Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-03-13
A SENSIBLE TALK FROM GRAND
MASTER POWDERLV


PmLADEr PHEA, Pa, March s.
Grand Master Pow6eriy, the head Of
the Knights of Labor organization, who
is in this city attending a meeting of
/ the General Executive Board, said to-
night to e correspondent Of the Asso-
eiated Press that he had received no
summons 10 ST. Louis TO settle the diff
hcUlties between the strikers and the
Gould system OF roads; that there is no
. Significance in the fact that so many
strikes are now il progress in the Uni
tod States by assemblies Of the K. OF l..
''It's q coincidence merely said he,
land there IS no concerted action con
templated ~ the order, as has been
( suggested, the strikes being incidental,
and thin! chiefly owing to the fact
taa- taiz IS Just the beginning of the
spring trade and the opening Of a peri
% Of prosperity in business"
AIr. Powderly, on being asked wheth-
or he didn't think the increase in the
number of strikes just now was owing
lc the knowledge Of increased power
ay.sae organization of labor, said: 'sI
doubt it, and / think I can speak
for the General Executive Board.
I don't think that it is wise to inagurate
so many strikes unless it be shown that
there is an extreme necessity tor them.
If many Of the men who are striking
woald display a little more common
sense and use a little more patience,
they would get all they are striking for
and save their time and money in the
bargain. If they would exercise prop
er moderation in their negotiations
with their employers and submit their
claims, firmly made and properly rep
resented, to arbitration, I am free TO
say that I'm sure nine ont of ten cases
which end in q strike could be satisfac-
toFily arranged without resorti3g to
such. an extreme and generally doubt
ful -eXpedient. Indeed in the nine cases
there would be no necessity for a strike.
There is a feeling now that labor must
be recognized by the employer; that
the employer must listen to the en-
plOyes; and the time has come when
the shOpman, the mill owner, the man
ufacturer in every department of trade
is ready to listen to the demands of his
men and yield to them when these
demands are reasonable. Organization,
discipline and a realization of the right
and might Ia the case has brought
about the change, and these advances
on the part Of the employers should
not be repulsed by hasty and inconsid-
crate action on the part Of the work
ingmen."
Arbitration then, and not strikes, is
the theory OF the crderP' said the re-
porter. ---
''Yes, arbitration always, when it is
possible. Strike only as a last resort,
but when that point is reached strike
hard, strike IN earnest and never sur
render except to just concessions. Why,
this Board, pointing 20 the members
who were Istening) has, since the first
Of January settled by arbitration three
hundred and fifty csaes, which would
otherwise resulted in strikes without
the gaining Of a SINGLE point by the
strikers. The Knights Of Labor and
the other organizations in sympathy
with its Planss constitute at the present
time the most powerful organization of
Workingmen ever known in the history
Of the world. Its strength is increasing
every day in every branch of trade in
this country. tits dangerous to abuse
this power. 1t can't afford to fritter
itself away upon every pretense Of
wrong, arrogantly Formulated and pig
headedly insisted upon. The working
men should be careful to see to it that
they do not sap and undermine their
strength by extreme demands snd an
unreasonable assumption Of importance
and power"