Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-04-13

western railroads Is only an Incident ut
fecting comparatively only small diyis.
Ion of the order; has really nothing to do
with the vital principles of the order Tho
vast majority OF the order have never been
even formally and Officially notified OF It's
existence. The Immediate causes which
led to IT, and the manner OF It's Inaugural
ton, its management and methods, its
success or failure, all ptie into lnsiguin-
canoe when contrasted with the grand
objects and glorious ultimate OF the
order. To think that the result, one
way or the other, of that strike would or
could split up the order is as absurd as
10 imagine that Il personal fight at pri-
mary election would rend one of the
political parties In twain.
Moreover, there is no conflict OF
authority between Mr. Powderly aud MIR.
Irons; from the constitution of the order
IL Is impossible that there could be. II
either of them has given expression to
anything assertive of such d condition he
Is amenable 10 the order for II. Nor will
any real member of the order give cur.
rency, or any intelligent member give
credence, TO such statement.
The duties of each are clearly defined
In the constitution OF the order; the full
llllment OF those duties cannot involve an
tugoniSm. To q member of the order
conversant with Its practical workings
such an assumption is supremacy rldlcu.
lous. Outsiders, OF course, are not pre-
sumed to know this, and are to n certain
extent eXcusable In specializing on ap-
pearances and jumping at conclusions as
far from the truth as the premises upon
which they based them were devoid OF
foundation in fact.
Each district In the order Is as indie
pendent Of the general assembly and its
officers as each state In our union IL indie.
pendent OF the federal government.
Within the bounds prescribed by the
constitution OF the general assembly each
district Is supreme over its own affairs,
just as each one Of the United States is
sovereign In It's state rights, powers and
prerogatlves. II this principle is source
of weakness in an industrial organization,
then II Is source of weakness Ia our
federal political system.
L. V. Powderly, as general master
workman Of the order had nothing To do
with the strike inauguIa,ed by tho South
western districts other than TO see that
no provision of the general constitution
was violated. Il. V. Powdcrly, as mem.
Der and chairman OF the general cxecu-
tive board ,lunder certain well-denned CON
tlngencies might have, but only rs mem
Der and mouthplece Of that board.
Martin Irons, as member and chairman
OF the executive board OF District l0l,
has no more power than any other Nom
Der of that board is no more responsible
for the actions and general policy of that
board-simply gives public proclamation
to its wishea-posslbly IL may be TO many
things which he himself does not approve,
but which the majority OF the board de-
cides. When, however, a district violates
the constitution Of the order Mr.. Powder
ly's duty as general master workman
comes into demand, and his power Is
ample to compel compliance with Its pro-
visions. But when any district or dis
trlct official violates the consti.
tuition Of the general assembly Mr..
Powderly will not 90 before the public
and proclaim II, nor 10 Jay Gould and
tell him Of IT, nor Ia any manner make 1t
public before the offending party Is tried
and proved guilty Of that violation, aud
by the proper authority in the order Mr..
Could and the Associated Press TO the
contrary Notwithstanding To do so
would be 20 violate the constitution
which he is pledged to support. Mr..
Powderly is not the man TO be guilty OF
such folly. The Knights OF Labor do not
as sn order believe IN "leaiers" in the
serule sense Of that term; no man In the
order is more opposed to that seryile
Difference to "lcadersn than Mr.. Pow.
DERBY himself Common sense is the
leader the people inside aud outside Of
the order require The highest officials
in the order are just as amenabe TO It's
laws as the most lowly member; the good
OF humanity its supreme law--iust 0s the
general welfare should be the supreme
law Of the land. NJ. j. NOLAN.