The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-03-22
PULPIT AND PLATFORM.
AIMS or rHE KN1eHrs OF LABoK.

Mr.. Bashford took as a text yesterday al
ternoon Matt 1872: "All things, therefore,
whatsoever We would that men should do I'M
to you, even so do We also unto them.
Mr.. Bashford took up the relations OF cap
ital and labor because over $4,000 persons
are now out of work engaged in a conflict
with their employers and strikes are posi-
BILE in Portland the present spring IL VIII
be difficult to appeal to reason ana con
science when the conflict actually begins. he
thought the better times which seem already
begun would prevent any serious trouble
this time. But these conflicts are growing
more and more intense and frequent and it
behooves us to remove the causes of them so
far as possible.
In discussing any conflict it is always
helpful to learn as far as possible what are
the aims of each party. He had no authority
TO speak for the Knights of Labor for he was
not member of the order. He believed
there were between 1900 and 400 Knights in
Portland and he believed the following to be
their most important aims:
Ito make Industrial and moral worth, not
wealth, the standard of greatness.
2-To secure to workers a fair share in the gains
and hOnorS of advancing civilization.
3-To secure in each State bureau Of statiS-
tics to ascertain the exact facts in regard TO EN-
ployers and the working classes.
1.-The removal of unjust technicalites and de-
lays in the administration of parties.
5-Weekly payment of wages with lien upon
the goods the workmen make to secure their
wages.
6-Arbitration established by law.
THE abolition of the present banking system
and the establishment by the government of safe
ty deposits for small sums in connection with the
post Offices
S-Co-operative institutions to take the place of
competition.
9-Equal pay for equal work for both sexes.
10-Fewer hours of labor, say eight per day.
Ito persuade employers to agree to arbitra-
ton,
The speaker heartily approved most of
these aims He did not see how arbitration
could be enforced by law. But if law forced
both parties to submit their case to proper
arbitrator, possibly respect for public senti-
ment would lead each party to abide by the
decision. He thought the present banking
would demand the most careful study or else
a change will overthrow our entire system of
finance. All changes of system are attended
with heavy losses to the laboring classes.
Underlying all these special questions are the
two general questions a. Have the laboring
classes the right to form these immense asso-
Citations? They have the same right to form
these associations, and to combine, if neces-
sary, that lawyers, physicians, ministers or
churches enjoy, and constantly exercise. o.
Have they right to boycott firm? They
have an undoubted legal right to stop trading
with or patronizing any firm. The moral
right must be determined in each case by the
circumstances. In some cases b0ycOtting is
a moral duty The early abolitionists re-
fused to trade with the cotton manufacturers
because they bought cotton of the slavehold-
ers. Our Revolutionary fathers refused to
trade with merchants who imported English
goods and paid the hated tax upon them In
other cases the boycott is grave moral
wrong. If the speaker understood the cir
cumstances the boycott of Mr.. Mccormick
was wrong. If the Knights use it wrongful
ly they will lose public sympathy; but the
legal Northumberland exists. Why do
iaborerS organise and produce these grave
disturbances? Because capital is COM
bined. A large number of dollars
are united or combined in every great
corporation. This money comes usually
from several parties, but is managed by a
single head. While theoretically the laborer
is free, he is often practically at the mercy
of the corporation. The labor commissioner
York city are paid thirty cents a dozen for
making calico wrappers for large stores,
and they must furnish their own thread
at that price; fifty cents dozen
for making white shirts for men; one dollar
each for making ladies' cloaks, and two
women must work sixteen hours each to
make one cloak. There are horse car drivers
in New York and most other large cities
working from II to Is hours day seven days
every week. They do not know what else to
do to support their families. When they
stand before the Judgment seat and confess
that they were not Christians, will they only
be blamed for a neglect which they had no
power to prevent? Some of them may enter
heaven and church members who grew rich
out of their toll be cast out. Is there no
need to combine?
A word to laborers in conclusion: 1. The
1ictc a n r.
less men Most of the capital of this country
is in the hands of the middle classes, of men
who work hard with brain or hand, or both.
Each of you who owns a horse, or set of
tools is to that extent a capitalist. The
great mass of employers are themselves
at your own interests in any unjust blow you
strike at capital. 2. Many -laborers are
shiftless and inefficient. Some are drinkers,
some are lazy, some are careless. You can
not save such people from reaping what they
SOW. If you tie yourselves to them they will
drag you down instead of you lifting them
up. You must help such people first in
character. Every case of discharge or Lowering
of wages should be carefully investigated.
You must not force upon another an en-
ploye whom you would not wish. to have
forced upon you. You, too, must follow the
golden rule. Lastly, neither side in this
controversy will ever be satisfied with mere
material possession. That is one cause OF
the trouble. Each party thinks that ma
terial goods would satisfy him if he only had
larger pattern than that. A man cannot see
his children die and be happy.because he has
a bank account An immortal soul must
have hope of heaven: sinful soul must
have forgiveness; soul of infinite capacity
must have an indwelling spirit and be salts
fed.
Mr. Bashford will take up the temporal
remedies for the evils mentioned, two weeks
from yesterday.