturers be placed in every sec
ton OF the country by the executive board for
the purpose of explaining the object OF the or
BunlZatlOn. He says: MOI only 90 memberS Oh
the order require instruction, but we must go
outside and give to the public Il proper impress.
sion of the order and its duty. Up to the
present time we have been somewhat indiffer-
ent To the statements made from the public
Platform by men who professed to speak for
the knights of Labor. Some of the most i'm
practicable and visionary schemes have been
ventilated as the plans OF this order. Some
speakers have advocated the use of harearms,
dynamite. and. in fact, every known method of
destruction None of these things has ever
been recommended in any of the sessions Of
the general assembly, and the time has arrived
to put n stop to such false and pernicious teach
ings:
such things, and that such PERSONS as talk in
that way are in error We must go Il step fur
ther and declare that such conduct shall be a
sufficient cause for expulsion from the order.
And such persons talk upon these schemes
In assembly of the knights of Labor shall
be called to order by the master workman, and
II they refuse to recall their words they shall
be deemed guilty of a violation of obligation
and suspended or expelled. We must have no
more tampering with this matter. The use of
dynamite and fire arms may at some future
day be called into practice, but ii they ever
used in the labor question it will be because the
remedies offered by the knights of Labor fail
or are discarded. ask that a law he passed by
this body which will fully cover the points 1
have raised in this matter.
TREATMENT OF STRIKERS.
During the past few mon tbs a number of sc.
rious disturbances have taken place in the la
Dor world. Men have grown FESTIVE under the
treatment they were receiving and have struck
against the impositions being practiced upon
them. 1t has become quite fashionable of late
To refuse to treat with wOrkingmen while they
are out on strike. No terms vii be made with
them until they return tn work. In some cases
violence was practiced, in others il was limited
at aud in others roughs were bargained for to
disturb the peace iii order that the militia
only thing that was necessary was an under
standing between the employer and the en-
Pioye. Had these two forces come together,
either through their agents or principals, all of
the difhculte, which have occurred could have
been avoided. am not prepared to say that
The workers had justice on their side in every
instance, but am positive that the introduc-
ton OF the PinkertOn detectives as an agent in
the settlement OF disputes is entirely foreign to
the letter and spirit of the constitution of our
common country. The civil authorities should
at all times be sufficient 10 keep the peace in
capital. But whether they do so or not there
exists no necessity for the calling out of an
arm that Is guaranteed no power by either
state or national law.
CONVICT LABOR on NATIONAL WORK.
"The attention of the people of America was
directed not long since to the letting of a con-
tract for the erection of a government building
assigned for letting the contract to such a per
son was that the work would be done cheaper
than II the contrac. were awarded to an en-
mad no business to inquire who did the work
so long as 1t was done cheaply.' Such a doc
present framed. but If it is the law should be
repealed at once. The sin of cheapness is be-
coming national one. and must be punished
In one way or another If persisted in With the
number of industrious men walking the streets
OF our cities and towns in dleness it seems to me
20 be nothing less than criminal for government
10 award u contract TO an employer of cheap
labor, no matter whether ii comes from the
pentfentiary or foreign land"
CHEAP FOREIGN LABOR.
Mr.. Powderly says the bill to prohibit the EN-.
ployment of foreign labor under contract.
which was introduced by VI. A. Foran at the
last session OF Congress, was a good one but was
rendered imperative by the striking out Of the
section which allowed One-half of the fine tn Dn
TO the person making the complaint no matter
whether that person was the one with whom
the contract was made or third party. He
adds: 1--WE should 90 before Congress again and
see that an amendment Is added to the bill
which will make it OF some service to the coun-
try;
IF government is good for anything 1t
should protect those who support it. II a gov
eminent ought to protect any man. it is the
man whose body IT can place In the front rank
on the battlefield: is the man whose life il can
take in defense of the state and not the man
danger, who is at liberty to ally himself with
the enemy when the liberties OF the country are
in jeopardy.
LACK OF EMPLOYMENT.
Mr.. Powderly says that "for the past two
years we have had, and still have more men
out OF employment than al any time in the his
tory of tie nation. The prospects for the coming
winter are not at ali encouraging IL seems tn
Inc mat something should be done by the ma
tionsti legislature to relieve the distress of the
people who cannot find employment. There
are improvements IL be made in all parts of the
country. where men could be set to work IL Con.
eress VIII only enact the proper legislation"
THE LAND QUESTION.
The message discusses the land question Mt
considerable length and says: AT the last ses-
sion of the general assembly called the atten.
ton OF that body To the rapidity with which
the heritage % IN" American people was siip-
ping from under their feet. The practice of ner
uniting aliens to hold large tracts of land while
living IN foreign countries has been carried To
such an extern that SD far can be e,tim lted
upward o. twenty-One million acres of Ameri
can landS are owned by men who have never
set too on American SOL. This question is "A
living one and l. of such nature that we can
who enters the house at night while the i'm.
mates are sleeping, and carries of such money
and yaluabies as he can lay his hands on has as
Just a title To these possessions as has MANY n
man who now lays claim to American lands
In the future the duty OF the government must
be 10 build up and guard the interests of its
common people The Iaboring element of this
country, which includes the agricultural me-
chanicai and labOring classes, must be protect.
resist the extremes of poverty and wealth.
REMEDIAL SUGGESTIONS OFFERED
Mr.. Powderly suggested that representatives
oil labor be stationed at national and state cap
1tais 10 watch the progress OF labor legislation
ana checkInate the lobbyists who seek to tam.
per with the peoples representatives in pre-
also advised that some trusted person be sta.
tioned at Castle Garden, TO give information in
regard 10 the violation OF the foreign contract
iaoor law. lie suggests the holding of state