The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1886-03-25
G. M. W. Powderly's Views.

On the occasion of the meeting of the Gener-
al Executive Board of the knights of Labor in
Philadelphia last week, General Master
Workman PowderIy expressed his views quite
freely to representatives of the press. Mr.
Powderly enjoys the confidence of both en-
ploycrS and employees in PENNSYLVANIA. where
he is known, because he has shown cool idg-
ment and an intelligent purpose to promote
the true interests of the wage classes. After
giving the opinion that the prevalence of strikes
AT the present time is due rather to the opening
Of period of prosperity than to the growth of
the knights of Labor, Mr. Powdery said that
he believed the General Executive Board "dd
not think ii wise to inaugurate strikes unless it
can he shown that there is an extreme necessity
for them" Proceeding. he said
III many of the men who are striking would
display Il little more common sens. and use a
little more patience they would get all they are
striking for and save their time and money in
the bargain. If they would exercise proper
moderation i'll their negotiations with employ
er> and submit their claims firmly made and
property represented, to arbitration, am free
to say that am sure that nine out of ten cases
which end in "A strike could be as satisfactorily
arranged without resortiny to such an extreme
and generally doubtful eXpcdient. Indeed, in
the nine cases there would he 10 necessity for
a strike"
the order, said Mr.. Powderly, and to prove
that this is the case he said that ''since January
lst the General Executive Board had settled by
arbitration $50 eases which would otherwise
have resulted in strikes without gaining Il sin
Gle point for the strikers.' Where the oryani-
zation is the oldest and its purposes are best
known Mr.. Powderly said that strikes are in
frequent and he predicted that as tie organiza-
ton grows strikes will be less frequent. The
very fact that the order is powerful and is in
creaSing every day should make it conservative
in its action. This great power, as Mr.. Pow
derly views it, should be controlled by prudent
and intelligent counses and used only to en-
force reasonable demands. In reply to an in
timation that there is danger that the order
may be used by designing men to promote pol
| ltical ends, Mr.. PoWderly said:
II have no fear of that. The matters in
volved i'll the existence and work of the
knights of Labor are nearer to its members
than matters of partisan politics. We have
here. as you see. Oh this committee, members
of the two Old parties, a Greenbacker, and
with smle) other cranks like myself. We
are not politicians here We have a method of
dealing with those who, as some have. entered
our ranks to serve political ends We turn
them out. We have no part in politics. We
do not propose to have any part in politics 1t
Is bread and butter, the rights of the employed,
| the material and concrete things of every day
| life that constitute the elements which do now
| and always will hold us together, and those are
| stronger than partisan political ties. That is
why do not fear the intrusion of politics.
| When people talk, as sometimes they do, about
using the Knights of Labor as political Ell
| gne, they utter the most arrant nonsense. 1t
| is not worth while to discuss the matter with
| such man. lie is either liar or an empty
| headed fool.'
| This is very timely declaration, and coming
| from the man who has done the most in recent
| years to organize labor and has shown the most
| sincere purpose to promote the best interests
of workingmen, it is very significant one. 1t
| shows that the trusted leader of the knights of
Labor holds in supreme contempt those men
| who may undertake to divert the order from
its true mission to make it the tender of politi-
cal parties or demagogues. Boston Journal.