Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1886-10-14
ORGANIZED LABOR.
Annual Address Of General Master
Workman POwderIy, OF the
knights OF Labor.
Recent Strikes Touched Upon, and the
Blame for Deeds of Violence
Located.

8SS0SO0h
To the members of the General assembly:
II we are guided by the experience OF the past,
and act accordingly we can place the order
upon footing 30 safe and sure that no assaults
from its enemies can injure il. II we are not
guided by that experience, IL we fail to read
Alright the signs OF the times, and we close this
General Assembly without having improved on
the past, will fail to properly represent those
who sent us here
saas ruPrd ncreaso IN organization since the
Hamilton session OF the General Assembly was
most marvellous. An examination Of the re-
ports of the General Secretary Treasurer for the
year ending July /. 1886, will show that in one
year 4,0j9 assemblies have been organized. The
new members SO suddenly brought together
could not be properly assimilated. Thousands
have been attracted toward the order through
mere curiosity; others have come for purely
selfish motives while the great bulk of our new
recruits have joined us for the good that they
could do
Quite few have entered our order for the
purpose Of redressing their existing wrongs,
and, before waiting to learn anything concern
ing the duty of the Knight to the order, have
plunged into rash and ill-considered strikes.
The troubles coming from this direction began
while the last General Assembly was in session.
The cnr-drivers of St. Louis were organized un-
der promise from the Organizer that thoy would
receive aid. unstinted. in case of a strike Even
before the receipt OF their charter they were on
strike Their proceedings were characterized
by such utter disregard for our laws and teach
ings, that the paid and known agents Of their
employers, the detectives, had no difficulty in
securing the passage of motions of violent
character 1t is an established fact that men
who were employed by detective agencies stood
up on the floor of that assembly, made intiam-
matory speeches urging men to deeds
of violence, and urged that the property
of the street-car companies be destroyed.
1t was only the good sense of the men that pre-
vented such outrages from being perpetrated,
although these agents Of nefarious spy system
induced some desperate men to blow up the
cars upon the streets. For these outrages the
order was in no way responsible. Tho St Louis
car troubles were but the beginning of the tidal
wave of strikes and boycotts which swept over
the country, and which strained the strength
and resources of your general officers almost be-
yond their powers of endurance.
The Southwest strike began when the time
and attention Of the general officers were taken
up with other matters of vital Importance No
notice of the contemplated action was given to
us, and we knew nothing whatever concerning
it or the causes leading to it until it had been in
progress several days
1t has been assorted that condemned the
men while they were on strike No such state
ment ever escaped my lips. The only state
ment of mine that could be made to appear in
the light of a condemnation was that contained
in my secret circular of the 18th of March, q
copy of which is herewith submitted i did not
not approve of that strike. / could not do so,
since confidence enough was not reposed in the
General Executive Board to give them chance
to examine into the grievances which the mem
n was only Wien the threat was made to stop
every wheel in the United States and engage
me vBiee In effiin flfo dtifalG tfAfsg ya'sAd
order and the country. / am quite willing to
assume all the responsibilities attached to the
act, and would do the same thing again under
That the men OF the Southwest suffered
wrongs is true; they We're many and grtevou5
and it is my hrm belief that the railway COM
panies, with q full knowledge Of what these
grievances were, precipitated the fight them
selves ut q time when it would appear to the
world that the strike was for insignificant
cause. can do no better than to submit the
report of Brothers Litchman and Mcguire.
These two members were by me personally de-
tailed to go with the Congressional Committee,
and with that committee examine into the
strike and its causes, 80 that an early report
might be made to the order by its own represen-
tatives. If the position which 1 took during
tho strike was wrong, then the entire order
sustained me in ii, for when issued the appeal
for aid to support those whom the companies
refused to treat with, / was generously sus-
ia ned, a reference to the report Of the Cen
eral Secretary Treasurer will show. The docu-
ments and correspondence relating to that
strike are at your disposal
The eight hour strike which took place May
/ was not successful except in cases where en-
ployers and employees were acting in harmony,
or where employers were willing to adopt the
plan. In many cases the old system OF work
ing long hours has been revived. The Fedora
tion Of Trades recommended the lst OF MGy,
but adopted or suggested no definite plan by
which the short-hour system could be inaugu-
rated. / cautioned our members against rush.
ing into this movement. had the right to do
it, and am firm in the belief that had not
done so great loss would have been entailed
upon vast numbers of our assemblies. What
said in my secret circular of March 13 has been
severely criticised, and have been accused OF
fla oin1 -hO1 mot Ia az
ment ever was further from the truth. OPP
posed the strike of May because knew that
neither workmen nor employers We're ready Tor
il, because the education which must always
precede intelligent action had not been given to
those most in need of it, because no definite
busincss-like plan for the Inauguration OF the
eight-hour movement had been mapped out. In
fact, no preparat ons had been made to put the
plan IL it can be called plan, into execution.
These are the reasons why opposed the move
ment May !, and for these same reasons do
still oppose it,
sity, and sooner or later must be had {; but we
must not forget that in many places the ten
hour plan has not been adopted yet. 1t may do
very well for an organization which looks after
the interests OF but one craft, or calling, to
neglect those who stand most in need of help,
but Knight of Labor must never close his
eyes to the wants Of the humblest of his fellow
creatures.
The very discussion of the sudden introduce
tion of the eight plan injured business SO
much that In many places men were re-
duced to half-tme ,, or thrown out s,, OF employ %
of work was left undone because OF the un-
certainty in regard to taking contracts,
or in making engagements to perform work.
Never was 1t more clearly demonstrated
that @nn injury to one is the concern
of all" than in the movement am speaking OF.
The house-builder through uncertainty as to
how many hours of labor his employees would
work for him, made no contracts to erect build
ings. and the carpenter was thrown out OF en-
ployment the man who made the window
glass, the man who made the nails-in fact, eve-
~ man or woman engaged in the manufacture
OF articles which go to build or furnish house
suffered through the attempt to enforce the
the right direction, but tho time and circum-
stances were not suitable Before the eight
hour plan is adopted the Knights of Labor and
the trades unions of America must lay aside
their jealousies and differences, come together,
namo day on which to put the plan
into execution, adopt the plan OF action,
which must be gradual and such as will
not inflct injury upon either employer or work.
man. The plan presented by Mr.. Norton, OF
Chicago to the special session of tho General
Assembly at Cleveland is n good one In nearly
every particular. and IL the workingmon's or
ganizations and the m lnufacturers associa-
tions agree upon putting into Practice such
n plan it can be done without jar or friction.
No workingman need strike nor need business
be unsettled Why should il not be done2 2
Either adopt plan for the perfection OF this
idea, or else place il I'm the hands OF the incom-
ing General Executive Board with instructions
us strike the twenty-hrst declaration from our
preamble and no longer proclaim TO che world
that wo are N favor Of eight hours for days
labor
benefit to mankind can be inaugurated the rela-
tion which the workman bea to the labor
saving machine must undergo a radical change:
Shorten the hours OF labor under our present
ranf hn nf