Omaha daily bee., 1890-11-12
KNIGHTS ARE NOT HAMPERED.
They Pay Their Money and May Choose {
High or Low Tariff.
so SAYS MASTER WORKMAN PoWDeRLY
why the New York Central Strike
Was a Failure-PowderIy's Corre-
spondcnce with Lee What
He Really Said.

DENVER, Colo, Nov. 1.-THE general as
sembly Of the knights Of Labor convened this
morning with about 200 delegates present.
General Master Workman Powderly read the
annual address, after which the assembly ad-
iourned until tomorrow. A public reception
was rendered the delegates this afternoon, at
which several thousand people assembled
Powdcry, in his annual speech, touching
upon the economic policy of the government,
said In part; "We have not, as an ORDER
adopted the tariff or anti tariff clause in our
preamble and do not advise such q thing
now. We should, however, throw open the
doors Of our assemblies for the discussion Of
this great problem so that members may be-
come educated in the basic principles Of pro-
lection and free trade. l recommend that on
and after January next it shall
be permissible for local assemblies
to discuss the question which will
bring the greatest good to the greatest num-
ber-high tariff or free trade. Thus we do
not commit the order to either school, and yet
allow our members to take up for discussion
and agitation the vital question. Upon the
question of maintaining legislative commit
tees, Powderly thought if the assembly de-
cided to maintain them it should also decide
what measures they shall advocate; how far
they may go, and with whom they may COOP
gitlmate prey of every faction and political
party. Mr.. Powderly dwelt at length upon
the New York Central strike. He said in
part: "Individual effort in the direction Of
the amelioratng the conditions that were not
easy OF endurance had proved abortive. Pub
lie officials were appealed to here and there,
but nothing ever came OF it. The public
press, from Buffalo to New York, was, with
but few honorable exceptions, under the in-
fuence of the Vanderbilt system, with the
chosen servitors of the public travelling
on passes; with editors of papers along the
road subsidized in the same manner it be-
came impossible for workmen to get the pub
lie ear, or place their grievance before the
officials of the company without subjecting
themselves to dismissal.
Referring to the visits of the committees Of
men to railway officials Powderly said: 1.-The
idea OF meeting on level OF equality with
the empIoyes for the purpose Of discussing
the terms of agreement was repngnant to
the men whose aristocratic tendencies were
given birth beneath the shadow of the house
of Vanderbilt, and the means to put stop to
these opportunities were sought for. The
plan OF picking off the spokesman in order to
terrify others was resorted to and one after
another was discharged in the hope that the
lesson would be Of practical value to the COM
pany in terrofizing the rank and tile.n
Referring to his cores pondence with Mas
ter Workman Lee, Powderly said: "Many
malicious persons and papers presumed to in
terpret my language as being in favor
OF a conspiracy to get up a strike either
during the presidential year or when
the worlds fair was in progress. What
said was that if the organization could be
kept up until the worlds fair the New York
Central would not be able to refuse any just
concession Those who saw conspiracy in
that sentence would, If they We're just, say
that no just concession should be refused in
| any year. l am opposed to strikes, my
| views on the subject are well known; but if
| men are to gain anything they must be or
| ganized. They must be prepared to strike,
| even though we never do it. If we must
| have strikes, then we should prepare for
themand not allow every subordinate to rush
| the order into them at O moments notice
| without preparation. If 1898 should be the
| best year to gain what is just and right and
| proper for labor and fiat refusal should be
given, that would be the best year to strike
and not at time when no preparation has
| been made. During the New York Central
| strike we had an opportunity to learn who
our friends were among newspapers and
| found they were exceedingly few. We We're
| given quantities of counsel, warning and cen =
sure. Many papers friendly to us did not
| seem to understand the situation or
necessities of the men who worked for low
| wages Since the Central strike ended there
| were rumors of another on the Erie and the
| papers began to show there was 10 necessity
for a strike on that road for the managers
| and workmen were working in harmony.
| There will always be harmony between en-
| plOyer ana elnpoye Wnen tne 1Ofmer mas III
| in his power to dictate what an employe shall
eat, drink and wear. When the employer
| has the monopoly Of the market he has also
| the monopoly Of harmony that some of our
papers prate about so much. We see the
editor of New York paper ana president
Of the New York Central railroad operat-
ing" the raising of funds to feed
| men and women in Ireland who have
been robbed through exactly the same dia-
bolical system that is now beginning to rob
the workmen Of America That which is
found worthy of praise in the Irish workman
who strikes against injustice is damned in
| his brother in America, when he asks enough
to keep his children.out of the poor house. In
order to prevent strikes, we must make every
| preparation to make them successful when
entered upon, and legislation in that direction
! must be enacted at this session or your com
ing general officers must be given to under
| stand that under no circumstances must they
take part in strikes of any kindn
Mr.. Powderly advocated equal rights fol
| both sexes, the acceptance of the invitation
| to send delegates to the next farmers alliance
convention; cooperation of the Knights of
Labor with the various railroad organizations
| in the work of federation.