The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-05-14
A CLASH
Between the KuighIs of Labor and the
Trades UnIons,

Between the KuiEhIs of Labor and the
Trades UaiOns,
John s, Kirchnsr, Fourth Vice PresI-
dent OF the Cigar Makers Union lsctured
Wednesday night in Allegheny, Pa, on
Trades Unions, Knights Of Labor and
scabs." The speaker said that the Cigar
Makers International Union had been or.
gained for twenty-five years and had al.
ways beenan active champion Of labor in
every way. It now finds 1t necessary to
explain the position 1t Ia in with the
knights Of Labor. He did not propose to
attack the knights OF Labor. He regard
ed it as a proper institution so long as II
was confined to the work for which 1t was
intended. It was not a Trades union II
was TO organize the unskilled labor and to
educate it up 70 it's right 1t was meant for
an educational institution only. The set.
Element Of trades disputes should be con.
lined to the trades concerned this was the
only proper way, for no other organization
could control and regulate as well as the
trade concerned, It was impossible for
any organization composed OF q hetero-
geneOus mass to settle disputes OF main.
tain discipline. Grand Master Workmen
Powderly hnds fault with abuses in the
knights oil Labor, and finds 1t necessary
10 curb some Of the members. The direct
cause is the product OF the System he up.
holds. The Knights Of Labor should not
accept a man who Is not a member Of his
trades union, should such exist. By dis.
regarding this principle the questton has
arisen, will there be Q war between trades
unions and the Knights OF Labor?
Mr., KirChner then told OF the wrongs
the Cigar Makers International Union
had suffered, The chief grievance oYigi,
mated in New York. A reduction was Of.
tered and the men struck at Levy's iacto.
~. The other manufacturers, in accord.
auce with their agreement, closed their
shops, throwing out 1000 hands, 5000 Of
whom had no connection with the strike.
The union sustained the strikers, and
when everything looked favorable, the
manufacturers went to q certain element
in the shops, and by giving them sole
control OF the shops, forced. their men into
District Assembly No. 40, X. Of L.
The International Union tried the boy.
colt, but District Assembly No. 40 fur.
niAhed the Union label, and the boycott
failed. Then they applied to the ExsCu.
tive Board, got o star chamber investiga.
ton, which was Q farce, and then the
union had but n resource, to send men
out orer the country and appeal to trades
unionists for support,
The coming conference Of Trades Union.
lists In Philadelphia, the speaker said, was
called by the cigar makers and the car.
penters. II the result should be- the change
Of policy by the Knights Of Labor at the
Cleveland meeting, It will avert q clash.
He denied that they were not progressive
and pointed to his union as an example.
There no action can be taken until all the
members vote on II; 1t Is q pure demo.
cracy, with no board or officer TO- decide
for the men. He denied thai" trades
unions had accomplished nothing; they
had educated their members, created and
maintained discipline and had no disre.
spect for their own laws, IS has been
shown by the Knights Of Labor OF late.
His union, besides thiV, had since It was
in existence increassd wages o. percent
and reduced hours from Il to &. Il was
easy to get men TO strike for s hours with
10 hours pay with their men, who work
by the piece, eight hours meant a TsduC.
ton Of income, but the order was obeyed
in every shop, and not . word In any news
paper about H.