The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-03-27
THE SITUATION.
Grand Master Powderly Issues
a Circular to the Body.
INVITATIONS TO CEASE.
Strikes and BOycOtting to be Avoided
destructive Fire-Street
Car Strike.
Master, workman Powder1y SPEAKS


ST. LOUIS, March,. 26.-Grand Master
Workman Powderly has issued secret
circular to the noble order of knights
of Labor of America, which has Just
been made public. Powderly instructs
the secretary of each assembly to call
full meeting and read before it the
sentiments which follow: The address
opens with an order to the assembly to
cease initiating new members until
the relations OF capital and labor shall
become less strained than at the present
ume, and continue to attempt to win
concessions or gains. With our present
raw, undisciplined membership it
would be like hurting an unorganized
mob against we'll drilled regular army.
II IS not fair to order assemblies to
bring in new members to pick up
their quarrelS as soon as organized and
have them expect pecuniary aid from
those who helped to build the order up
for noble purposes. After dwelling at
some length upon the inadvisabilitv of
taxing III new members at present, the
address continues: I'VE must not frit-
ter away our strength to miss the op-
portunlty of present success against
capital by rushing into a useless strike"
Powderly then cautioned the assemblies
against receiving into their ranks en-
ployers. and warns Knights that pol
ltlclans are planning night and day how
to catch the Knights for the advan-
tages OF themselves and party, and adds
that to use the name of tie order
in a political contest is GRIM
lnaf and must not occur again.
Referring to the eight hour movement
the circular says: Assemblies of
Knights must not strike for the eight
hour system on May LIST, under the i'm
preston that they are obeying orders
from headquarters, for such order was
not and will not be given. Out of CO.
COO 900 OF people in the United States
and Canada, our order has possibly
5000, 900. Can We mould the sentiments
of millions in favor of the short hour
plan before May LIST? 1t is nonsense to
think it. In conclusion, the master
workman says: l write this circular to
lay before the order the exact condition
of things. am neither physically nor
mentally capable of performing the
work required of me. l am will
ing to do my part, but not
to be asked to maintain
false. position before the world
any longer. One of the two things must
take place-either local and district as
semblies of the order must obey its laws
or l must be permitted to resign from
the vocation which obliges me to play
one part before the public and another
to our members II say to the world
that Knights of Labor do not approve
of or encourage strikes, and in one day
dispatches came to me from Troy. Man
chester, Chicago, Cincinnati, Lynch
burg, Springfield and Montreal. / must
have the assistance of the order or my
most earnest efforts will fail. Will
have itP If so, strikes must be
avoided, boycots must be avoided;
those who boast must be checked
by their assemblies; no move must be
made until the court of last resort be
appealed to. Threats of violence must
not be made, politicians must be hushed
up or driven out; obedience to the laws
of the knighthood must have preference
over those of any other order. If these
things are done the next five years will
witness the complete emancipation of
mankind from the curse of monopoly.
In our members we require secrecy,
obedience, assistance, patience and
courage. If with these aids you
strengthen my hands, will continue in
the work; if you do not desire to assist
me in this way, then select man better
qualified to obey yos- will, and will
retire in his favor.