The Portland daily press., 1888-11-17
Labor DETERMINATIONS.

The rapid decline of the Knights of Labor
during the past year indicates that the day
Of its dissolution is not far off. Mr.. Pow
derby offers some remedies which he thinks
may revive it, but the chances are that they
cannot be administered, and even If they
could, 1t is by no means certain that they
would produce the desired effect. The
question arises then: "After the Knights
whatP" Will the death of the Knights be
followed by the decay Of other cognate
organizations? In other words will labor
unions 60 out of fashion with the Knights?
Labor organizations constituted on the basis
of the Knights undoubtedly will. Until the
story OF the rise and fall OF this order has
entirely faded out there will probably be no
attempt to gather the working masses Of the
country into one organization. The futility
of such a scheme has been so thoroughly
demonstrated that nobody will under
take it again until this demonstration
is forgotten. But we do not believe that the
decline of the Knights will have any disinte-
grating effect upon the labor unions organ
lied in the different trades.
In seems likely however to turn their
energies into more useful channels. Ill adj
vised strikes were one of the most potent
causes of the knights decline. Their sue
cessors will profit by this experience and
use that weapon with reluctance. Encroach-
ment on the rights of laboring men
who did not belong to the order was
another cause of the Knights decay. Here
is another chance to profit by experience
which will probably not be overlooked.
There is plenty of work. profitable
to the workingman and the general
community as well, for the trades
union to do. To protect the wage
worker from the aggressions of capital is
doubtless an important part Of Its mission,
but in the past the labor union has too often
afforded its members this protection only on
condition that they blindly obey its orders,
without questioning. Thus the laboring man
has escaped from one tyranny only to find
himself In the clutches of another, quite as
memorable. So long as the labor union
assists the workingman to maintain
his independence and preserve his
spirit 1t is beneficial Institution, but when
at most it merely rescues him from one
master to turn him over to another, and
one frequently more tyrannical, 1t is
anything but a help. More individual
liberty must be allowed inside Of trades
unions If they are to live and become
sources of real benefit to the workingman.
Individual judgment must be allowed more
latitude. More conservative methods in
dealing with capital must be employed. The
disappearance of the lsber union would not.
we believe. be for the interest of the
community. With all its imperfections it
has been ON the whole the source
Of more good than harm. 1t has
tended to preserve the spirit and indepen-
dence Of the laboring masses, and this In a
republic where the laboring masses are the
voting masses, is very important A subser-
Went laboring population, with the spirit
crushed out of 1t, such as we find In the
old countries of Europe, would mean in this
country the speedy disappearance Of the sub
stance of republican government With a
laboring population whose political actions
could be dictated by the rich and powerful
little would be left Of republican government