The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-03-09
AN EXPERT OPINION
ON TuE eHEAr LABOR SITUATION
Grand Master Workman POwas,ly DIs,
cOursss on the Objects and Aims Ct
the Knights Of LabOr-Tsmpstats
and Benevolent in Character.

the Heights Of Labor Temperate
and Benevolent in Character,
PHLApGLPHIA, March S.-Grald Master
Workman PoSdsrly, the head OF tho
knights OF Labor organization, who, ,is in
the city attending a meeting OF the
General Executive Board, eaid tonight to
a representative Of tho Associated Press
that he had received no summons 10 st.
Louis to settle the difficulty bitween the
strikera and the Gould systeIn OF roads;
that there ia no signiaGaEce IN the fact
that so many strikes are nov In progress
In the United States by assemblies Of the
Knights OF Labor. 1T IL u Coincidence.
merely" said hO, "and there Is no concert.
ed action contemplated by the order as
has been suggested, the atIikea being in-
Gidental aud ! think chiefly owing to the
fact that this ls just the beginning Of The
Spring trade and the opening Ut period
oil prosperity in business"
Mr., Powderly upou being asked
whether he did not think that the increase
In the number oi strikes lust now was
owing to the knowledge Of an increased
power OF the organizations oil lab1r, said:
VI donbt It; and | think that | can speak
Tor the executive board, who do not think
II is wise TO inaugurAte SO many strikes
unless 1t can he shown that there il ex.
treme necessity Tor them.
MORE COMMON SENSE NEEDED,
II many Of the men who Hrs striking
would display a littls more common seuse
and use little more patience they would
get all they are striking for and save the
time aud in the bargaip, II they
would exercise proper moderation in their
negotiations with their employers and
submit their claims firmly made and pro,
perly represented 10 arbitration am Tree
TO say that ! am sure that nine out OF
every ten Oases, which end in q strike
could be satisfactorily arranged without
reaortlng to such al extreme aud gem
orally doubtful expsdient. Indeed in
The nine cases there would be no
necessity for 0 strike, There is a feeling
now that labor must be recognised by the
employer; that the employer must listen
10 the employe, and the time has Coms
when the shopman, the mill owner, the
In every department OF
:rade is ready to listen to the demand OF
1is men and to yield to them when those
demands are reasonable. Organization,
liscipline and the realization OF the right
and the might in the case has brought
about this change and these advances on
The part OF the employers should not DO
'epulsed by ,hasty and inconslderate
action on the part OF the workingmen.
Arbitration, then, and not strikes Is
The theory OF the order2" said the re-.
porter.
ARBITRATION AND MODERATION.
'"Yesi arbitration always when Il Ia
possible, strike only as last resort,
but when that point is reached strike
bard, strike In earnest and never surren-
Iler except to just concession. Why, this
board (pointing to the members who were
Iisteningl since the first OF January set
lied by arbitration $50 cases which would
otherwise have resulted In strikes with.
out the gaining Of single point by the
strikers.
"The Knights OF Labor and the other
labor organizations in sympathy with its
plans, constitute at the present time the
most powerful organization OF working
men ever known In the history OF the
world. It's strength Is increasing every
day, and Its influence ia felt every day In
every branch Of trade In this country. It
Is dangerous to abuse this power. II can
always insist upon Just demands carefully
considered and thoughtfully divested.
1t cannot afford to iritter itself
away upon every little pretence OF wrong
hastily formulated. The growth Of the
power Of labor, should be an occasion for
calm deliberation and moderation. The
workingmen should see 10 II that they do
not undermine their strength by extreme
demands and unreasonable sssulnption'of
Importance and power. II is as some one
has said, its a good thing to have the
power Of giant, but 1t Is an evil thing to
use 1t like giant.
at was the disposition on the part OF the
employer TO refuse 10 treat with his work.
men that made the labor organization
necessity TO them. Now that we have the
power which comes from organisation we
must use that power wisely and moder-
ately, and be careful that We do not
change positions with the employer aud
refuse to treat with him."
NO POLITICS IN THE ORGANIZATION.
us there not danger, said the reporter,
that your organization may become en-.
gagged in political movements and thus
lose its power2"
VI have no fear Of that The matters
Involved In the existence Of the Knights
Of Labor are nearer 10 Its members than
matters ot partisan politics. We have
here as you SEQ on this committee MON.
bers Of the two old parties, q GreenbaCker
and with smile) other canks like my.
sell. We are not politicians here. We
have method Of dealing with those
who, as some have, entered our
ranks 10 serve their political ends.
We turn them ont. We have had
no part In politics. II is bread and butter
the rights Of the employed, the material
affairs Of every day life that constitutes
the element who do now and always will
hold Us together, and those arc stronger
than partisan political ties. That is why
we do not fear the intrusion OF politics.
When people talk, Is sometimes they do,
about using the Knights Of labor as q
political engine they utter the most arrant
nsnsense. 1t iB not worth while To diB.
cuas the matter with such q man. He ID
either liar or an empty headed fool. !"
In conclusion Mr.. Powderly said that
The Knights Of Labor as an organization
had nothing 10 do with the strike In tho
biluminouscoal region, as the miners were
under q separate organization, but he was
satisfied that the day vas very near when
al the organizations Of the country would
be United under one general supervision
and CONTROL lie will remain In Philadtl.
phia several days unless called away, "a
be thinks possible, to the west 10 arrange
The difficulties.
The UhitOd Labor Party.
DIrArtiR. III. Matci 't,i,n .,Ii.., ~