Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-05-13
POWDERLY's CIRCULAR.
what the Press of the Country Have t
Saw of II.


Say of 1t.
Mr.. Powderly's circular is full of good
sense. Here are TIRES specimen Powderly-
isms, and two Of them are as witty as they
are judicious:
THE labor men who never labor.
I'VE know we have rights without pass
ing resolutions y
In the hands Of men entirely mouth the
gun is harmless as their words.
Martin Irons will think that Mr. Powder
IL is getting personsl-N Y. Sun.
Mr.. Powderly strongly denounces boy
cotting. de hates even the word. It's
bad practice" not to be resortei to ex-
cept when everything else fails" He
might well have made his denGncistion
without the exception. The boycott, as a
means of coercion, is to be compared to
dynamite as q destructive force. Ii is
against the law aud condemned by the
popular sentiment OF this country. 1t is O
thing which must in the end prove more
burtful to the boyCotters than the boycott
ted.-N. Y. Herald.
The Knights are reminded that they are
not perfect in all their acts, truth which
perhaps none of them will deny, and they
are told that it becomes them to receive
criticism in good part and to seek TO profit
by il. The Order is cautioned against the
teachings of the Labor men who never
labor" and bogcotting is wholly and I'M.
condltionally condemned. If Mr.. Powder
Tvs good sense could control the Order it
would became an association that would
elevate ell who belong to it.-Neg York
World.
He tells the Knights plainly that they
have been losing popular favor of late be-
cause OF the strikes and boycotts ordered
in the name OF the order, without its knowl
edge or authority. he demands free speech
for the enemies as we'll the friends Of the
order, and points out instances in which
attempts have been made to check free
speech by means of the boycott He sever
" rebukes those who talk of using guns
and dynamite in the interests Of labor, and
declares that if mans brain cannot work
out the problem now confronting us his
hand alone will never solve it.-Ne~ York
Star.
Like foolish strikes in New York, Chica'
90, Milwaukee and other places without in
srructions from the supreme authority OF
the organization; insane boycotts declared
against all reason aud Justice by petty
dsmsgogGes, often to crafty the mesuest
personal spite; violent resistance to peace
able citizens pursuing their employment IN
accord with their iualienable rights, and
the tolerance OF the red flag of the snsrch
ist in labor processions-thesa are griev
Gus errors into which the Knights Of Labor
have fallen, and their future power, indeed
rheir future existence, depends upon the
prompt and emphatic separation Of the
order from every form OF despotism and
Observation-Disclosures Times.
Mr.. Povderly makes no attempt to con
eeal the fact clearly discerned by outsiders
that his order has lost standing with the
public, that it has taken unlawful methods
10 accomplish its purposes, and that the
abuses must be checked if the organization
is to continue to exist. Mr.. Powderly con
dennis the boycott in no uncertain terms
| and advises the abandonment of all such
foolish and uu.Americsn attempts to pun
ism those who refuse the demands of the
workingmen. He is, however, in favor Of
one boycott aud that is q boycott OF rum
No more pertinent advice was ever given
the laboriug man than Mr.. Powderiy's
counsel to suppress the ran,ers and dems
gogues in their ranks -Philsdslpbis Press
The only boycott which Mr.. Powderly
approves is one against rum, ard be might
have made his observations on that head
still stronger since drink remains the most
serious obstacle to the elevation and pros
perity of the workingmen everywhere, and
since until the workingmen have selfdenisl
enough to stop that leak in their savings
it cannot be expected that they will
manifest the frmnets and endurance
necessary for complete success in other di,
rections. The fact is the Knights Of Labor
have the opportunity Of submitting them
selves tothe guidance of one of the clesrest
headed leaders the cause of labor has had
and if they fail 10 take advantage of it aud
surrender to the Martin Irons faction they
will 60 from one trouble to another until
their order splits TO pieces. It remains to
be seen with how much wisdom they will
arrange themselyes.-N. 7. Tribune.
Anybody can give good advice to discou-
tented workingmen, although no doubt
good advice is more apt to be listened TO
respectfully by them If it comes from a
high officer of their own order chosen By
themselves Apart from this the General
Master Workman seems to have no advan
tage over any other moral lecturer. His
advice will not execute itself, and ne has
no means of enforcing it. he disspproves
of strikes except for uDquestionably good
cause, and hs was compelled to see q
strike he had pronounced csuseless 60 on
in spite Of sll he could do to prevent it
he disspproveS Of boycotis and an attempt
is made almost every day to ruin by q
boycott the business of whoever has shy
Quarrel with any captain of fries smorg