The Labor enquirer., 1886-08-14
ARTHUR ON THE LABOR PROBLEM

ARTHUR ON THE LABOR PROBLEM
Under the above caption the Tribune
Republican of Sunday last contained an
interview with Chief Arthur of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.
1t is the purpose of THE ENQUIRER to
briefly review the interview and show
the falsity of some of Mr.. Arthur's state
ments, and the general ignorance dis
played by this oracle on "the labor prob.
lem," In 80 doing l want it understood
that am not condemning the Brother
hood without exception, for there are
many houeet men and fine gentlemen in
the organization.
"Your organization is independent OF
all others IN the country, Is it not r.
asked the reporter.
"Yes, sir. We desire no alliances
whatsoever. It is, in my opinion, an i'm.
possibility to bring into harmonious &C.
ton organizati ons whose AIMS and char
acteristics differ. You cannot JOIN
skilled and unskilled labor. You cannot
demand that man who is worth only
81 dav shall be paid as much as man
who is worth So day. You cannot join
together different trades, whose fuuda-
mental elements are dissimilar. As soon
as you attempt this, you will have a
clashing of the different elements, and q
lack of Harmonious action"
THAT, tt en-, is the reason Of your re-
fussl to cooperate with the Knights OF
LaborT'
"Yes, mainly that. We don't like
their methods. AS soon as you raise an
antagonism between labor and capital,
you make mistake"
Why didn't Arthur tell the truth, and
say the only alliances he approved Of
for his organization were th ose he has
made with the railroad bosses for the
purpose of crushing all other employees
Why did be not remember to tell the
reporter of the struggles the engineers
had in the davs before they were solid"
with the bosses, struggles in which they
were powerlesss without the assistance
of the fremen and other railroad en-
ployes, which assistance they not onl Y
accepted, bu; sought? One would con-
clude from Mr.. Arthur's words that the
railroad syndicate5 are the only organ
izations whose "aims and characteristics
1oO ~ or
ton, as that is the limit to his "harmou
ious action"
"You cannot demand that a man who
is worth only dollar a day shall be
paid as man who ls worth three dol
lars day" Yes, such demand could
be made, Mr.. Arthur, but the maker
would be as big fool as be who sug-
gests that anyone ever thought of max
ing such demand. No orga nization in
the country ever entertained such an
absurdity. and Arthur simply displays
his ignorance OF "the labor problem by
using the words quoted. The Knights
Of Labor say that every man should be
paid according to his real merit; and, in
pursuance of this principle, it is mani.
festlY unjust that the man who has the
ability to build locomotive should re-
ceive no more than he who can IN
twenty four hours acquire the "knack"
of pulling the throttle" and "oiling
round" And this is the principle rea-
son why Arthur docs not liz e their
methods"
have not the room or time to refer
in detail here to the other absurdities
in the above quotation. The columns of
The ENQUIRER TEEN with logical argu-
ments showing their idiocy, particularly
that chestnut about "antag1nism be,
tween labor and capital"
As to the Harmony" of the Knights
on political questions have simply to
say that Mr.. Powderly reflects the laws
of the order when he SAYS it must not
as an organization-go into politics but
we do not presume to dictate the acts of
members, in private >or public life, so
long as the order is not involved or re-
sponsible.
"One thing is noticeable, however, that
we nevr, in our petitions to the railroad
companies, have used the word de
mand.' Now look at the course which
the Knights of Labor pursued in the
fight with the Gould system of railroads
in the Southwest. A man was dis
charged on the Texas Pacific. Without
any attempt at an adjustment, without
even speaking to the officials of the road
on the subject, they order serike. Now
that Is no way to succeed. They lose
all the respect of their employers. The
men In that strike we're not men that
is the amount of it"
If this intellectual, moral, and man.
hood giant does not use the word ode
mand." wh-t does he use? Does he say
"we humbly beg we meekly petition
we American citizens, supplicate at the
feet of your highnessP
In speaking of the Southwestern
strike, MIR. Arthur, to put it mildly. pre-.
varicates. All honorable means availa-
BILE were exhausted before the strike
was resorted to the Knights of Labor
are opposed to strikes unless as last re-
sort, and all who know anything of the
order are aware of this fact,
"The men in that strike were moi