Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-10-15

Reviewing Il Years History Ofthe
*. of l..
HIS POSITION ON THE GREAT SOUTH
WESTERN STRIKE.
Why the Eight Hour Movement Failed The
Problem of Laborsaving Machinery
Ably Discussed Child Labor and
Education The Trouble with
the Trades Unions and How
il May Be Avoided in
Future.


To the members of the general assembly;
The most eventful and trying year OF
our existence as an order has ended, and
We assemble for the purpose of reviewing
what has been done, correcting those
things that are swrong and of legislating
for the future. IL Is required 10y law, that
the general master workman shall make
out and submit n report OF his official acts
during the year. To report all OF my
official acts performed during the past
wear would take more of your time than
is at all necessary, and to properly place
them before YOU would require at least
four weeks time in which to prepare
them for presentation. | have all OF my
correspondence and letter books within
reach ana can. on short notice, refer 10
them in matters of detail
When the law which requires of the
general master workman 10 make out
report was passed, that officer was not
member OF the executive board. Now
that he is member of that body the re
port of the hoard must naturally consti-
tute n report OF the important part OF
the duties Of the general master workman
whose time during the year, was mainly
occupied with executive board business.
] refer YOU to the reports OF the general
executive hoard and other officers and
agents OF the general assembly. and VIII
address YOU briefly upon some few matters
of importance and make such suggestions
as | consider necessary. III we are guided
bv the experience Of the past, and act ac-
cGrdingly, we can place the order upon
footing so safe and sure that no assaults
from its enemies can lnJure II. III we are
. not guided by that experience If we fail
10 read Alright the signs OF the times, and
We close this general assembly without
having improved on the past, we will
fail properly to represent those who sent
us here.
The rapid increase in organization since
the Hamilton session of the general as
SemblV was most marvellous. An eX-
animation of the reports OF the general
secretary treasurer for the year ending
July LIST. lSS6, will show that in one year
4.OGS assemblies have been organized. The
new members so suddenly brought to-
Cether could not be properly assimilated.
Thousands have been attracted toward
the order through mere curiosity; Others
have come from purely selfish motives;
while the great bulk of our new recruits
have Joined Us for the good they could do.
Quite a few have entered our order for
the purpose OF rcdres-ing existing wrongs.
and. before waiting TO learn anything con
corning the duty of the knights OF the
order. have plunged into rash and ill-con-
sidered strikes.
The troubles coming from this direction
began while the last general assembly was
in session. The car drivers of ST Louis
organized under promise of the organizer
that they would receive aid. un-
stinted. in case Of u strike. Even before
the receipt OF their charter they were on
strike. Their proceedings was character
lied 10y such utter disregard for our laws
and teachings, that the paid and well
known agents of their employers, the de
tective's had no difficulty in securing the
passage Of motions of violent character.
Ii is an established fact that men who
were employed 10y detective agencies
stood upon the floor OF that assembly,
made inflammatorv speeches, urging the
men to deeds of violence. and urged that
the property OF the street car company be
DESTROYED. IL was only the good sense OF the
men that prevented such Outragcs from
being perpetrated. although these agents
Of n nefariOuS spy system induced some
desperate men 10 blow up the cars upon
the streets For these outrageS the order
was in no way responsible.
The -. Louis car troubles were but the
beginning OF the tidal wave Of strikes and
bovCotts which swept over the country.
and which strained the strength and re-
sources of your general officers almost be
yOnd their powers Of endurance.
The southwest strike began when the
time and attention of the general officers
were taken up with other matters OF vital
importance. No notice of the contemplated
action was given Us. and we knew
nothing whatever concerning it, or the
causes leading TO it. until IL had been In
progress several days II has been asserted
that condemned the men while they were
on strike. No such statement ever passed
lay lips. The only statement Of mine that
Il
condemnation was that contained in my
secret circular Of March IL, "A copy of
which l. herewith submitted. did not
approve Of that strike. ! could not do SO,
since confidence enough was not repoSed
in the general executive board TO give
them a chance 10 examine into the
grievances which the members of ID. \
lOl complained of. IL was only when the
threat was made TO stop every wheel in
the United States and engage the whole
,.v-,l..r In, flta a hot oil ~
voice in denial. did that in defense OF
the order and the country. ! am quite
willing TO assume all the responsibilities
attached TO the act and would do the same
thing again under similar circumstances
That the men of the southwest suffered
wrongs Is true: they were many and griev-
Gus; and il is my firm belief that the rail
way companies with full knowledge OF
what these grievances were, precipitated
the fight themselves nj a time when II
would appear 10 the world that the strike
was for an insignificant cause. ! can do
no better than to submit the reports Of
Brothers fithman and McGurr These
two members were 10y me personally de
tailed to 90 with the congressional com
mittee and watch that committee examine
into the strike and its causes. 80 that an
early report might be made 20 the order
by its own representatives IL the posi-
tion which ! took during that strike was
wrong, then the entire order sustained me
90 support those whom the companies re-
fused 20 treat with was must generously
supported, as n reference to the report Of
the general secretary treasurer will show.
The documents and correspondence re-
lating TO that strike are at your disposal.
The eight hour strike which took place
Nav /. were not successful except in places
where employers aud employees were act
ing in harmony, or where employers were
willing TO adopt the plan. In many cases
the old system of working long hours has
been revived. The federation Of trades
recommended the lst of MAY as the time
10 begin the new system, but adopted or
suggested no definite plan by which the
short hour system could be inaugurated.
| cautioned our members against rushing
into this movement | had the right TO do
IL but am firm in the belief that had not
done so, great loss would have been en-
tailed upon vast numbers OF our assem-
blies What said in my secret circular
of March 10 has been severely criticised
and | have been accused OF opposing the
eight hour movement. No statement was
ever further from the truth. | opposed
the strike on May !. because knew that
neither the workmen nor employers were
ready for IL because the education which
must always precede intelligent action