Huntsville gazette., 1886-08-21
POWDERLY TALKS,
Result of an Interview With the
General Master Workman.
Tho Coming Richmond Convention Will be
Distinctively American Congress-
Socialists and Anarchists Can
Have No Weight in the Order.7i

NEW YORK, August 16.-The Herald
this morning prints two-column inter-
view with Mr.. Powderly upon the COM
ing convention of the knights of Labor
to be held at Richmond. Mr.. Powder,y
saws: sit will be an American Congress
in all the word implies, for while our
countries have artificial boundaries which
separate them from each other, in our or
ganization there are no barriers between
nations or natiOnalities. The convention
will be decidedly representative. Every
man will speak directly for his own con-
stituency and every woman, who
has a right to do so. Men who
belong to other labor organizations-no
trades unions, but organizations of So
cialistic or Anarchist tendency-have de-
clared that they will make the Knights OF
Labor the field of their operations. /
shall 60 to the convention at Richmond
fully determined that no member of anv
other organization shall have voice in
shaping or influencing the actions of the
order. Anarchism will not be tolerated
and can have no influence in our order
The Anarchist cranks of this country
were very anxious to have general
strike for the Eight-Hour system on
the lst of last May. They desired that
every Industrial center of this country
should have a strike so that, if possible,
they might take advantage of the excite
ment and perform the work OF destruc-
ton. To show how Insignificant an in
fluence the Anarchists exert in our or
ganization, need out to. refer to cir
cular which l issued the 18th of last
March. In one part of that circular
gave an advice-Only an advice--to our
members that, inasmuch as the General
Assembly of the Knights of Labor mad
never recommended the 1st of May as the
day on which to inaugurate the Eight
Hour system, our members should
take no part in the demonstration. A
grander spectacle was never presented to
the world than the admirable manner in
which the organization acted in that or
deal. While enemies of the Knights of
Labor, critics and faulttinders have en-
1eavored to lay the blame of the 1st Of
May or these Anarchist troubles on our
organization, they have not q shadow Of
foundation on which to base their asser-
lions. When that advice of mine went
along the line of the Knights, every man
stood firm. Our critics have said that
our organization was without discipline,
but the illustration 1 have given
proves the contrary to be true
No, the Anarchists never can have anv
influence in our organization. Anarchy
means destruction of law and order, the
breaking of social ties and fabrics. Our
organization aims at maintaining law and
order and believes in substituting good
laws tor bad ones, and establishing more
firmly the social and political ties which
bind our people to each other"
Mr.. Powderlv then said that he thought
1t would be necessary for the convention
to take definite action in regard to
strikes.
ssAt the Cleveland convention we
placed check on boycotts, so much so
that they have not occurred since. No
sooner did our order place its strong
hand on the strike and boycott than the
employers of labor began to strike and
boycott. Over two hundred lockouts
have occurred since the employers got
the idea that members of our organizl-
lion could not strike without violating
the laws of the order. | have al
ways opposed strikes; | always will,
except as last resort; but the action of
the employers of labor since the
Cleveland convention has made it abb
solutely necessary for US to take some
action to protect our own members.
Whatever legislation is enacted will be
iudicous and well regulated, whether II
relates to the strike or the boycott. The
peaceful words of the committee will
consist in effecting such legislation as
will bring the industrial people into
closer relationship, and as will gather
local assemblies that are now isolated
together under State jurisdiction-such
legislation as will bring the trades to-
yether and nearer to those who are not
fortunate enough to have learned trades.
Our insurance laws will undergo an en-
tire revision. A committee on revision
of our laws and constitution are now in
session at Philadelphia. They have not
as yet perfected the plan which they will
present to the General Assembly at Rich
mond. There are a number of changes
to be made in several parts of the law
which relate only to detail. There will
be some changes made in the laws by
which the general officers are governed"
Mr.. Powderly was then asked If his or
ganization placed more reliance in boy
colts and strikes than it did in the ballot
His reply was "No; it does not. 1t be-
lieves in the judicious use of the ballot
and discussions which take place in oui
assemblies concerning the laws of the
country are in the direction of teaching
the citizens their duty. The employees OF
parties or men are not discussed. The
merits oil John Jones as candidate of one
party or another will not be discussed in
our assembly, but the laws to be enacted
by John Jones, whether elected as Repub-
lican, Democrat or otherwise, furnish
food for discussion. The parties of the
present day are on trial. The million of
men who are in the Knights of Labor are
to day studying the science of govern
ment. They in turn will be teachers OF
other millions, and, if the parties OF to-
day do not heed the handwriting on the
wall and make American laws for the
American people, the millions so in
structed can form party that will do SO.
There never will be a political party
called the Knights of Labor, but mem
oers Of the Knights of Labor, in such a
as have hinted at, may,
,ne day, cooperate with other thinking
men in forming party that will keep
he country straight in the lines marked
,ut for it by the founders OF the ReDuo.