Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-06
POwDERI.S ON STRIKES.
Il little Less Than Evil Comes of Them
His Influence in the Coal Region.


Little Le-s Than Evil Comes of Them
His Influence in the Coal Region.
a Scranton tPa.) dispatch says: The absence
o; discomfort among the miners of the anthra-
c te coal regions. especially among those of the
Lackawanna Valley. is in part due TO the in
huence of General Master Workman Powderly,
whose opposition TO strikes Is generally known.
Ia a recent conversation Mr.. Powderiy said
"We know here to cur sorrow what strikes are,
a1d we want no more OF them. think 1t will
b. "a long tAme before We have another great
strike here. At any rate. hope so. The ter
r. bic strikes that We have had in the coal re-
Ons during tine last twenty years never re-
suited in any good to- the wprkiDgmen. They
a / realize that Tact now. Thy couldn't see IL
"a the time, but experience has convinced
them that nothing has been gained by
strikes. As a general thing the end Oi "A strike
Il mud the WOrkiigDleB in lar more pitable
condition than they were when they began the
struggle. ] can look back Row and where
hundreds Of strikes have been prevented by
reason and common sense. and j can look for
ward 10 "a time when nearly all disagreementS
between buyers and sellers of labor will he
N utualIy settled by arbitration. think it will
come 10 this sooner later III the power TO
OTCvT strikes Is placed in the hands of the
general executive oDard-if each local assembly
l. compelled to get permission from the general
executive committee before 1t can order u
strike. less hasiy action and fewer strikes viii
bc the result.
viii any action be taken on this question
a the genera! assembly in Cleveland next
month";
The meeting will consider the labor trout,-
les throus h"Gt the country, and viii endeayor
tt' decide system of arbitriting disa-
kicementS between employers and employees.
i ne subject o1 VcstlnS the power To order
siTlke> M the general executive board Inay not
c'ine up until .ne annual meeting i'll October
Nj. EOwGcrIy Sill asserts that tine country Is
MT yet prepared iOr the efght-hOur movement.
lie says the subject has Iot been thoroughly
and iHte.!!Se:Itiy discussed, and that, conse
y teh't - - npt properly understood tie IS
hearth! ia l1NDr uI reducing the hours OF LABOR,
bat he iears that too hiisty action will render
TIE attempt i4>GcccsSiul, ana he mas All along
been IN FAVOR 81 going slow ana not forcing the
Question. hoping t.I,t II weuId be better under
siOOd before amy general movement WAS made
to lessen the hours Of labor.
In the nlnin. regions a refusal by the COM
pluics 10 c,.nCeLc the demand for AN eight
hJUr day viii not result in strikes. At a mann
ntoia meeting Of miners in WiIkeSb:lrre Z. few
days age. IL favor 81 the cIght-hudr movement,
4; Was decided that, II the operators dis
Ptse,t 10 dOuht tine wisdom OF tine movement,
The demand viii BE- Withdrawn until further
etforts can be made 10 prove the justice Of the
J. quest No serious GiiHCulty Will occur III the
q ithracite region ON account OF the eignt-hour
agitation.
Another instance of Mr. .Powderiv's influence
Ia ta.s section = shown ia the conduct OF the
5000 "IIployes of tue lackawanna iron and
Cal comp .tny. When the price q steel r..Iis
b gan - 80 down that company reduced the
wages III IT. men Ten per cent. The price kept
g-tiiDS .JHcr. and another ten per cent re hue
ton WAS made Finally steel rails Went down
Ia s2S per tOE aud TIC nIsti4a-vrs of the CON-
pIuy told tIe employees that they must sub
NIT To another reduction The works would
have 10 &c shut DOWN. The preferred @
b Reduced = thirI time rather than ue thrown
Odt OF iPlON meat itur!iIC .,crIu,..
a iLicru per cent reduction w.C> IN. Result of
tleif dcris.On. iH"y "crc then working InT
tlirty-iSv ~. ccu:I:,- tisn they had IpInerIy
r"cclEett hui tiieS "crr willing 10 ~ II, Is The
WORKS ran I4S..t t.~ii=, wi!Ic several Steel
w"Ths in other cites vscie -u!c. AT the besi..-
Hihs "i this year Ten FER cent was added To
tIcIr wages, ttie prize oi rails having gone up,
ana ON APrIi tLo fifteen per cent reduction
" - r-stose'-, iiie ras4~e having been voluntary
ca the part Oi the company. The incII have
b1eh :u>y and thriity ali the time. InG they
age Sill busy and i;,T lhFiity than they
woui'. nave been ii they I.i,i thrown w their
BIS wi.cH reductions lu',k pace.
