San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1886-04-08
XIV.

who urge the formation of q ne,
party. To use the name Of the or
der in a political contest is criminal
and must never occur again.
Il It is evident that our members ar,
not properly instructed, elsewe woult
not find them passing resolutions zap
proving of the action of our executiv,
officers in fixing the 1st of May a
tho day to strike for eight hours.
The executive officers of the Knights
of Labor have never fixed upon the
1st of May for a strike of any kind
Assemblies of the Knights of Labor
must not strike for the eight-houl
system on May 1st under the impress
sion that they are obeying orders
from headquarters, for such an order
was not and will not be given. Neither
employer nor employe are educated
to the needs and necessities for the
short-hour plan. If one branch Of
trade. or one assembly is in such a
condition, remember that there are
many who are in total ignorance OF
the movement. Out of the 60,000,.
600 of people in the United States
and Canada, our order has possibly
800, 900. Can we mould the senti-
ments of the millions in favor of the
short-hour plan before May 1stf 1t
is nonsense to think of it. Let us
learn why our hours of labor should
be reduced, and then teach others.
Nearly every State Assembly that
has been formed since the General
Assembly met has been organized
amid discord and contention. I fear
the struggle is not to serve the order
30 much as to serve personal ends
Nearly every assembly in the states
of Kansas and Michigan has COM
planned to me about the attempts
being made to organize State Assem-
blies. To attempt to elevate labor
by starting out an assembly of any
kind with q fight, is folly. It would
be far better to stop work in these
states now, and begin again in q
practical way, than 10 carry the work
forward under the prejudices and an
imosities now resting in the breasts
of the disappointed ones.
OUR ORDER Is BUSINESS INSTITUTION.
It must be run on business principles,
and if it is not managed in this way it
will go the road of all mismanaged
concerns. In seeking officers to man.
age q banking concern, the men best
qualified are chosen. The rash, in
considerate man is set aside; the man
who is quick of temper and hasty Of
speech is passed over, and the man
of rhaturer Judgment and business
qualities is selected. I am panied to
witness the quality of men some
parts of our order select for import
ant work. These words of mine
must be needed, or this order goes
down as surely as night follows day.
Elect no man because OF his fine
speech or impetuosity; put none but
the coolest men in positions OF any
kind. Keep them there and uphold
them in their work. 1t is not the
duty of an officer to picture the
wrongs of man until he excites his
assembly to fever heat Heaven
knows the indignities which labor
complains of are grieyous enou gh,
and require no painting. We must
look at them as they really exist, and
settle them as best we can.
While I write, a dispatch is handed
me in which L read these words =
g They discharged our brother, and
we struck; for you know our motto
is, 'An injury to one is the concern
Of all'". Yes, ian injury to one is
the concern of ALL, but 1t is not aoise
to i,Jare all for the sake Of one. 1t
aoould haze been far better to continue
at ,oork, and properly investigate the
matter, bringing it before every
known tribunal, than to have struck.
The thousands of men now earning
could have given 10 cents
apiece to support the brother for a
few weeks much easier than to spend
weeks and months in idleness. Many
of them will never be restored to
their former positions. In this case
the injury to one is not repaired, and
all concerned will be more or less in
iured. We could have prevented our
brother from being injured by assist
ing him in a far different way. Zeal
in the cause sometimes brings on the
discharge of a member. Sometimes
a too open expression of opinion does
it, 1t is not necessary TO indulge in
the latter.
Now, a word on another subject
The Church has been watching our
order for years. In our infancy we
had but little power for good or for
evil to-day we are the strongest, as
well as the weakest, labor organization
on earth. Strong in numbers and
,s-.c;,log ulronn IN tf1ctfra 0f Our