Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-31
THE LEADER OF THE KNIGHTS.
HOW HE CAME To BE A KNIGHT OF LABoR-HIS
HOPES FOR THE FUTURE OF THE oRDER-A
PARTNERSHIP IN THE PROFITS OF THEIR
LABOR" THE BEST GOAL FOR woRKINGMEN.
from the Now York Sun.

HOPES FOR THE FUTURE OF THE ORDER-A
PARTNERSHIP IN THE PROFITS OF THEIR
LABOR" THE BEST GOAL FOR woRKINGMEN.
From the New York Sun.
In chat yesterday about himself and his
connection with the organization of labor Mr..
Powderly said
II was born in Carbondale Pennsylvania, in
January, 1910, of Irish parents, who came to
this country in 1926. They were Catholics.
| was their eleventh child there being four girls,
| and eight boys in the family. My father was a
day laborer. was sent to school at years of
age, and continued at school until was about
IS, when went to work for the Delaware and
Hudson Canal company, having the care of q
switch on one of their railroad branches. /
worked at this for several years, and then was
employed in the machine shops of the COM
pany. / left Carbonate in 1860 and went to
scranton, and found work in the shops of the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
company. At night L studied drawing and
mechanical engineering, my ambition then
being to become master mechanic. L was
married in 1872. Joined the Machinists and
Blacksmiths Union in 1870. and was soon
elected president.
"My interest in trade unions began in 1870
My idea was that men who worked at the ma
chinists' trade should understand one another
throughout the country, SO that they might be
OF assistance to each other. One of the aims in
view was to make the subordinate unions
schools in which should be taught the arts and
mysteries OF the craft You may know that liz
the papers which bound me apprentice
those words We're used, discovered after being
"a member of the union for awhile that it did
not nll my ideal OF what such an organization
should be, and as a remedy for grievances it
would not do much for the members. 1t was
very narrow in view, too narrow, only recognize
ing and enrolling machinists and blacksmiths
l saw the poor labOrers, carpenters, painters
and other trades in the employ OF the company
without any organization / felt that the union
should include all Tried To induce the union
to open its arms to all workingmen, but was
defeated.
ain 1901 was invited by a friend to walk
out with him, and he took me to a meeting OF
the Knights of Labor. Joined that night. 1t
and thought had found just what was look
ing for. No 80 was then the only assembly in
northeastern Pennsylvania; all OF its meetings
were very secret, and nothing was ever said
about its existence outside of the meetings. Our
idea was tina. we should secretly add to our
strength and keep out politicians and other
when the panic of 1873 came 1 was laid off
with many others. went west through Ohio
and western Pennsylvania. l settled in Oil
City, Pa, and became a member OF the Machin-
lists and Blacksmiths' union there, and month
later was sent to the national convention OF the
union at Louisville, KY, in September, 1874.
Shortly after returned TO Scranton and was
employed at my trade by the Dickson Manu-
featuring company. did not work for them
very long, because L was sent out to do many
outdoor jobs, and as l have always been
troubled with quinsy sore throat, could not
bear the exposure.
81 went back to- Carbondale and worked at nv
trade. / tried to induce the Machinists' and
~ L.,
a long time was unsuccessful. OF course, work
ed secretly, having to take each man alone and
sound him and convince him. The great OBJ
tacle was, as said, the contempt with which
the machinists and blacksmiths looked upon
other workers. At last my efforts were success
ful and the union was diSbanded and the men, !
beers became Assembly No. OBJ OF the knights |
of Labor. During this time had worked among |
the surrounding towns so that when the Car |
bondale union Joined the knights there were |
several assemblies in the neighborhOod. l had |
thus worked to win them to the Knights of La |
Dor I
legislation about apprentices and shop rules |
would amount to nothing.
with the introduction of 1abor-saving ma |
chinery the trade was all cut up, SO that "a man |
who had served an apprenticeship OF five years !
might be brought in competition with a ma |
chine run by boy, and the boy would do the |
most and the best. l saw that labor-saving |
machinery was bringing the machinist down to |
the level of day laborer and soon
they would be on a level. NV aim was to do |
nifty the laborer. In the h. of l.. saw q good |
field for operation. In 1 $40 We organized a dis
awanEa county, and was elected district sec |
rotary, an office which / have held ever since
from choice. In 1877, when the strikes on the
railroads swept over the country, many of our
men with Others not of the X. OF L., numbering
in all about 5000 We're discharged and went
west, settling in the western states and terri |
tories. Wherever our knights went, new as
seInbIies sprang up. Up To that time there
had been beer, no national head to the k. of L.
Richard Griffiths, of Chicago: Charles Itch,
man, OF Niarblehead, Mass; Thomas
L,
first general assembly OF the X. OF l.. at Read
ing, Pa in January, 1873. Wehad then seven
districts. representing Philadelphia. Reading,
Pittsburg, Charleston, W. Va. Scranton and
shawnee, o., and several local associations
which cannot now recall. Mr. Urah Steph-
ems, OF Philadelphia, was elected the first gen
eral master workman, and was elected to- the
next office, which was called grand worthy fore
man. We there changed the date OF meeting
from January TO September. We next met m
st. Louis Mr.. Stephens did not attend this
convention, but wrote a letter, recommending
or 70
1873, was elected Mayor of Scranton. After
that gave my entire time to the work of nv
worked at any business other than my trade
Tine strikes OF lSI! were caused by the men
not understanding one another. AT that time
began to study the causes OF that strike and
of the distress of the workmen. l concluded
that an organization should be perfected which
would be grand Industrial school, / had no
HOBBY. others were for greenbacks, tariff re-
vision and "a dozen other things. L had not
READ the writings OF any theorist l had
two OF three times. When first elected | was
not known outside of the laboring classes 1t
was said by my opponents that al sorts OF
trouble would come IL l was elected. How
ever, was elected, and among other acts dis
charged the entire police force of the city, be-
cause found that mus: have men on whom
could rely. Then, during my administration
The debt OF the city was reduced about $4,000
Previously the debt had annually Increased
In 1851 the knights CT Labor had grown so
large that the business OF the order took all OF
my time, SO had u decline denomination for
and Belgium.
ii have read Henry Georges Progress and
Poverty, Spencers Social States, and Thorn
ton on Labor. 1 am not sure what my plans
VIII be for the future. n syndicate of news
papers has offered to send Inc to Europe to
write up the labor question as il is there |
do not believe in strikes, because do not think
there Is any necessity TOR them. | believe that
these troubles can be settled without strikes |
HE order has materially changed in few
years, Is broader and more liberal than at first
less secrecy now, the oath has been abolished
In the initiation, and only the word OF honor Is
now required The whole matter of the wage
system Is wrong. SO long finds il to his |
advantage 10 Duy labor at the cheapest price |
and The other demands the highest price for ii, |
trouble Will come. Profit sharing is the reme- |
dy- The knights of Labor Will not allow q |
i4uor dlstliier or brewer, or a liquor seller or
one whose wife Is - liquor seller, to become a |
member OF the order, ANA am now striving To |
prevent liquor drinkers from joining
Newspaper Advertising More Profit. |
able.
From the indianapolis Journal.