The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-02-29


smiths. at the command of their chiefs. 1t
is true that the Brotherhood men stabbed
the Knights of Labor in the back on the
Southwest system, not only by taking
their places, but by urging them to strike
with a proffer of assistance IL they would
do so. 1t is true the Knights were used as
catspaws by the Brotherhood men in that
struggle, and it is true that many en-
gineers were burned in raking out the
chestnuts for others. 1t is true the Broth
erhood men did take the places OF Reading
men in the strike on that road.
The merits Of the various cases herein
mentioned have nothing to do with the
principle of honor which is involved in all
of them. 1t is to the eternal shame of the
Brotherhood men that they stopped to such
acts of neanness and treachery and un-
manly conduct. A man who takes the
place Of another, when that other is en-
gagged in struggle with corporation, is q
''scab" whether he be member OF the
Knights of Labor or a member Of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.
When Charles Wilson ordered the mem
bers of the Brotherhood to take the places
of the members of the Machinists and
Blscksmiths' Union, in 1872 and 1873, he
did an unmanly and cowardly act. When
Mr.. Arthur allowed members of the Broth
erhood, over which be exercises such dis
ing employees of the Missouri Pacific and
Wabash system, two years ago, he, too,
violated that principle of honor which
should restrain a man when about
to do wrong. 1t mattered not
that the strikes in question were not or.
dered by the chief officers of the knights
OF Labor. If the men who were interested
feel that they were right and take up the
fight as employees, regardless of what or
ganization they belonged to, and on their
own responsibility, they had a right to do
so, and under the laws of the land, the
members Of the brotherhood were not
obliged to make cravens of themselves as
many of them did, both on the Southwest
system and in the Reading strike. The
taking of the mems places was mean and
dastardly.
If these actions were taken with the sane.
tion of the chief of the brotherhood, he too,
is mean and dastardly, but two wrongs
never make q right" and what is mean
and dastardly in a member of the Brother
hood of Engineers cannot become grand
and noble in member OF the order of the
knights of Labor. No knight of Labor
should belittle his manhood by stopping to
such dirty work. If it is the
habit Of the Brotherhood men to
do such work as taking the strikers
places, in heavens name let them have q
monopoly Of it. Knights Of Labor, il you
take my advice, you will stand back and
allow this struggle to go on. Let the
Brotherhood demonstrate its power TO
stand alone without any 'entangllng
alliances with those of other trades" Lst
the past be forgotten in this strike-no
matter how bitter you may feel toward
these men. Remember they have not
stepped out of the rut of selishness yet,
and il is best to teach them what man.
hood means by keeping hands of the
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy strike.
who belong to different organic atoms rush.
ing at each others throats whenever q
strike takes place must be g gratifying
thing for the employers of labor to look at.
1t must indeed give satisfaction to corpOr-
ations to know that neither Knigh Is of Ls-
Dor or Brotherhood men dare in the future
ask for better treatment with any assur-
ance of receiving it. 1t must be consol-
ing thought to the mOnopolist to know his
power il not half so dangerous to the labor
organizations ss the possibility that an
other labor organization will espouse his
cause through revenge.
Labor will forever be bound hand and
foot at the feet of capital so long as the work
iDgmen can be pitted against each other.
No strike should be entered into until the
court of last resort has been reached, until
Tie ldsl tIIOIL CODslSIcnt WII0 mdu0OOQ
has been made, until the heads of the oP.
posing forces on both sides have been
consulted and their verdict given, until
the last bridge been burned between them.
Then, il it was determined that the last
thing possible had been done to avert the
trouble, every detachment of labor's
army-horse, foot and artillery-should be
wheeled into line in defending the rights
of men in the breach. / have never seen
such strike, and never expect to, until
the narrow prejudices OF the past are
buried, until the principles of knighthood
are properly understood. Then we will
have no strikes.
Knights of Labor, from Maine to Cali
fornia, stand back! Keep your hands off.
Let the law of retaliation be disregarded,
and let the men of the Chicago, Burlington
and Quincy Railroad win this strike, If
they can. T. V. PowDERLY,
General Master Workman.