The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-10-03
TIE ISSUE JOINED.

The New York Central Railway COM
pany has finally declared itself as regards
that particular branch of 'organized labor''
known as the knights of Labor. Vice
President WEBB, under whose immediate
supervision and direction the road is oper-
ate0, has issued a circular to the heads of
departments virtually commanding them
to discharge knights and employ no other
members of that society. He is frank
enough to give his reasons for this radical
departure, saying that the management of
b. the road does not think that membership
in the organization is consistent with
faithful and efficient service inasmuch as
the Knights are liable at anytimeto prevent
the company from discharging its duty to
the public. OF course this circular will be
obeyed, and all knights of Labor will here
after be rigidly excluded from the service of
the great railway company which has
heretofore had on its payroll between
1900 and 1900 members of the organization
named. The issue having been made the
public generally viii not be uninterested
spectators of the contest. We are free to
predict that the railway will win, not be-
canse of its wealth and power, but for the
reason that it is right in the stand that it
has taken. Its late experience furnishes
the very best possible justification for the
course that it is now taking. We are not
saying that there are no worthy and faith
full men among the knights. There are as
good men in that organization as in any
other; but the order is so badly managed
and controlled as to make it untrust-
worthy, danger to employers and an
enemy to the public if not to the Individual
members of the association. A few weeks
ago the Central discharged some of its en-
ployees for various causes, among Them
being incompetency, neglect of duty and
intemperance. 1t so happened that these
men were Knights, though their member
ship in the organization cut no figure
in their discharge. The leaders, however
the lazy loafers and blatherskltes who are
living in luxurious idleness at the expense
of the poor, misguided toilers, stepped in
and made an impudent demand upon the
management Of the company, which de-
mand was not complied with, as the Central
was dealing with individual employees and
not with men who had no connection with
the road. Thereupon the leaders called
out nearly three thousand men, and did
their utmost to iniure the company and
prevent it from performing its duty to the
public. To certain extent they succeeded,
for the strike cost the Central immensely
and the public was greatly incommoded.
Under the circumstances the railway
management is taking the popular course
in refusing employment to knights of
Labor The company's experience has
taught 1t that while Knights may be good
workmen as individuals, they cannot be
trusted so long as they are subject
to the orders of unwise and unprincipled
bosses; that the mems agency being sur
rendered their sense of right and wrong is
gone, so far as their dealings with their
employer is concerned, hence they become
unreliable and dangerous.
OF course the company will win. It
should win, and the Knights in the employ
OF the Central should either withdraw from
their association, or insist upon a reorgan-
ization and the placing of wise and safe
men at the head of the union The New
York Central has never before made war
on organized labor. 1t has never opposed
union labor, and has never questioned men
as to their membership in labor associa-
lions 1t has only asked for faithful and
reliable service. Having demonstrated
that knights, as at present governed, cannot
be relied upon, the company discriminates
against them, but continues to employ
union men. The decent knights should be
pleased with this action which gives them
all opportunity TO escape from an organiza-
ton which is an injury to them.