The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-03-11
POINTERS FROM pow
Derby.
THE HEAD CENTER OF THE
KNIGHTS OF LABOR INTER-
VIEWED on THE STRIKE.
Ntrpvry~
MERELY a COINCIDENCE

PiuLApELpuIA March Strand master work
man Powderly, head of the organizations IN the
city attending meeting of the general executive
board said tonight to q representative OF the
associated pless that be had received no summons
to St Louis to settle the difficulties between the
strikers and the Gould system of roads; that there
is no Significance in the fact that so many sIIlkcs
are now in progress iu the United States, by as
sembliee of the Knights OF Labor. ut IL Il CO.
incidence, he said, 'and tGerei5 no concerted ac-
ton contemplated by the order, as has been aug,
gested the strikers being incidental, and
think chiefly owing to the fact that TINS II just ana
the beginning Of the spring trade and the opening
of the period OF prOsperityin business 49,
Mr. Powderly, upon being asked whether ne ald
not think that an increase in the number OF strikes
juet now was owing to 4 knowledge OF Increased
power by the organizations Of labor, SAID; II
doubt it, and think can speak tor lhg general al
executive board when say do not think 1t is wise
TO inaugurate so many, unless it can be shown that
there Is an extreme necessity Tor them. Ii many
Of the men who are striking would display little
more common sense and use a little more patience,
they would get all they are striking for aud save
time and money in the bargain il they would eNef-
eise proper moderation in negotiations with en-
poyers and submit claims, trmly maue ana pro
Derlv represented, to arbitration ] am free to say
that am sure nine out of ten cases which end II q
strike could he satisfactorily arranged without
resorting TO such extreme and generally doubt
full expedient. Indeed, in nine cases ont OF teu,
there would be 10 necessity for strike There Is
feeling now that labor must be recognized by the
empIoyer that the employer must listen 70 the
emploves and the time has come when the
shopman, the mill owner and manufacturer
in every department of trade must be
ready to listen to the demands OF his
men. and yield to them when those demands are
reasonable. Organization, discipline, realization
Of right aud might has brought about this change,
and these advances on the part of the employer
should not be repul3ed by nasty lnconslderate de-
mands on the part Of workiRgmen
"Arbitratiun, then, and not strikes is your the
ory of the order:'' said the reporter.
ayes, arbitration always when it is possible
utriIy nplv 40 last
reached, strike hard, strike in earnest, never sur
render except to just CONCESSIONS why, thls board
(pointing to members who were hstenlng) mas since
the list of January settled by arbitration 35O cases
which would otherwise have resulted in strikes
without gaining q single point by the strikers. The
Knights of Labor. and other labor organization
in sympathy with its plans, constitute, at the pres
ent time. the most powerful organization OF work
men ever known in the history of the world. It's
strength its increasing every day, and ITS influence
Is fet every day in every branch OF uao,
in this country 1t is dangerous to abuse this
power. We Cn always insist upon JUS
demands carefully considered and thougntfully di
gested Ii cannot afford 10 fritteT itself away upoE
every little preJencs Of wrong hastily formulated
and pig-headedy insisted upon. The growth OF
the power Of labor should be the occasion for cain
aelberation. The working men should he caTefn
70 sec 70 It that they do not sap and undermine thel
9Th by extreme demands ana unreaSOnaDlt
assumption of importance and power A stfik'
I. should be the last resort, when everything els'
isiis, and not an everyday expedent
Is the strike the last resort OF the knights o
i.ebort asked the reporter.
The master workman smiled: 81 see, said he
what you are driving at. The strike Is ba'
tning, but the boycott is worse in its resulta Tn
IKE stops production merely; the boycot
HIS ~ The strike tOr a week Is only the loss OF
Week business, trade and waees the boycott 70
awesk can be the utter ruin Of the business itself
we 1aye never failed in boycott which had oeel
ordered by the CEREAL committee Its effectiveness
y uhaOuoted, but It Is au extreme power, which VI
> use with CAUTION
u there not danger" said the reporter, .tha
gouf osanizatioR may become engaged in politics
movements, and thus lose It's powerf
u nave ne fear that mattere involved In the e1