The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-10-06

hOulu ECCdlNt AlOg uuhllilicui III AooO
OF a strike. Even before the receipt
Of their chatter they were on strike:
Their proceedings were characterized
by utter disregard for III laws and
teschiugs, 80 that the paid and known
agents of their employers, the detec'
tives, bad no difficulty in seeming the
passage OF motions Of a violent cbarac-
ter. II is an established fact that men
who were employed bv detective agen-
cies stood up on TIE floor Of that as
sembly, made infismmatoTy g. eeches
urging the men to deeds of violence,
and urged that the properly OF the
street car companies he destroyed. 1t
was only the good sense OF the men
that prevented such outrages from
being perpetrated, although these
agents Of a nefsrious spy system in
duced some desperate men TO blow up
the cars upon the streets. For these
outrages the order was in no way re-
~spOnsible. The st. Lonis car troubles
were but the beginning OF the tidal
wave OF strikes ard 'boycoits which
swept over the country, and which
strained the strength aud resources oil
your general officers almost hey nd
their powers of endurance.
TBE soUTHw EsT sTRIRE
began when the time and at ent.on OF
he general officers were taken up with
other matters Of vital impor anCe. No
notice Of the contemplated action was
given 10 US, and we knew nothing
Whatever concerning II pr the causes
leading tn il until it bad been in prog
ress several days.
H. has been asserted thst | con-
demned the men while they were on
strike. No such statement ever es-
caped my lips The only statement Of
nine that C uld be made to appear in
the light of a condemnation WIS that
contained in my secret circular of the
18th OF March, a copy OF which is hers-
with submitted. | did not approve OF
that strike. / could not do so, since
confidence enough was rot reposed in
the General Executive Board to give
them o chance to examine into the
grievances which tho members OF Dis
trict Assembly l0l complained Of. 1t
was only when the threat was made
20 stop every wheel in the United
States and engage the whole order in
the difficulty that / raised my voice
in denial. / did that in defense OF the
order and the country. | am quite
willing to ssume all the reepons bill.
ties att ched to the act, and would do
the same thing again under similar
circumstances.
THAT the men of the Southwest suf-
fered wrongs ia true; they were many
and grievous; and 1t ia my firm belief
that the railway companies, with a
full knowledge of what these griev-
ances were, precipitated the fight
themselves at a time when it would
appear to the world that the strike
was for au insignificant cause, l can
do no better than to submit the
reports OF Brothers LitChman ard Nc.
CURE. These two members were by
me, personally, detailed to 90 with the
Congressional Committee, and with
that committee examine into the
strike and lis Causts, 50 that an early
report might be made to The order by
its own representatives II the posi-
ton which | took during the strike
wOs wrong, then the entire order su,.
taiued me in it, for when / issued the
appeal for aid to support those whom
the companies refused to treat with, |
was most generously sustained, as a
reference to the report of the general
secretary treasurer will show. The
documents and correspondence relat-
ing to that strike are at your disposal.
THE HIGHT HOUR STRIKE,
which took place May LIST, was not sue
cessful except in csses where employ
era and employees were acting in bar
mony, or where employers were will
ing to adopt the plan. In many cases
the old system of working long hours
has been revived The f. daIation Of
Trades recommended the Let of May,
but adopted or suggested no definite
plan by which the s%nort-hour system
could be inaugur1tsd, l cautioned
our members sg INST rushing into this
movement. l had the right TO do it,
and nm firm in the belief bad / not
done 80 great loss would have been
entalled upon vast numbers OF III as
semblies. What | said in my secret
circular of March 18th has been
severely criticised, and l have been
accused Of opposing the eight-hour
movement. No statement ever YVES
farther from the truth. / opposed
the strike on May LIST brcluse | knew
that neither woikmen nor employers
were resdy for it, beciuse the educa-
ton which must always proceeds intel
ligent action had not been given to
those most in need Of it, becaule no
definite, bu linese-like plan for the
Inauguration Of the eight-hour move
mtnt had bsen mapped out, In fact,
no prepa'a ions had been made to put
the plan, if it can be called a plan,
into execution. These are the reasons
why | opposed the movement on May
LIST, aud for these same reasons do
sill oppose it.
A reduction Of the hours of labor is
a necessity, and sooner or later must
be had, but we must not forget that in
many places the ten hour plan has
not been adopted yet. 1t may do very
well for an organization which looks
after the interests Of but one craft OF
calling "a neglect those who stand
most in need Of help, but a knight o.
Labor must never close. his eyes to the
wants OF the humhlest of his fellow
| creatures.
The very discussion Of the sudder
introduction Ct the eight hour par
injured business, 20 much 80 that II
many places men were reduced 10 hal
time or thrown out of employment al
together. Millions OF dollars worth o.
work was left undone because of the
uncertainty in regrrd to taking con
tracts or in making engagements Il
perform work. Never was it more
clearly demonstrated that "An injury
~ one is the ace Of alp than il
the movement | am speaking Of. The
house builder, through uncertainty a
to how many hours If labor his em
ployts would work for him, made ne
! contracts to erect bu ldiDgs, and the
carpenter was thrown out If employ
meut; the man who made the window
gla's, the mar who made the nails
IN fact, every man or woman engaged
in the manu- acture OF articles which
20 to build or furnish a huuse-suf
! ftrpl thrnuUh thp attamnt To enfDYrI