St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-07-19
KNIGHTS VERSUS THE UNIONS
Powderly in the East With a Scheme
of Ama1gamatton.
But Is Antagonized by Officers in
Other Organizations.

New YORK, July 1S.-A great fight for
control has begun within the ranks of the
labor organizations. Grand Master Pow
derby. of the Knights of Labor, has precip-
itated it by coming to New York with his
scheme of amalgamating all the trades
unions. He is violently opposed by the
leaders of the unions, and especially by two
or three leaders of the leaders, who see ag-
grandiZement for him and belittlement for
them in the success OF his comprehensive
plan. At the head of this counter move
ment is likely to be John Swinton, the So
calistic labor agitator; but with him are
hundreds of officers of the unions, espe-
cially the secretaries, who are apt to be in
telligent, fairly educated and exceedingly
AGGRESSIVE MEN.
Besides, most of them are under salaries
from their unions, and spend their time in
the interests of their orders. Z. j. Mcguire,
general secretary of the Carpenters union,
is one of those who view with alarm the
growth of the knights among tie working
men of the country, Mcguire, by the way,
is not a carpenter. He is a very clever
man. full of energy, and gifted with the
faculty of leadership. He came into notice
first about a dozen years ago, when social
ism was showing some vitality in this city.
He was one of the leaders in the agitation
and excitement that resulted i'll the row in
TOmpkinS square, to which
RADICAL ORATORS
are so constantly referring. The carpen-
tiers became interested in him. and he soon
rose to be their executive head, and has
great influence with the trade to-day. 1t
is said that his salary for attending con-
fhi IIIy3 ic
81, 200 year. He is quite averSe to see
ing the union whose head he is, merged
into the Knights of Labor.
A most significant event in labor matters
was the formation, not long ago. of an
''Open organization" Of tailOrS, the real OBJ
ject of which is to cooperate with the
knights, and prepare its members eventu-
ally to join the greater body. 1t is curl
Gus fact that although the founder of the
Knights of Labor was tailor, few tailOrs,
until very recently, have been members
Now, therefore, under the lead and in
fuence of Robert BliSsert, they are joining
the ''Open organization" in great numbers,
as many as fifty presenting themselves for
initiation at each meeting. Blissert is de-
cidedly the head and shoulders of the labor
movement in this city. PoWderly finds in
Blssert a firm and able ally. The two are
in perfect
SYMPATHY IN THEIR WORK.
Another man who is beginning to occupy
prominent position in labor discussions is
Mr.. ScheWitsch, who represents the ultra
element among the German residents. BY
''ultla" is not meant the anarchists, for
that body is altogether insignificant in point
of numbers and influence. These people
are often called socialists by those who
think that anarchy and socialism mean the
same thing, but Freiheit 1.-THE prison-bound
Most's organ) long ago boycotted Sche-
witsch, so there can not be much sympathy
lost between them. Schewitsch came to
America about ten years ago, and for the
past year has been the editor of Volk-Zei-
tung. The paper is marked by denuncia-
ton of capitalists. In the boycott excite
ment the paper has been
UNUSUALLY VIOLENT.
in its utterances against the officers who
| had to execute the provisions of the law.
The result has been action looking to the
indictment of the editors. The opposition
to the knights is epitomiZed in the follow
ing words from the mouth of John Swim
ton: 1.-The feeling of thousands of trades
unionists was expressed in the last meeting
of the Central Labor union, when the prop
osition to go into politics as body was dis
cussed. How else than at the polls, it is
asked, can the power of the workingmen be
utilized? Powderly is against such move.
L think that vast majority of workers are
for it. The effort is bound to be made, and,
doubtless, successfully. There will be-in-
deed. there is-a division in the ranks.
Powderly seeks to bring all the wage
workers into the Knights. That scheme is
not favored by the Central Labor union,
which is the strongest of the two, so far as
New York is concerned. 1t will be big
fight. Others openly accuse Powderly OF
coalition with capital, and the belief pre-
walls to an astonishing eXtent-however
unjust or ridiculous he and his adherents may
regard it-that in disfavoring strikes and
boycotts he is an emissary of capital and
monopoly"