Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-03-27
LABOR TROUBLES.
Not Freight Train Allowed to Leave
East ST. Louisa General Strike Pre-.
dicted Throughout the Co1ntry-The
Knights Cautioned TO Cease Admitting
New Members.


ST. Louis. March %.
/ The strike at East ST. Louis is becoming
serious. Yard masters of the different roads
have been attempting all the morning to make
! up and start out freight trains, but they have
/ IN every instance been prevented from carry
ing out their designs by the striking switch
men. who are using all means at their dispo-
sal to make the freight blockade in that city
complete. Coupling pins are moved from
their positions and the trains become sepa-
rated, switches are reversed and trains are
run upon the wrong track and in some in
stances yard masters have been forcibly re-
strained in their efforts to resume freight
! traffic. 1t is understood that officers will be
called upon today to preserve order and prop
erty and conflict tetween them and the
strikers is expected 10 occur.
is there anv probability of the strike ex-
tending any further?" asked reporter of
Chairman Martiu Irons at East 81. Louis,
| Thursday night Yes" answered Mr.
Irons, 1.-THE strike will probably extend
throughout the whole United States" will
II be confined TO railroad employees" The
move today is but the beginning of the end.
Not only railroad employees will be called
out, but the order will go out TO all knights
of Labor in this country regardless of their
occupation" Then it will be general
striker" Yes, the order of the Knights of
Labor has got TO be recognized" when
will the general order be given out?" 81
cannot say as to the exact time but it will be
very soon, within a few days"
The officials of the Missouri Pacific rail.
road, Friday morning, with the aid of large
| force of police, succeeded in starting from
the city a freight train consisting of eighteen
cars.
| Grand Master Workman Powderly has is.
sued secret circular to the knights of Labor
Dor OF America. Powderly instructs the Sec
| retary of each assembly to call full meeting
and read it the sentiments which follow. The
address opens with an order to the assembly
to cease initiating new members until the re-
lations of capital and labor shall become less
strained than at the present time, and con-
tinues:
"To attempt 10 win concessions or gains
with our present raw, undisciplned member
ship would be like hurling an unorganized
mob against well drilled, regular army.
1t is not fair to the older assemblies to bring
IN new members, pick up their quarres as
soon as organized and have them expect Pc
cunlary aid from those who helped build the
order up for a noble purpose"
Alter dwelling at some length upon the in
advsabiity of taking in new members at
present, the address continues:
"We must not frltter away our strength
anu miss the opportunity of present success
In the struggle against capital by rushing in
| to useless strikes. TO the cardinal principles
of the order we must add another, patience.
| You have had patience for years and had not
the Knights of Labor appeared upon the
| scene you would still be waiting. Your scales
of prices must stand as they are for the pres
ent, If you cannot raise them by any other
| Injustice a.tba bands of on,,lnrar - ,'oti W.
| for while longer rid noII ,,n,,r ,;r,o
! Find ON, how mnch van oro instI,. o,,;,l,'I ~
and then a trihunal Of orhi,ra,ion iii so,,lo
| tho rest
Powderlv then cautions assemblies ag,in,,
RECEIVING into thair r.,,ks on,nl,.,,-r. nd
warns Knights ot I .bnr tha+ noI;,io;o, -
pl,nning niyht and dav how n cotoh .ha
! Kp;gbt. nf T.hor fo. tbo aa.o,,to,,o - H.
self and Marty and atds thot T., Nc +to 49,,
of onr Order in noIi,;cal c,nonost - or;n,;
nal. and must nor orcnr a,a;n Retarr;nf, -
the eight hour movement H. cirrnl.r sa,s
Assemblies of En;chts &c Iohor ,,us, : -,
strike for the eipht h1ur svstem an Mo- L.,
nnder tho imnres.ion tb.t tbey aro obo,,nn
orders from headnuarters f,r sprh an orJar
WAS not and will nor he g;va,
Ont of go oOo 600 of naonle i, tho Ir,itoa
States and Canada. our order has nnssihly
3 900 900 Can We m,nld ,ha sentir,nrts af
the millions in favor of the sbor, honrs nIan
before Nav first? II ia uonsenca Tn ,bint ~
II.
After snaakiog of tha ousli+ies whioh
officers of assemblies sbou1d nossass ana
exnectiny the Kniyb,s 70 eIant htnaot ma, ~
even temnerament powd.rly con,,nned
While I write a disnatch ia handed n mo in
which read these words ..Thnv d;scbarged
our brother and we struck for vnp know onr
motto is sAn iniurv to one is the concorn n,
ALL" Yes. an ininrv to one is the concarn
OF all. bu, it is not wise To iniure all for tha
sake of one. Itwould have been far bettar
to continue at work and nronarly ;nvest;rato
the matter bringing il hafor, evo,v -
tribunal. than 10 have struck
| Speaking of the relation between the church
and Knights cf Labor Mr. povderIv SOW.
warn our members against bastv. III con.
.idered action. The church viii NOT intar.
fere with us so long a. W. maintain the Iaw
| If law is wrong. il !. our dutv to change il
| I am ashamed 10 meet with clorgvm..n a,d
others TO tell them ou- order ia cnmn,sad ~,
law-abidinp. INTELLIGENT men. while iha NV,
dispatch brings news of some pettv bovrnt n,
strike In conclusion the Master Workmsr
saws: write this circular m Law hefora ,be
Order the exact condition Of tbinos ,m
neither physically nor mentally can,hla y,
rerforming .ha work reouirsd &c rni
willing IN do nv mart hut no, :, ha asLoi e.