Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-05-20

IL.
General Master Workman Porderly has
forwarded to q New York journal lengthy
letter on 6oycoetiDg, drawn out by the pub
hcation Of his last secret circular. In II he
charges employers with having the first to
use the weapon, and In defense OF THIS as
serlion writes IS follows:
A secret circular sent out to the or
der of Knighrs of Labor, under the date OF
May 5, has been given to the public through
the medium of the daily press. Some pa
pers in commenting on the publication OF
the circular take occasion TO predict the
downfall OF the organization because one
member has betrayed confidence. The
Knights OF Labor were never so strong as
At this moment. The association is pass
ing through the crucibls Of criticism, and
1t will come out of II purer, brighter and
more powerful than ever. have no doubt
as to the future, TOR | know the material
Of which the orgsniz arion Is composed.
A leading journal commenting on my cir
.ulsr, or that part which relates 10 boy
eorting, said: Mr.. Powderly strongly de-
uounces boycot,ing. he hates even the
word. Il is a bad practice, not to De re-
sorted to except when everything else fails
&c might we'll have made his denunciatIon
without the exception. Tne boycott, as b
means of coercion, is to be compared to
dynamite IS destructive force. Ii Is
against the Law and condemned by the
popular sentiment of the couutry."
could not very well have made the de.
auucistion without the exception, and 1t
did cot it would not put On end to the
-ystem Of boyeotting. BoycoIrng would
Till be prscliced though every society OF
sork.ugmen passed resolutions condemn
ng it. IL did not originate with worklng'
men, it is not enforced by workipgnen
lone, and it is not of foreign origin as
many people suppose. cannot remem-
,er a time when ooycotting was not prsc'
iced, but until recently It attracted no
public attention The organizations OF
abor deserve credit for bringing the sys
EN- prominently before the country. l
lope this prominence will be tie means OF
irving the boycott and the necessity tor II
rom the land but so long as tits pracuced
IA one hand, lsr tdLiOHiS will be the rule
n the other, Notwithstanding the divine
,recepr, DO good to those that hate you
| an glad that leading molder OF puo
&c opinion Gdm,ts that the boycott, as 3
aeans of coercion, il e be compared to
rynsmite as q destructive toEcs. VIII
nat Journal apply that comparison TO the
,oycoT,ing employer IS readily as TO the
,osco,,ipT enploYe2 Let us turn back
"a asgss of history foS half q century.
Tba Gear 1886 heard the hum OF tae spin
inc wbeel the ing Of rde anvil, and the
.on6d of the shoenakers hammer oil over
he land. One craft will serve az On Illus
ration. If you travelled through the I nj
I'd States you did it on horseback OF IN ine
stage coach. Tne highways over Whlci
.uu travelled were dotted here and there
sith the village blacksmith shops and coun
~ shoe shops. Tne steel rail has taken
he plsae OF the wagon road. The stage
,osch finds its nose put out OF joint o]
ue locomotive. The song Of the shoe
maker aud the sound OF bis hammer can
OF now be heard above the rear and crasf
4 machinery.
Village shoe shop, stage and stage reae
Gre being baycottsd.
What has become Of the shoemskers
You will ind them, not strung along th'
.ountry roads, each one independent In hi
.wn shop, but huddled together OF tens
,uudreds and thousands in the large man
| factories to be found in every large CIT,
"a the United States. They have bsei
allied in from the highways and byWsys 3
the bidding of capital Fifty years az
many, men or employers, hired one shoe
maker. To-day many Shoemsksrs ar
hired by one employer. The condition
ave changed. A part Of mans lndepsno
nee has been given away in efecung 10
change. What is true of the sho
trade is rue of others. Men hsy
,seu rsthe ed into large factories, mill
and shops. II one OF these di:plssses D.
mDloyer, IS represented by the superlr
.pde6t, he is discharged. let the ofense b
chat it may. 1t that employer wishes {
do 90 he can drive the man he has Oh
bAryed to the verge OF starvation.
new q man Who committed suicide d
,suse his name had bsen sert ahead
,im 10 the shops where be sPpiled io
cork With this warning Do not hlr
1im, be is dangerous character. In
mans ctfense was his habit of dsnouncl,'
lis employer and speaking hsrshly OF hi
chen drunk. The superintendent {
he factory owned the saloon where 10
men bought the liquor which mao
aim drunk. Where large factories ext
is an easy matter % discharge
nan and blacklist (boyc0t') him until
ues for forgiveness, commits SUICIDE
.nlists in the army Of trsmps. II Is
ssy matter to enforce the boycott IN tn
cav and every labor association IN tn
,ountry can furnish instances OF mo
,esrtless boycotting OF WorkinRmeu
employers. have in my possession q
.l,skhsr of seven factories aud three rs
Dads. with the names Of boycotted Ell
uloyes and the Sssrss they we're ehsrg
nIh given in full. These lists do not 81
hat the men whose names are glV'
should not be employed. That - gwen
separate communication
Some shalloE-psted economists ass;
: that labor is commodity. Some employ'
,eieye that labor ia q commodity. ID
sish 10 obtain thar commodity at the 10
at possible PriOe The workman v =,
: ,harges g . day for his commodity
} Ii.c,S-rgsd; his employer boyco,ts Anne
an labor, SEM. to Europe for cheap
nan Who does not understand eur laws
,nsr;,u,ions, brings him over to tbs eoun
and secures his commodity TOR q q 2
a Iess than his old employs charged %
: The American verknsp u hoycott'
o false idea Of economy takes p
session Of the employer before he
: .ueurates this system of hoycotting.
y y believes that If he can get labor, or GO
b modify, for nothing he will reap immsl
. orofts. Let Us follow that little turtl
: and End out what he reaps Suppose {
8, svery Workingman in ths United Ssa
e uouid agreeto work for nothing for !
re- Daxt fwalva months: how much MOI