, 1890-11-13
Men Dismissed for Stating
Their Grievances.
POWDERLY STATES HIS POSITION
II 1893 Is the Best Time for q
Successful Strike That Is the
Time for 1t.

'hSio"' puplc reception WAS ten-
dered the delegates this afternoon, at
which several thousand people as
sembed.
Powderly In his annual address,
touching on the economic policy Of
the government said in part:
I'VE have not, as an order adopted
the tariff or anti-taritf clause in our
preamble, and l do not advise such a
thing now. We should, however, throw
open the doors of our assemblies for the
discussion of this great problem, so that
members may become educated on the
basic principles of protection and free
trade. recommend that on and
after january next, II
snail be permissible for local
assemblies to discuss the question which
Will bring the greatest good to the
greatest lumber, high tariff or free trade.
Thus we do not commit the order to
either school, and yet allow our mem
bers the discussion and agitation of the
vital question" On the question ofmain-
tanning legislative committees Powderiy
thought if the assembly decided to main
tain them 1t should also decide what
measures they should advocate. How
far they may go and with whom they
may cooperate, so they may not be
considered the legitimate 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 direc-
ton OF ameliorating conditions that were
not easy OF endurance has proved abor-
tive. Public officials were appealed to
here and there but nothing ever came
OF 1t. The public press, from Buffalo to
| New York, was, with but few honorable
exceptions, under the influence of the
| vanderbilt system, with the chosen SER
wants of the public travelling on passes
with editors of papers along the road
subsidized in the same manner, it became
| impossible for workmen to get
the public ear or place their grievances
! before the officials of the company,
without subjecting themselves to dis
missal.' Referring to the visits of the
committee of the men to the railway
officials, Powderly said "the idea of
meeting on level of equality with the
employees, for the purpose of discussing
the terms OF agreement was repugnant
to men whose aristocratic tendencies
were given birth beneath the shadow of
the house OF Vanderbilt and means to
put stop to their impurities were
sought for. The plan OF dismissing
spokesmen, in order to terrify others,
was resorted to, and one and another
was discharged In the hope that the
lesson would be of practical value to the
company, in terrorizing the rank and
| file"
| Referring to his correspondence with
| Nj Wnrlx I Dnxg1.rlxy
MANY malicious persons and papers
presumed to interpret my language as
being in favor of conspiracy to get
up strike, either during presi-
dental year, or when tue Worlds
fair was in progress. What | said is
that If our 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 con-
spiracy In that sentence would, If they
were just, say that no just concession
should be refused in any year. | am
opposed to strikes. My views on the
subject are we'll known, but if men are
ognin anything they must be organized;
they must be prepared TO strike, even
though We never do 1t. Ii we must have
strikes, then we should prepare for them
and not allow every subordinate TO boss
the order into them at moments
notice without preparation. Ii 1898
should be the best year TO gain what is
| Just and right and proper for labor, that
would be the best year to strike, and not
at II time when no preparations had
been made. During the New York Cen
tral strike we had an opportunity to
learn who our friends were among the
New York papers and found they we're
exceedingly few. Wewere given quanti-
ties of council, warning and censure.
"Many papers friendly to us did not
seem to understand the situation or the
necessity OF men who were worked for
| low wages. Since the Central strike
ended there were rumors OF another on
the Erie and the papers began to show
| that there was no necessity for u strike
ON that road, for the managers and
workmen were working in harmony.
| There will always be harmony between
employer and employe while the former
has II in his power to dictate what the
employe shall drink and wear. When
the employe has monopoly of the
market lie has also q monopoly of the
harmony that the papers prate about SO
much.
The editor of a New York paper and
the president Of the New York Central
a.
fund to feed men and women in Ireland
who have been robbed through exactly
the diubolical system that is now be.
ginning to rob the workmen of America.
That which 10 found worthy Of praise
in the Irish workman, who strikes
against justice, is damned in his
brother in America when ne asks for
enough to keep his children out OF the
poorhouse. In order to prevent strikes,
we must make every preparation to
make them successful when entered
upon, and legislation IN thut direction
must be enacted at this session, or your
incoming general officers must be gwen
to understand that under no circum-
stances must they take part in strikes
of any kind"
Mr.. Powderly advocated equal rights
for both sexes, the acceptance of the
invitation to send delegates To the next
| Farmers Alliance convention, and CO.
operation of knights OF Labor with
various railroad organizations In the
| work OF the federation.
|