The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-19
POwDERLY's LAST RECRUITS.
A Speech to Eastern Giass-Worikers-The
Master Workman No Longer Conservative.

speech to Eastern Giass-WorIers-The
Master Workman No Longer Conservative.
Atlantic City Special to New York Tribune.
The Eastern Green Glass blowers Association
met in Bartlett Hall at 10 A. Nj. to-day. At 1918
General Master Workman Il. V. Powderly and
A. @. Denny, one of the organizers of the
Knights of Labor, entered the room. The as
sembly rose and greeted them with deafening
applause. Mr.. Powderly made an address. in
which he said in part:
II listen now to the sound OF music and 1t
takes me back to just an hour ago when we got
off the train and walked over to the hotel.
saw crowd of men and women, and soldiers
marching past the hotel, and heard music all
about me- / went upstairs to see saw the
gstening bayonets, the gray suits and the
soldiers marching in order. | thought the well
come to these men was not accorded to the men
of the Glass Association. Did you see anybody
out to meet you9 Did you hear any pianos play
ing for you2 We looked into these faces and we
saw that some Of them were naen of means, and
some of them mean men. Laughter Who
are theya They are clerks, they are
tradesmsn. This refers to the Fifth Maryland
Regiment Some of them carrying arms
along these streets for exhibition. If it were
branch Of organized labor, people you'd assem-
BILE in astonishment to see them. The men who
produce wealth assemble to do honor to men
Who when workingmen demand their rights
without violence these men are called up to
stand as menace to them. They stand as a
barrier between labor and capital. l do not say
that is what they ought to be- That is what
they are Where labor has had room and time
to assert itself, that array OF bayonet has
stood between laborers and their rights. It
has been demonstrated that wo-thirds of
the regiments of each State are members of the
Knights of Labor and that when their time ex
pires they will not enlist. Let the men who
are in the banks and in the railroads.&c. the men
who Cypress labor fill up these ranks. Then
when the two sides are arrayed against each
other. we will see who will win. They will be too
cowarGly 10 do it.
"We do not ask or beg you to come into our
order. do not prompt you to do anything for
my sake. But ask you for your own sake and
for the cause of labor that you array yourselves
in our organization. In doing this you are not
asked to surrender the right to regulate your
trade in your own way, but we promise to assist
you in regulating it in way you cannot do
yourselves I want to see the day when not
drop of liquor or medicine or oil shall be poured
from a bottle that is not made in America and
by American workmen. Applause
''They call me foolish in my own district for
saying this. Any bottle brought into my house
does not 60 back. l can't smash beer bottle,
as drink ginger ale, but the bottle never goes
goes out alive. That is small thing, but if
ninety thousand men who get bottles were to
destroy them, 1t would make big hole. have
been told that in the matter of strikes we should
not interfere with your right to strike That is
your affair." but if you are doubtful of the result
of your own strength, call in member
of the General Executive Board and let them
have q chance in settling the matter
If you desire help there is assistance
That is business. Beyond that, manage your
own affairs. have heard that there has been
dissatisfaction concerning the interference of the
Knights of Labor in local matters. / ought 10
know. 1 signed the law. The day is coming
when the entire army of labor must understand
the bonds of labor, the Capitalization of wealth
and power. We have not the wealth, but we
have the power.
"You have heard of the strike and the boycott
1t has prejudiced some against That is
because they have paid attention to the news
papers. Every time we boycotted news
paper, were asked to do so by the Typograph-
ical Union. They tried alone and did not succeed.
When acted, printers refused to buy that
paper. You should stand side by side with your
Western brethren. If you do not it will be a
standing menace to your trade We talk about
high protective tariff If the workingmen were
organized, we could take the tariff down. The
tariff protects the manufacturer and not the
workingman. They never understood until a
few years ago the bond of union between the
different branches of labor. i desire TO sec the
uni6cation of labor. Our organization is not
perfect Everything God made is not perfect.
No man is better than his neighbor. We ought
to assist one another. Is that wrong2 Then we
are wrong
meet your manufacturers Place your wages
before them. If you cannot agree, and believe
you are right and entitled TO more, then the
entire forces of labor shall back you. If were
a dynamiter would hate most awfully to see it
wasted. Laughter l never carry pistol. If
| did would use it. 1t is the same about the
boycott. Take the Nuper case / told him in
six months be would be glad to sell his factory
to me. saw him afterwards, and he said our
acquaintanceship had cost him 100000 The
boycott is a dangerous weapon. 1t is a double
edged sword. The man who handles it ought to
know how to hold it. Let the Knights of Labor
know how to use it. Then there will be no
danger of cutting themselves. When boycott
or strike is ordered we want it to be effective
Will you join ns2n
The vote was taken. Yeas AZ, nays e.