Al tire meeting q: iac Philadelphia Peace
s'Hciei%, Monday evening, I. letter read
General Master W vi isi.I,.u 1. V. FUydcrly III
answer IL one from tic President Offering the
WHICH was written beaOIc The Gould strike was
declared oil, MIR. PoWdeiIy says:
Il nave been some ~ l.stt understood in the
h.tt'cf oil eHvcuns settlement vi the differ
Iccs ia Jitv southwest. 4 isIIt aOL in l;tvur O:
c'nii"U!ng tins trouble sor clIc nOiucI:t longer.
cIv'ttH 81" a!teI my attempt 10 meet with
Or. HpNie at ST. Louis. and the Consequent
allure which attended my cilorI, that 1t would
b diIhcGIt dining 10 arrange the Oh AN
aailctoic basis L perscNered, and with the
= -ECr! executive board, went as lar rs we
c,J.iJ. Vow 1 am willing 10 make no further
references - the past insist ON recugui-
Ipa Tor tIlc order i represent. Neither Will
aud IN a:.y WAY IN opposition To- settling this
/ am fully cUII>ciu.sS ri the Importance
q iEi> struggle, vi the loss in wages To- Tie work
n.cII and Tue loss in earnings Iile railroad
I
l. end LAS strike 1t would he ended before to-
ItorEDW morning.
II stated To SIR. Gould that, so far as am
c'2cc:i.yG. uUr order VIII not stand in the way
oi elicctius "a settlement. Let hiIl-aud by
Hn do not metn siiat ne should so on the
ground peG>OhtitS-1ct WitH tue men who were
merry ia ais employ, regardless Of their con-
IcctsDH Win OGr society. / do not see now 1
in any way bring about a peaceful settle
Eaent ii tiie affair and never Will agree To- any
other KIND OF settlement. TX Your society can
effect "a settlement through impartial, discreet,
f-T i..rl 7 Wills
tI'i->pced in the work.
e DO not favor strikes, and with the end of
TIL one VIII never be fund in any way ideIl-
I Ird with a strike unless | have had an oppor-
Unity 10 investigate the causes before the strike
l. iu,ugurated- In tins instance this strike
e tInc on Inc when did not expect il, and at a
NE when / was weighed down by an enor-
NOUS pressure OF business Had known it was
Cthtemjt&tet would have had u voice III de-
trimming whether Il should take place or no.:
our theory /, based Oh the principle OF UNI
Ner-.ll p-dce. OuIs Il also an array of peace
and though we have been misunderstood even
~ oar own members, IN the past care will
IL taken that such errors Will be very rare in
future"
ANARCHISTS DENOUNCED.
General Master Workman Powderly yigor-
tusly denounces the Chicago anarchists and
their desperate work. In the course OF an in
terview at scranton, Pa, he said:
The scenes OF blOodshed and disorder which
have occurred in Chicago are disgTaceiui un-
called Tor, and deserving OF the seyerest CON
domination ahd punishment. Honest labor is
O>e4-@S- IL tA4S LBS Ol tIiO>S HhOarTay
themselves under the red hag OF anarchy which
j. the emblem OF blood and destruction He
lt.ded that u Is the duty OF every organization
III WOTh tusmen IN America to condemn The
Dutrases committed ia Chicago In the name Of
labor. and said the wOTkjn-Inen have a more
po~eFiCl weapon than the bullet liz the ballot
lie said that none OF the anarchist leaders are
AElzht> OF Labor, and that Ii any knights have
t@kcn part IN tine InuTdCrOus proceedings re-
ported they should toe promptly expelled from
The order. "UUT Organization has Iio antagoD-
Ism with necessary capital, and il Is tie dutv
hi every might OF Labor 10 support the laws
made To harIuU:4Ze the Interests OF capital and
labor There = not "a trades union in Americ,
-tet N4ii CEuHtsIs.IIce wrUngdOInC or uphold
those issru al Cii!C.a-O tho have been engaged
n Use cesti ucti"n Of lille and property The
i.sin ii the Trades unions Is 10 uphold and dig
,ii:y Etttr. @i-c tine anarchists try To tear n
'tJwn and degrade II I.Ie anarchist ide;, is
nt-AiueI!c.sn, and IL has business in this
rOIHST5-