The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-04-04
POWDERLY TO THE KNIGHTS.
Forclble and Earnes, Arguments Against Going
on strikes.

Forcible and Earnest Arguments Against GoinS
on strikes.
General Master Workman Powderly, in
the Journal OF United Labor, issues q
spccia, cal! 10 the members Of the Knights,
asking several questions Of importance and
ceitcra1ing his fogcible opinions regarding
strikes, coadcmning them as harmful 10 the
vital interests OF the order and occasions 10
DC iuia!Sel il only as resort wheu:!loihcr
n,raas lave failed Regarding the seceS-
sionS from the kai9htly ranks, Mr.. Pow
derly says: . II caGno: DC wondered al that
when they discovered that The o:!ier could
not support every scheme they had il view
they droppc; out, dishcaricned and dis,
gustcd They were not schoolcd IN the
principles of tie or!er and blame The organ
izatiGn, in their despair. for their present
Ills. Their departure did not weaken the
order as much as their admission.
NOT 4 SUCCESS At STRIKES.
Continuing, Mr.. Powde-!y says: ct has
been said ll!:t the ort!c: Of thc kniShts oI
Labor is not a success at managing strikes.
Will admit that is rue, alG viii prove
from the record ihat The order Was not
founded TO aid, encourage or engage in
strikes An examination OF the twenty-five
sections of the preamble will fail TO show
wherein the word strike finds favorable
mention After considering the Matter.
yoGr Master Workman asks OF the assem-
biicS t. give an expression OF their Views 10
him he requires assistance anG now goes
direct 10 the highest tribunal Of knlgiith0oI
the order a. large--tO ask what ne Shall
do. lie does MOI ask the views OF assemblies,
districts, fictions. but OF tic rank and illc.
From the 9th OF September | have written,
talked against and opposed strikes. be-
iievc they we're ruincGs under the old SyS
lem: they are doubiy So today. Years ago
whca strike took place on railroad OF il
4 mMu,fac:ory il was carried Oh between
the men and employer. To-day when y
strike takes place :hc manufacturer may
belong t. = trust and may actually realize
profit, While those engaged ii the Strike are
starving. Poo,s, combinations and truss
are the union Q: capital against which
unions OF laAor.are pitlied. The one with
millions at his back can and does lie Idle
anti starvation docs lis work aud c0mpclS
the men to 60 back.
FIGHTING AGAINST COMBINATIONS.
III u 4CiCib.c l''t'tS. "tiD!i ci VIC Ic4'Ht4
nacnccs Of strikes he says: 'INh"t combi-
natiou Of huugry men coaid fight battle
against a combination of-Jo!lars? When Il
workman ce;,ses to earn, MS stomach feels
It and unless charity IS given hc st&lvcS.
Lay a gold dollar on :: shelf and at the esd
Of a decade il is rs bright and useful us ever;
it has LOST nothing from idlcncss; the dollar
is supreme We must control the dollar,
curb the power Of money ana kill the trusts,
or they will eXtort The last cent from labor
and kill the people. \ solemn duty rests
With our order for fulfillm3nt. Lei our enc
mies say what tbcy NAY, the Knights OF
l.ab0r stands today among lahoring lnen
tic greatest combination for good in
America.
I've must have legislation which will
compel individuals aad corporations TO
transact business ona basis Of rc;li property,
dollars and cents, instead Of what the world
calls paper credits, or fictitious values. How
can this be done? By whom Will it be done?
Not by strikes, by wasting our energies on
the line of abuse of each other. II cannot be
done bv men who have no higher conccp |
ton of kniehlhood and citizenship than 10
expose themselves and families to the pangs
OF hupgerin suicidal strike. Let the ones
who have felt the pangs Of hunger testify,
and not those who, standing far from the
field Of conflict. say strikes do good. Infor
for labor, men in position are prone
to yield too easily to clamor. The vocal
bully may succeed for 4 time IN creating !
sentiment against the man who refuses to
Yield, but when men find their promises are
not kept they have 4 greater cause for
anger than If they were told what 10 expect
in the beginning.
SUFFERING FAMILIES.
s:Incvcr will hold ou; hope Of assistance
when l am not in possession OF money TO
carry or strike, when the men aud women
upon whom we cust rely are as poor IS
those engaged in the trouble. The General
Master Workman has received his share of
ccnsurc for not encouraging certain strikes.
| never did encourage strike and never
will do So. nor will ever vote TO order q
strike until every known remedy short Of Il
surrender OF manhood of the mcn engaged
has been tried. have waited TWO years for
al opportunity to advise the order on this
question, but never found the labor world
free from strike long enough TO Go so with
out leaving myself open TO the suspicion
that l was opposing the Interests OF some
one who was on strike. Today am cppos-
ing no strikes in particular. This is written
because believe that strikes are weaken
lug the labor movement in America. Cap
ital has discarded its Old methods; labor
still clinSs to her.
Concluding, Mr.. Powderly advocates the
OF an educational branch Gt
Il, .S f