New-York tribune., 1886-05-25
up pOUDEPIy,S OPPORTUNITY.

he is wise and capable he can do n great work
for the labo,ing people of this country before
the week ends work the influence OF whlch
will live to bless them long after lis voice Is
silent. 1t must be admitted that some OF MS
recent utterances do not indicate that he clearly
understands what he ought to do with his great
opportunitv. But the time had not come for
him to speak as he car to the convention OF
KNIGHTS of Labor at Cleveland. He ought TO
see and to be ready to place before the con-
vention vital truths which have found but I'M
perfect expression in his published remarks
The people Of this country are laborers, ana
svmpathize with labor The small fraction of
the people which does not earn wages by WORK
scarcely influences public opinion. 1t is nation
of workers; a nation of fathers who want the
best opportunities for their sons to work n
nation Of clear-headed men who know that
honest free labor is the foundation of all pros
perity. Every wcll-directed movement to give
real help to the workers of the nation, therefore,
has the hearty sympathy and support OF puhllc
opinion. Organization of workers Is heartily
approved. wherever the workers are so clrcnm-
stanccd that they can secure more lasting bene-
fits by organization than by individual efforts.
But public opinion, being the opinion OF nlne-
teen workers who are not organized out ol
every twenty workers in this country, rccog-
nizes the broad fact that in most occupations
and circumstances labor can gain nothing by
organization, and the highest progress can be
attained only by individual eXertion. Where
that is the case the individual has the same
risht to his freedom that other workers have to
their organization. Mr.. Powderly cannot be
hot Or1a hos no n
hostile to the interests and rights of the great
body of unorganized workers. Indeed, he has
recently sent out explicit instructions that no
person should be in any manner coerced INTO
ioiuipg an organization. He ought to make
that fundamental principle of his order, so
that any person shall forfeit membership there
in who assals in any way the freedom of any
unorganized worker. This involves inhexiblr
hostility to the boycott, which is simply war
of organized against unorganizcd labor. If Mr..
Powderly wants to have bis order command
pubic confidence and respect, it must set its
foot upon this unlawful conspiracy against the
rights of others, and make it impossible for
person to counsel or support boycott and re-
main a knight of Labor.
Mr. Powderly's great difficulty is in restrain
ing the disposition of men to strike without n
reasonable effort to reach pedceapie Se'ue-
ment of differences by arbitration. II is physi-
callv impossible for the national Executive
Board to investigate all cases of dispute. To
propose that there shall be 10 action, until that
board as now constituted has directed action. is
to decree paralysis of the entire organization.
But it is possible for the Executive Board to
obtain broader power for dealing with questions
which arise The central body can be empowered
to act through such committees as II may sclcc
either for each State or for each branch OF in
dustrv. Then it will become practicable TO
enforce the rule that no strike can he author
lied or supported by any assembly of the order
which has not been first approved after eXhaus-
ton of all amicable means of settlement, by the
Executive Board or its authorized Representa-
tiyes.
Labor needs generalshlp. 1t has power
enough but can never use its power with any
good effect, so long as each small knot of
workers is left to disregard the interests or to
assal the rights of all labor in a narrow effort
for local or private advantage. If organization
is 10 be made in any respect more useful than
entire individual freedom, the first necessity is
that the use of the organization against the
rights and interests Of labor shall be prevented.