The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-08
AKrHUK's GREAT MIsrAKE.
Selling His BIrthright for . Mess of Pottage
"A Knight of Labor Prediction.


will chuckle if the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers beaten in its contest with the Chi
cago. Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company!
Compromise or compromise between the
Knights and the Brotherhood, shey will chuckle.
They tickled beyond measure at the attitude
now assumed by Arthur toward them. They
have been grinding their teeth ever since they
entered Office because Arthur refused to frater-
nize. In public their most detested foe has been
the employer Of labor. In private labor itself.
embodied in the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers, has received their most heartfelt
curses. 1t needed not the defeat of the Knights
of Labor the Missouri Pacifc railroad system
to create this hatred. The failure of that strike
may have intensified their rancor, but it did not
originate it.
From the formation of the Knights of Labor
feeling of antagonism has existed, at least
among the leaders, toward the Brotherhood.
They considered the latter a menace to their
continued prosperity; in fact. to their very
scheme of government The head or the Knights
of Labor desired to be the emperor o: labor.
He wanted no rival For tins the indications
promised him Organization after
ganization In the labor world fell into line under
the banner of the Knights, un5ii, finally, but
single body of importance failed to a ckuowledge
OF unskilled labor it would, upon refusing to
amaIeamate. have been crushed But it
body of men whose profession demanded
brains as we'll as Drawn; its mem
bers represented of the highest
grades of skilled labor. These men
could not be crushed. They formed smaller
body, in mere NUN hers. than sheir opponents
But they were drilled as we'll as skilled. They
were leaders, not followers. in the labor world.
Tneir opponents numbered thousands to their
hundreds, but their opponents pushed as Well as
hauled. Lacking heads themselves they needed
more than one head to control them and make
them formidable
AT the head of the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers stood Peter NJ. Arthur; poaing as the
leader of the KNIGHTS of Labor was Terence v
Powderly. Arthur known. to be leader;
Powdery supposed to be one. Up to the
day of the strike the Chicago. Burlington IL
Quincy railroad. at least. Arthur maintained
his reputation. Powderly lost whatever reputa-
ton he had as q leader some time ago. If
evidence of this were required the present con
dition of the Knights of Labor might De cited.
Arthur was sturdy of frame quick of compre
hension. possessed of - strong will ard inn
capacity tor work Added to his natural
intelligence was wide experience His posi-
ton brought him in contact with some of the
brightest minds OF the country. and the knowi-
edge gained through such contact WAS never
thrown away upon him. Powderly. on the other
hand, was never Arthur's equal either In general
experience or in his KNOWLEDGE of men;
physically he was not his EQUAL. and his capacity
for work uninjurrd by mania for details
ambitious persons Powderly also lacked will
Like a certain unpleasant locality. he may be
paved with good Intentions but the belief that
he is not always suggested by his actions.
1t may that the success of Arthur aud
failure Of Powderiy as leaders due, in pat
at least. to their couuSelorS. when Powderlv
has ATTEMPTED to manage strike-a railroad
strike for instance-he. machnst. has been
advised by shop-keeper. a truck driver. coal
miner, an axe-maker. and representatives OF onaI
two other trades Among his immediate adj
there
been surprised that strikes so managed have not
been successful. All was fish that came to his
net, ana the same men who. under his direction.
managed or, rather, msmanaged railroad
strike, managed or msInanaFed strikes of
carpet weavsrs' or o. cotton Ionera-
shoremen. Arthur. the head OF labor
ganization, has discounteuaneed strikes He
has never considered it necessary to denounce
employers as the natural foes of labor. His
relations with those whom Powderly is prone to
call the capitalistic classes have gener-
ally been pleasant In short. Arthur has not
been to play the denagogua. He
discovered that it far easier gain his
point by remaining friendly terms with what
ne might jokinGly term the enemy than by atti-
tudiniZing with a sword in one hand and gun
in thee other That he was on friendly terms
with railroad corporations was not considered
irrefutable evidence of his un1tness for his po-
sition by the Brotherhood The latter was salts
fed 80 long he guarded its interests and
long it Was protected it was matter of no
consequence to the Brotherhood if Arthur dined
six times week with railroad presidents. That
Arthur has made few mistakes is mainly owing
to the fact that he confined himself strictly TO
managing business of which he master
He is locomotive engineer. When members
os his organization have complained of i'm
proper treatment aud have laid their grievances
before him they we're confident that he would
secure redress. The railroads too, have felt that
action would be taken by him until their side
of the case had been considered.
IL has been the boast of the Brotherhood that
il had not been engaged in q strike since 1871
That such was fact was not due entirely to the
character OF the organization Fine as its una
teriRl. generally speaking, IL. the Brotherhood
has its hot heads. The latter have occasionally
made demands that railroad corporation
would willingly eoneede. But for eleven years
such demands failed to originate strike. The
credit for this belongs to Arthur. Every mem
Der of the Brotherhood is not cognizant OF the
methods of their leader. To many il is simply
known that Arthur has generally managed to
secure his point They do not all know that he
has gained more victories by concession than by
aggression. His method has not besn TO make
certain demands aud insist upon their
concession He has been always ready
TO split the difference. Even in his con
ference with the Chicago. Burlington 81
Quincy officials he prepared 20 compromise.
Unfortunately for HMM the light of subse-
quent events-the railroad did not care to dis
the matter fully. The demands of the enei-
neers they would not grant Arthur had no
expectation that they would. N-ither had he
any intention OF accepting the old terms. He
would have been quite willing. Judging by his
settlement of similar differences. TO compromiss
by accepting less than the demand but more
than the offer. In word. he Eas willing TO
split the difference and might have achieved
peaceful settlement had the railroad off,
oias maintained thrir tempers well as he
did. Not many wseks ago he had made an
agree meat with another railroad corporation
snch as he would have been satisfied TO duplicate
with the Chicago. Burlington & Quincy. In
that Gaze the demands of the men had not been
granted. bng the company bad agreed TO in
crease their wages The whole question bad
been amicably discussed Arthur and his col
lengues had worked earnestly TO secure the de-
ma md hsk~ MANI had raff-n al anti
but limited that il WAS willing to increase rates
reasonably. ThLa Waa MI that Arthnr and his