The Northwestern standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1885-1886, 1886-03-06
I'M BEH A Z o r iAB OR.
What the Knights Of Labor Ann
at-Edaoation, Honesty and

SS~~N,
Justice.
The following is an extract from an
eloquent address delivered by MIR.
ITeyilick, of Michigan, on labor and
Its right
In this country we have class for
ItunatR in some thingsan unfortunate
jim others. Manufacturers are a bless
ling if honest and upright, but many
have attempted to bring up genera
}tion after them composed Of pants,
cheek, and shirt collar. Many Of
these ask the question, sswhat do the
knights Of Labor intend to dopn They
do not mean to burn property, nor to
disturb the harmony of the govern
ment. They intend to teach the mobility
of labor and that the first fruits belong
to them, and not to those who do not
work Cloud applause.)
We find in Great Brjtaln that the
| Government had to acknowledge that
the working people had rights and that
day gave such an increase in the power
of productive machinery that Gladstone
said the increase was equal to 800, DOC, =
600 men three centuries ago. In Amer
lea the Knights Of Ilah Dor are in the field.
! was q member when there were but
twelve under the flag. We are going
| forward to educate those who toll un-
| til we can control the legislatures and
congress. and we demand;the right to
| peacefully meet and discuss the ques-
| ton OF human government without let
OF hindrance Of any power on earth Zap
plause). Do you working people read
i.about and study the laws Of production
| and labor? If you do not. intelligence
will put the saddle of oppression on
your backs and ride you death.
The knights Of Labor say the law OF
God. We say, let us bring our talents
peacefully to the common altar. AS
the water purities In the earth, SO or.
ganization serves as a scholar and
teacher in frightening up the cause
OF labor. You cannot rob labor with
out getting trouble, and the knights of
Labor are TO teach you, by the eter-
nal, you shan't (applause).
Look at Ireland. They export $4,000
tons Of food a month, and yet the peo-
PIE have to sell it because they are too
poor to eat it themselves. The knights
of Labor say to Uncle Sam, whatever
you want of the public lands for ARISEN
ais, public buildings, post roads, etc,
you shall have, but you have no right to
sell or give away a single acre tosspecu-
lators or railroads, for it belongs to the
people !" (appiause). We adrnit women
to the Knights of Labor. BY the bru-
tally of man woman have never had
their rights. To-day the young liber-
tine can do as lie chooses. but Ia. a poor |
woman depart from rectitade and there |
is no place for her to go. We say, when
ever a women IS employed in mill or
shop, doing equal work with man, in
regard to quality and quantity she shall
have equal pay for it (applause). The
average paid for the work of women is
only Al per cent. OF what men receive.
Now that machinery has taken the
place OF manual labor the fingers Of I
women are adapted to do the work as
well as man. If we do not demand
equal pay for women capital will bring
mans pay down to the scale now paid
TO women. There are but two political
parties, the skins and the skinners, the
and the democratic. NotI
the Democratic party do i mean, for if
you had gone to sleep before the last
election and had just walked up you
would not know there had been any
change in the administration.
Then we say, no child should be en-
ployed i'll the mills or factories until
they are l5years OF age and have good
grammar education (applause) We
leny the authority to sell the labor OIL
at fifty cents day and com
pei honest labor to compete with it or
'tarve. New York has prohibited it
md we propose TO make every state in
,he Union do it (applause) We demand
hat where corporate power exists III
my state or nation no money shall be
'aid for wages except In lawful tender ,
# United States money. You have
leard of the Molly Maguires, but we
want no Molly Maguires, what we re- !
Luire is justice to mankind. Labor /
tatistics show that the average yearly q
wages of mechanics and laborers in tae |
asst decade was 1857 and the United +
tates reports show the average Of fam G
lies to number i've. Fifty per cent Of t
be people pay rent, and will, all these 1
expenses of rent, fuel and living, ETC.. t
say the labofers OF this country get n
,ss pay than it takes to feed the con- r
lets in the penitentiary. =
Now about strikes. What is strike? !;
, big railroad corporation reduces the G
ay of employees month before notify Fl
ig them. That is no strike; Oh. no. Il
ut if the employees of the railroad {
.rike for an increase of pay, the gov c.
nor cries Militia, militia, militia 81
fe grant the right Of he who makes a d
Irriage, digs ton Of coal or weayes a ii
.rd of cloth to put a price ON their d.
Dor. We know there is a bitter feel ct
g between capital and labor and are al
Try it is SO. n
But whenever differences exist he tf
feen employer and ernploye, where til
eh are knights of Labor. a commit "
b Is, q rarsrt safad 70 orbitrnfo, xt,e d;f Y.