Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-03
THE FEDERATION AND rHE KNIGHTS.
An Answer From Plate Prtuters 10 ~
Po~derfy's Statements
TO the Editor % The Evening Sta

An Answer Prom Plate Printers 10 Mr..
Po~derfy's Statements.
To the Editor Of The Evening star:
In, this mornings Posi- there appears an
article headed ''Powderly Aggrieved" In the
article Gen. II. W. Of the Knights Of labor ~
serts that none OF the interviews, reports or
statements which have from time 20 time ap-
peared in the public press have emanated from
the general officers or any person under their
jurisdiction" Then why is il We read Of inter
views and conversations without number In
which Messrs. Powderly, Hayes. Derlin and
Cavanaugh are quoted as authority for articles
appearing almost hourly in the daily papers1
As regards Mr.. Powderlys assertion that he
holds over Maj. Mckinley's signature proof Of
Secretary Fosters untruthfulness regards
the interview at Mansfield between senator
sherman, Maj. Mckinley and Secretary Foster.
Why does not Mr.. Powderly produce this docu-
ment, or is il in this, in former cAscs whore
Mr. r. Is interested. a Of Il wish hsd7'
Mr Powderly asserts that satisfactory con-
ciusion OF the difficulty had been reached
when Mr. Meredith called into the secretary's
chamber the committee OF printers from the
bureau. Inc card which announced their
arrival bore this inscription: "A delegation
from the Gompers Federation OF Labor desires
to be heard before an agreement is arrived at
with the knights Of Labor" and further that
they had been called away from their
| ''machines at IL a. m. and drilled
by MIR. Meredith as to their
conduct and speech before the Secretary. As
matter of fact Capt. Meredith did not call the
men from their machines" nor did he know
their business, or where they were going. Az
| 20 coaching them as TO how they shoald act
this same committee had had frequent inter
views with Secretary Foster. and no CON-
plant had ever been made 20 their conduit
while In the Secretary Office. This accusation
might apply 70 I. V. Powderly and some of his
| henchmen, but never TO representatives Of the
American Federation of Labor. Tue card Of
application for an interview not written BY
any OF the committee, but by one OF the Of
Metals OF the Secretary's Office. Mr.. Powderly
knows this morning without a shadow Of doubt
that the committee quickly learned 10 what
organization they belonged.
As to Secretary Foster snatching from the
hands of Mr.. Devlin some papers, WITH the re-
marks attributed to him. think Mr. Fowderly
Will fnd some difficulty in convincing the pub
lie OF the truthfulness OF this Then follows
what purports 20 be Mr.. Devlin's reply, IF it
is to be a night, L guess we can do little Of that
ourselves" They have had their inning and
they did a little fighting, and very little.
Further on the Secretary is made to say
he would have to send for Mr.. Gompers-
The Secretary did not send for Mr..
Gompers. The business committee of the Plate
Printers Protective Union. No. 5O4l, A r. Of
L.. through their chairman, sent for Messrs
Gompers and Evans. This was done after re-
peated assertions by the h. of l. representa-
tives that the p. z. Z. Union could not bring
them here. This is true. We do not hold .
| drawing string our general officers
as the members of the K. Of L. seem
TO do. Our organization has q member
/ ship; We not handful Of men
| Consequently our general officers have much
| travelling in different sections Of the country.
There is a vast difference between managing an
| organization of SOC, 900 members aud one Of
| 10000. Mr.. Powderly no DOUBT realizes this
fact, as the knights of Labor have dwindled
| from hundreds Of thousands TO an insignificant
number under the management and control Of
| Mr.. Powderly.
In this same connection Mr.. E. L. Jordan 10
reportei Ne saying: The Federation Of Labor
In the bureau created for the purpose Of
| killing the influence of the Knights Of Labor
| and Its charter was secured by men who were
| expelled and suspended from the knights. IL
is now beng used by men IN the bureau who
| have axes TO grind. Mr.. Andrew Schofeld, the
| inventor OF a steam press, intended to sup
plant the hand presses and expects to see his
presses used as reward for his work"
This is untrue, but if true Mr.. E L. Jordan
| Is the last man who would know of it, We
| defy Mr.. Jordan to show to any responsible
man an appointment from Secretary Foster 10
| a position in the bureau. As to the member
ship Of the Knights Of Labor in the state OF
DINO, they have less than 5000 in the entire
state, while the American Federation has more
members In TIE cities Of Cincinnati or Cleveland
| than the knights Of Laborhavein the entirestate'
| Now that the question has been finally settled
by the Secretary that justice and equity should
| rule In the employment Of printers in the bu-
reau we hope to hear less of this fellow Jordan,
hoping that he may be given grace sufficient 10
Zee the error of his ways
Respectfully,
| A. B. ScHoFrELD,
| c. b. SMITH
4 SAM I. ScHoTrLp.