New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-16
LABOR ORGANIZATIONS.

Another and most instructive page in the
long history Of labor organizations has been
| turned 1t recorded the rise, decline and
| almost complete collapse of the knights Of
Labor. Embracing at one time three quarters
OF million Of Jealous and paying members, il
found in its iapd growth the cause of sure and
swift decay. Great numbers had been added
to its ranks who were not instructed in It's
principles nor imbued with the spirit of its
best leaders. They quickly began to use the
organization for purposes and in ways hostile
to the convictions Of It's best members. Lead
erS congenia! to the more violent and reyou-
tionaIy element were selected in some sections.
and they plunged the organization into strug-
giles which were at once hopeless and runous.
Each defeat and disaster weakened lis mem
belShip, until now it is supposed that less than
a quarter OF its former force remains. and even
that residue lacks interest, confidence or hearth
ness Of cooperation.
So there passes over the stage, presently to
vanish from sight another of the long process
sion If labor organizations which have prom
i>ed to degenerate industry, but have failed to
accomplish enough to pay the expense Of their
maintenance. Ii is indeed a long procession
anu Has Dtcu pd'nlllE lOI lulllN years OF more
and the end is not yet. But common family
resemblance distinguishes all these a~socia-
tons. They are biggest near the beginning
and taper of into HOthingne>S. Almost a the
outset each become, powerful. when muiudeS
Of workers are persuaded that the long sought
means Of Iegeneratng industry have been
found at last. soon each begins TO disappOint
lis supporters. Each in turn falls into the con
troll Of men not entirely wise nor entirely self
sacrificing. Each in tldu becomes involved in
fatally mistaken struggles. and loses the con-
fdence oi friends Then each in turn is grad
uay forsaken. left to die for want of support
and deserted for some later device. Just now
the Federation Of Labor appears to be the
growing organizations but unless all experience
deceiyes, that in its turn will ere long at tempt
a wrong thing Or an impossible thing, and then
It's decline will cone.
The secret Of this long succession Of failures
is to be found in the fact that the workers seek
To accomplish for an entire class OF men. good
and bad alike. results which can only be de-
served. aud in the long run can only be at
tanned by individual qualifications and merits
They endeavor 10 ignore differences between
men Of the same occupation and to have all
treated and paid Is if all we've Of equal eff
cheney and value to employers The very the
oly is false. The best and utmost gain in
hours, treatment or wages by any organiz-
ton representing great body OF men, good
and bad alike is but small compared with what
each industrious, careful aud faithful man can
gain for himself. Any such man can make his
work worth more than three times that OF some
other person in the same occupation-not by
putting in more hours, but by putting in more
thought, pains and zeal for the success Of the
enterprise. But no organization ever has in
creased or ever can expect b increase the wages
Of all It's adherents threefold. The willing and
the slilful must inevitably lose something in