Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1886-04-01
POWDERLY'S WARNING.

The Grand Master Of the knights Warns
the Order Against Strikes and Ioycotts
He is Ready to Resign.
ST. LOUIS, March GA long, secret
circular issued by Grand Master Workman
POwderly and addressed to the order Of the
Knights Of Labor has just been made pub
lie here
Mr.. POwderly opens by instructing the
secretary of each assembly to call full
meeting and read the circular before it. The
address then orders the assemblies to cease
initiating new members till the relations of
capital and labor shall become less strained
than at the present time.
Mr.. POwderly then says: ITO attempt to
win concessions or gains with our present
raw, undiscipiined membership would be like
hurting al unorganiZed mob against a we'll
drilled army. 1t is not fair to the older as
semblies TO bring in new members TO PICK
up their quarres as soon as Organized and
have them expect pecuniary aid from those
who helped build the order up for noble
purpose" After dwelling at some
length upon the unadvisability Of TAX
Ing in new members the address continues:
I'VE must not frittcr away our
strength and miss an opportunity of pres
ent success in the struggle against capital
by rushing into useless strikes. To the
cardinal princip pies of the order we must
add agoiher-patience. You have had
patience for years, and had not the Knights
oil Labor appeared upon the scene you
would still be waiting. Your scale of prices
must stand as they are for the present.
Dir POwderly then cautions assemblies
against receiving employers into their ranks
and warns them that politicians are plan
ming night and day how to catch the
knights of Labor for the advantage of
themselves and their parties and adds that
to use the name Of the order III political
contest is criminal and must not occur again.
referring to the eight-hour movement the
circular says: knights of Labor must not
strike for the eight-hOur system On May
under the impression they are obeying or
ders from headquarters, for such an order
was not and Will not be given. Out of
60,000,000 people in the United States and
Canada our orderhas possibly 800, GOO Can
we mold the sentiments of the millions in
favor OF the short hour plan before May L?
1t is nonsense to think of it,
After speaking of qualities which officers
of assemblies should possess, and expecting
Knights of Labor to elect honest men of
even temperament, Mr.. POwderIy continues:
while l write, a dispatch is handed to me
Il. in which l read these words: They dis
charged our brother and we struck You
know our motto is an injury to one is the
concern OF ALL IeS-an in Jury to one is
the concern Of all, but ii is not wise to in
lGre all for the sake of one. 1t would be
far better to continue at work and properly
investigate the matter, bringing it before
every known tribunal, .han TO have struck"
Speaking of the relations between the
church and tie Knights Of Labor, Mr.. Pow
ielly says: Il warn our members against
haSty, ill-considcIed action The church
Will not interfere with us SO long as we
maintain the law. If. the law is wrong, it
Is our duty to change it. 1 ain ashamed to
meet with clergymen and others 10 tell them
that our order is composed of law-abdng,
d. intelligent men, while the next dispatch
brings the news of some petty boycott or
strike.
II write this circular TO lay before the
order the exact condition of things | am
neither physically nor mentally capable of
performing the wori, required OF me. |
am willing to do my part, but must not 10
asked to maintain Il false position before
the world any longer. One OF two things
must take place: Either the local and dis
trict assemblies of the order must obey lis
laws, or l must be permitted TO resign from
position which obiigeS me to pay one
part before the pubic and another 10 our
members. say 10 the world that the knights
of Labor do not approve of or encourage
strikes, and in one day dispatches come
to me to come to Troy, n. \ Manchester,
y. H., Chicago, H., Cincinnati, O., Lynch
bura, Va, Springfield, o., and Montreal,
Canada. 1t is impossible for human nature
to stand the strains any longer. | must
have the assistance of the order, or my
most earnest efforts viii! fail. Wili 1 have
it? If SO, strikes must be avoided; boycutlS
must be avoided. Those who boast mast
be checked by their assemblies. No move
must be made until the court of last re-
sort has been appealed 10. Threats
of violence must not be made. Poll
ticianS must be flushed up or driven
out. Obedience to the laws of knghthood
must have preference over those of any
other order. If these things are done, The
next five years will witness the complete
CHARACTERIZATION of mankind from the curse OF
monopoly