, 1890-11-12
p0WDERLY's ADDRESS,.
ia Advises Knights to Discuss
the Tariff Question.
talks About the Late New
York Central Trouble.
Is Opposed to Strikes, But
Would Win
By Always Being Prepared
for Them

DESyER, Colo, Nov. 1.-The general
,sembly of the Knights of Labor con-
,.ned this morning with about 200 dele
s,tes present. General Master Work
nan Powderly read his annual address.
,her which the assembly adjourned until
,o-morrow. A public reception waS
rendered the delegates this afternoon at
which several thousand people assembled.
PowderlY, in his annual report, touch
ing on the economic policy Of the govern
ment, said in part: We have not, as an
order. adopted a tariff or anti-tarif clause
in our preamble and l do not advise such
thing. We should, however. throw
men the doors Of our assemblies for the
DISCUSSION Of this great problom so the
members may become educated in the
priDciples of protection and free trade.
recommend that on and after the LIST OF
January next it shall be permissible for
heal assemblies to discuss the question
which will bring the greatest good to the
greatest number, high tariff OF free trade.
Thus we 90 not commit the order to
either school and yet allow our members
70 take up for discussion aud agitation
that vital question.
Upon the question OF maintaining leg
islative committees, Powderly thought If
40 assembly decided to maintain them it
should also decide what measures they
shall advocate, how far they may 20 and
with whom they might cooperate; 80 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 direction
o. smehorating conditions that were
not easy Of endurance had proved abor-
tive. Public officials were appealed to
here and there, but nothing ever came of
it, The public press, from Buffalo to
New York was, with but with few honor
able exceptions, under the influence of the
Vanderbilt system. With the chosen ser
wants OF the public travelling on passes.
with the editors OF the papers along the
road subsidized in the same manner, 1t
became impossible for workmen to get
the public ear or place their grievances
beture the officials of the company with
out subiecting themselves to dismissal.
Referring to the visits of committees OF
The nep to the railway officials Powderly
SAID: The idea of meeting on the level
OF equality with the employees for the pur-
pose OF settling differences shocked these
people OF arIstocratic tendencies, and
means to put a stop TO these opportunities
we're sought for. The plan Of picking
OF the spokesman in order to terrify
the others was resorted to. and one after
another was discharged in the hope thai
the lesson world be Of practical value to
the company in terrorizing the rank and
6le."
Referring to his correspondence with
Master Workman Lee, Powderly says:
Many malicious persons and papers pre-
sumed to interpret 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 | saidtwas that if the organization
could be kept up until the Worlds Fair
the New York Central would not be
able TO refuse n just concession.
Those who saw conspiracy in that sentence
would. if they were Just, say thai that no
Just concession should be refused in my
year. i am opposed to strikes; my views
on the subject are well known; but if men
are to gain anything they must be
organized; they must be prepared to
strike though we never do it. If we
must have strikes. then We should prepare
Tor them and not allow subordinates to
rush the order into them at a moments
notice without preparation. In 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
alta time when no preparation has been
made.
During the New York Central strike
Q had opportunity TO learn who our
friends were among the newspapers and
found they were exceedingly few. We
were given quantities of counsel. warning
and ensur Many papers friendly to us
did not seem to understand the situation
or necessities OF men who worked for low
wages. Since the Central strike was
ended there were rumors OF another on
the Erie, and the papers began to show
there was no necessity for a strike on that