Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-05-16
POwDsRLY's CIRCULAR
What the Press of the Country have {
Say of II.

, MIR. Powderly's circular is full of goot
sense. Here are three specimen Powderly
isms, and two of them are as witty as the,
ara judicious;
"fhe labor men who never labor"
1--WE know We have rights without pass
ing resolutions
I'm the hands Of men entirely mouth thu
gun is harmless as their words"
Martin Irons will think that Mr.. Powder
ly is getting personal-N. Y. Sun.
Me-. Powderly strongly denounces boy
cotting. he hates even tie word" It'll
bad practice" not TO be resortei to ex,
cept when everything else fails" BE
might we'll have made his denInciation
without the exception. The boycott, as q
means of coercion, is to be compared to
dynamite as q destructive force. 1t is
against the law and condemned by the
popular sentiment OF this country. 1t is q
thing which must in the end prove more
hurtful to the boyc offers 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 it. The Order is cautioned against the
teachirRs Of the labor men who never
labor" and boycotting is wholly and IN.
condltionally condemned. If Mr.. Powder
ly's coed sense could control the Order it
would became an association that would
elevate all who belong to it-New 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 well 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
| y 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 Fever solve it-New York
Star.
Like foolish strikes in New York, Chica.
60 Milwaukee and other places without in
structions from the supreme authority OF
the organization; insane boycotts declared
against all reason and justice by petty
demaRogaes, often to crafty the meanest
personal spite; violent resistance to peace.
able citizens pursuing their employment in
accord with their inalienable rights, and
the tolerance OF the red flag of the snarch-
ist in labor processious-these are griev.
GUS errors into which tie knights of Labor
have fallen, and their future power indeed
their future existence, depends upon the
prompt aud emphatic separation Of the
order from every form OF despotism and
Observation-Disclosures Times.
Mr. Powderly makes no attempt to con.
ceal the fact clearly discerned by outsiders
that his order has lost standing with the
public, that it has taken unlawful methods
to accomplish its purposes and that the
abuses must be checked if the organization
is to continue to exit. Mr.. Powderly con-
dennis the boycott in no uncertain terms
and advises the abandonment Of all such
foolish and un.American attempts TO pun
ish those who refuse the demands of the
workingmen. He is, however, in favor of
one boycott and that is boycott OF rum
No more pertinent advice was ever given
the lsboring man than Mr.. Powderlys
counsel to suppress the rsniers and dema-
goguee in their ranks -Pniladelpbi Press
The. only boycott which Mr.. PowderIy
approves is one against rum, ard he 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 worbingm'en everywhere. and
since until the workngmen have self denial
enough to stop that leak in their savings
it cannot be expected that they will
manifest the frmnsts and endurance
necessary for complete success in other di.
rections. The fact is the Knights OF Labor
have the opportunity Of submitting them
selves to the guidance OF one of the clearest
headed leaders the cause of labor has had, !
and if they fail TO take advantage OF it and
surrender to the Martin Irons faction they
will 60 from one trouble to another until
their order splits to pieces. 1t remains to
be seen with how much wisdom they will
arrange themselves.-N. 7. Tribune.
Anybody can give good advice to discon.
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 advsn
tage over any other moral lecturer. His
advice will not execute itself, and he has
no means Of enforcing it. He disapproves
of strikes except for upquestionsbly good
op1 ho nnp,nalla1 20
strike he had pronounced causeless 60 on /
in spite of all he could do to prevent it,
he disspproves Of boycotts and an attempt
is made almost every day to ruin by
boycott the business Of whoever has any
quarrel with any captain Of fifties amorg
the knights Of Labor. He disapproves
Of choosing tslkstive and quarrelsome per-
sons like Martin Irons or ODonnell who
can do more mischief in day than be bin.
self can repair in O month N Y. Times.
The aims of the Order OF which Mr..
Powderly is the head ara lofty. Like near.
ly every organization of the kind that has
ever existed, it has in places fallen into the
hands of men who misspprehend its OBJECTS
and who misuse its powers. Against these
Mr.. Powderly now demonstrates. In par
ticular does he seek to discourage resort
to boycotting, to strikes, to indiscriminste
appeals for financial assistance, and to
foolish threats of all kinds. Az employed
in many places the boycott has become
an instrument by means OF which design
ing men seek to accomplish selfish |
ends. In Others it has been used az pen
atty for tree speech aud free press, and in
nearly every instance it has been resorted |
to without sufficient provocation. While |
the order has strenuously opposed strikes,
they have been instituted in countless
numbers, sometimes for frivolous reasons,
aud the appeals to lodges for money on the |
part Of responsibles have been SO numer.
Gus as to provoke scandal Organized to
support the Law, the Knights have devel-
oped many proclamation writers and ora.
tors who imagine that vehement declsms-
ton, threats end empty boasts will avail
them and these, too, have brought dis.
"a ~