Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-12


CARNATIONS that appealed to the governor
to issue a pardon. To one who knows how
easily such petitions are railroaded through
of such organizations are trivial matters.
He says the American Federation Of Labor.
representing SO0. 900 toilers. also petitiened-
can Federation itself claims on paper. And
like the politicians before an election, fts
claims are large enough. The American
Federation Of Labor Is Q close corporal ton
and Is ring ridden. No stronger proof Of
that statement Is needed than the fact that
the same officers are reelected wear after
year. There might be some exten uation for
that fact II the officers were men Of ex-
ceptional abilities and possessed Of rare
qualifications as leaders of men. 1t Is now
almost universally accented as an axiom
that II one clique controls an organization
for q long series Of years there IL ring rule
and corruption in the body. II Mr.. Gompers
should crack his whip and say pass q reso-
luton asking for the pardon OF the Hay
market anarchists it would be done without
question; And anyth n OF that sort tnst
do would not strike me speechless with awe.
for / would understand that such action
the frO work rho OF the
the sentiment of all the thousands in that
loose ointed federation.
II there is anything that the Knights Of
Labor will not ask it must be something
rare in the realm Of nondescripts. As
close and exciting race with che hobbies
that are being ridden so hard bv simpson.
Waite. Lease and Llewelling. The Knights
ant as they were formerly. And now I
am reminded that Mr.. Powderly who was
a self-constituted delegate to the late sill
knights Of Labor In the east We're in favor
Of the free coinage Of silver. He lid not
tell the convention anything about the
means he employed to ascertain the exact
number who are free-cofnage knights. hor
did he add that while membership OF
100000 was claimed In a general way at the
time of the late general assembly In real
fty there were less than G. 100 good knights
and true In the order. In fact, II has teen
on the toboggan slide ever since the great
the il-efrects of ring rule. 1t Is notorious
that secret cabals have controlled the leg
islation and election Of officers in that body
for many years past. Many noble. lofty
minded men have tried to rise In the or
der and to work in its ways for the good
of mankind. but whenever their abilities
highest positions Tn the organization the
sinister coterie that paid homage to Pow
out And how Powderiy Is going ITO to
retire as general master workman and TAX e
up the practice of law. which reminds me-
further. that after a man has sucked q
lemon dry the most natural thing IN the
world for him to do is to toss 1t away.
The correspondent says: Mr.. Kennedy
being brought under the contempt of the
American people, yet In another Part Of
MS long article he declares that the work
ingmen constitute the vast majority Of the
people
Voting strength of Labor Orsani.n-
ti0ns.
Well, now, let US see II there Is anything
wrong with that statement 1t must be
borne in mind that when expressing q fear
that labor would be brought under the pub
lie contempt for lauding Altgeld l had ref
erence only to organized labor. and later on
said the workingmen. organized and un-
organized, constitute the vast majority Of
the people," Now less than per cent of
the voters of America are in the ranks Of
organized labor. So 1t will be seen that 1t
Is not out OF the question for that small
percentage OF workingmen to bring them
selves under public contempt II they per-
sist in making themselves obnoxious, as
many of them have been doing ever since
the anarchists.
The men who are manufacturing and d.
recting the wave Of anarchistic sympathy
in trades unions must not delude them
selves with the idea that they are the pub
lie or that they can make public sentiment.
c rney make r great noise; but the " per
are doing a great deal Of thinking. and in
the end 1t viii be found that oFsa nised la
Dor has not profited by strayinG after false
gods There are no doubt thousands and
thousands in organized labor who utterly
repudiate the un-American spirit which has
rorism which labor fakirs know SO we'll
how to work up has held them In restraint
and prevented an honest expression Of
opinion. There Is such a thing patriot
ISM as love of country. of law and order
in the breasts of thousands OF the Ameri-
can workingmen who are organized
Trades unions have a strong hold on them,
and it's well it should be 30 II the unions
will but keep In their proper sphere. But
their country has their first allegiance.
The first impulse Of their hearts IL to honor
their flag and to love and cherish their
country's institutions. knowing full well
that in this plenteous land. under our be-
be the sure reward of brave hearts, noble
minds and strong arms-the anarchists and
all the ism cranks In creation to the con-
trary Notwithstanding.
j. L. KENNEDY.