St. Landry democrat., 1886-04-03

be taught Let them learn all they can.
The Knights of Labor are not opposed TO
| the employer of labor, but it was not intend
ed that the order should harbor unjust en-
| ployers In many assemblies the employer
and manufactures have controlling infiu-
ence The men who work for them will ex
| press themselves as they feel, AMI in my
| opinion, it would be best to treat with an
| employer as he Is rather than as a brother
Knight We can deaf Just rs fairly by him
beyond the walls as within the sanctuary.
Take in rs few employers as possible.
The name of this order and its principles
are published everywhere. and men who
stool openly a. rayed against ms two years
| ago are now our friends. beware of them.
Take them in If you viii, but watch them.
| The politician Is planning night and day
how to catch the knigs@ of Labor for the
advantages of himself or party, and, rest
We must expect this, and we must stamp
out every effort of the party man-it
matters not Of which party-who at
those assemblies which drag the name of the
order into the political action OF any party
say: We are greater than any party on
American soil to- day, and we must remain
so. Every reform that could possibly come
| through the organization of new party can
be obtained without one We are every day
fhus the lie is given to those who urge the
formation of n new party. To use the name
of the order In political contest Is crimi-
nal, and must never occur again
1t Is evident that our members are not
properly instructed. else would not find
them passing resolutions ''approving of the
action OF our executive officers in Iixing the
LIST of May the day to strike for eight
hours" The executive officers ofthe Knights
OF Labor have never fixed upon the lat of
May for q strike of any kind Assemblies of
the knights of Labor must not strike for the
eight shour system on May under the i'm
preston that they are obeylng orders from
headquarters. for such An order WAS not and
will not be given. Neither employer nor
employe are educated to the needs and ne
cessities for the short hour plan. If one
hr.o, ,Cpn f troH 10 NV fS in, raf,
a cond ton, remember that there are many
who are In total ignorance OF the movement.
Out Of the sixty millions OF people in the
United States and Canada order has
possibly three hundred thousand. Can we
mould the sentiments OF the millions in
favor OF the short. hour plan before May l?
1t Ia nonsense to think OF it. Let us learn
why our hours of labor should be reduced,
and then teach others.
Nearly every State assembly that has been
formed since the general assembly met has
been organized amid diacord and cOnten-
ton. fear that the struggle is not to serve
the order so much as to serve personal ends
Nearly every assembly In the State of Kan
sas and Michigan has complained to me
about the attempts being male to organ.ze
State assemblies TO attempt to elevate la
Dor by starting out an assembly OF any kind
with fight Is folly. II would be far better
to stop work in these States now and begin
again in a practical way. than to carry the
ties now resting in the breasts of the disap-
pointed ones.
Our order is business institution. 1t must
be run on business principles, and If 1t is not
managed in this way it will go the road OF
all mismanaged concerns. In selecting OFF,
GERS to manage banking concern the men
siderate man Is set aside: the man who iS
quick of temper and hnsty OF speech is
passed over and the man OF maturer judg
ment and business qualities is selected
1 am panied to witness the quality of
men some parts Of our order select for
Important work. These words of mine
wat ho no a a1n W n.H ar rnax ~
surely as night follows day. Elect no man
because of his fine speech or i,npetuosity;
put none but the coolest men In positions
of any kind: Keep them there and uphold
til EN- In their work. 1t is not the duty of an
officer to picture the wrongs OF man until he
excites his assembly to fever heat. HEAVEN
knows the indi .nities which laOor COM
plains of are grievous enough, and require
no painting. We must look at them as
they really exist, and settle them as best
we can
WhileI write, dispatch is handed me in
which read these words: "rhey discharged
our motto is An injury to one is the concern
of ALL !" Yes. IAN injury ~ one is the con-
Germ OF all" but it is not wise to iniure all
better to continue at work and properly in
vestigate the matter, brnsing it be-
fore every known ,,, tribunal than to
earning nothing could have given ten
cents apec- to support the brother for a
few weeks much easier than to spend weeks
u
never be restored to their former positions.
In this case the injury to one was not
paired, and all coucernad Will be more or
less injured. We could nave prevented our
brother from being injured by assisting him
in far different way. Zeal in the cause
sometimes brings on the discharge OF
member Sometimes \ too open expression
of opinion does it. 1t Is not necessary to in
dulge in the latter
Now a word on another subject The
church has been watching our order for
In inf MA had h11t
power for good Or for evil; to day we are
the strongest, as well rs the weakest, labor
organization on earth Strong in numb ers
and princip es; strong in the justice of our
demands, if properly made, we are weak in
the methods We use to set our claims before
the world. strikes are often the forerun-
ners of lawless actions One blow brings
on another, and IL a single act Of ours en-
courages the anarchist element we must
meet with the a"tagonism OF tue church.
warn our members ainst nasty, il-con-
sidcred action. The church will not inter-
fere Wi h US so long us we maintain the law.
IL the law - wrong it Is our duty to change
and others to tell tn IN that our order is
composed OF law abiding. intelligent men,
some petty boycott or strike. The daily pa
pers have q column devoted to strikes and
boycotts every day. and some of the causes
are ridiculous.
the exact conditions of TIMES. am neither
physica ly nor mentally capable of perform
ing the work required OF me. j am willing to
do my part, but must not be asked to main
tain a false position before the world any
longer. One IF two things must take place;
either the local and district assemblies OF .
the order must oney its laws. or must be
permitted to resign from position which
obliges me play one part before the pub
lie and another to our me,nDers. say to
the world that the Knights OF Labor do not
approve OF or encourage st likes, and in one
day dispatches come to me to come to Troy,
N. Y, Manchester, n. H., Ch'ca 70, ILL.,. Gin
cinnati, o., Lynchburg, Va, springfield, O.,
and Montreal, Can. 1t ia Impossible for hu-
man nature TO stand the stra any longer.
/ must have the assistance of the order, or
my most earnest efiotfs Will fail.
viii L have 1t? II so, strikes must be avoid
ed; boycotis must be voided.
those who boast must be CHI ok ed by their