Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-07-17
LANCASTER, PA, July II, 1889.
PaMdcrly 70 Carhin.

the various corporations w1lcn ne rules.
Mr.. Powderly as the head OF the knights
Of Labor, could not view with COM
placency such a policy but Mr.
Powderly's opinion as the head of this
organization Is not rs potential as 1t
would be II his organization had shown
better title than IL has done to public
confidence. Mr.. Powderly s organization
lacks the vitality due to harmony. The
aim IL has of uniting labor In self pro-
lection is good, but the success which
has followed it's effort has not been
great. The Corbns have fought 1t
and often won its members have
kicked in its traces and the
labor of the country has not proven
rs yet to the country that it is capable
OF harmonious union, and has neither
inspired confidence in its ability to re-
spect itself nor made the men who seek
TO oppress il afraid of the undertaking.
Mr.. Austin Corbin has been noted
champion in the lists against the
Knights, and he has borne them 10 the
ground, though they have been aided by
public sympathy aroused against the
very dishonorahle methods used against
them Mr.. Corbin in his minor tilt
against labor at the Reading iron works
will doubtless again be successful, at
least upon the surface, as the labor of
the Schuylkill Valley seems to have lost
all its spirit and TO be ready TO promise
anything under the measure of its dire
need. 1t is not very good showing for
the industry of the valley, which it cx-
hibits in state so depressed as to offer
no recourse TO labor but the acceptance of
employment on any terms. 1t is the
worst paid labor in the state n dollar to
it looks ms big as cart wheel.
Would il not therefore be well for Mr..
Powderly, while denouncing Mr. Corbin,
to see whether there is not something
nearer home that IL would be more pro
fitable to him To score? We freely admit
Corbin's badness. We do not see that
il is right in him To refuse TO employ or
ganized labor, when he uses himself
combination with other corporations
whenever it suits his purpose. But in
this exposition of his principles, Mr..
Corbiis simply makes the frankly brutal
combines to advance his aims when il
suits him to do 80, and forbids his em-
ployes to do likewise because il suits
him to do SO, and he can make them
obey.
IL Is to the latter point that we direct
Mr.. Powderly's attention. As long as
his Knights Of Labor obey Corbiu rather
,., ,,hn L.; l..
organization to earn Mr.. Corhin's dol
lars, he will readily see that he will
make small headway in stopping Cor
bins work. The problem for him to
solve Is TO preserve the loyalty OF the
laborer to the labor organization. And
can he do it with the starving laborcr 4?
II is essential for him therefore TO bank
his organization dollars against Mr..
.4orbin's; to do which hc must get the
dollars to do which he must get the
employed lahorers to support the un-
employed all of which is his theory
but not seemingly the practice. The
supporting laborers are lacking. They
have wearied of the cost and have fallen
out among themselves and 80 have fal.
bundle Of sticks has looeeued. The cohe,
sion of the mass has been inferior to that
Of the individual and 50 the evil mind
ed Corbin, master of many corporation,
that swing at his single will, has labor at
his feet to all appearances.
We say in appearance, because tho
reality is somewhat different and the
ROT nf Ii
will control the situation, will be likely
to disturb Mr.. Corbin's fair sailing. II
is not probable that the labor he employs
Is not connected with labor organizations
whatever il pretend. Ii doubtless lies
when 1t suits it as freely as the biggest
railroad president may do.
But fslsehood is not sound foumda.
tion for great and noble cause. II is
the refuge of the oppressed and the
weapon of the oppressor. II is not a
real help to the cause that is entitled tc
live by its virtue. such cause is that
OF labor. 1t is the theory of this gov
ernment and the proclamation of the
politicians that labor should rcceiy,
within its borders an adequate reward
This is the fundamental aim of goot
Democratic government, which woulC
check the undue growth of wealth Will,
encouraging industry and causing labo
to earn a reward adequate To comfortabl,
maintenance
The labor organizations are distinctly
in line with this Democratic doctrine il
organizing labor TO defend il against th
nf Il ,,4+.. 4.
seliishly seek to get labor at its loves
price. Some day these labor efforts ma,
have better success than now attend
them but ii will be when the laborer i
more intelligent and better able 10 yiel,
himself TO the bond Of the common in
terest.
Mr.. w. Il. Lewis, who is probabl,
the ablest of the labor leaders Of III,
country, il to-day announced 10 have re
signed his Office as secretary of th
Miners National Progressive Union
because he finds such union i'm
practicable at present. even among til
single class of laborers with whom u,
has been associated, coal miners. An,
II real and harmonious union canno
be had among one class, what hope cal
there he of securing il among all classe
Of lsborers
Yet Is IL not strange that labor shoul,
be thus weak IN a democratic govern
meht, where one mans vote counts a
another's aud where the solid labor vot
could control the government Wha
spell Is II that benumbs the power G
this great interest aud permits il To u
divided and conquered? Doubtless it
we'll thai IL is 40. far tho Ioh,r i,,,.