The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-01-10

The best interests Of industry win b served
through such organisation. but In the mean.
time we have existing associations to deal with
and must take them as we find them while en-.
deavoring to shape them to better ends.
The attempt to amalgamate all bodies Of or.
Sanized workmen into one centralized body il
not practicable now, and instead of amalga-
nation OF these bodies through their individ.
ual members, their coalition as ORGANIZATIONS
should be the first STEP
1t was the hope that at the recent session Of
the knights of Labor something looking to
ward coalition might be done. With that ides
III view few OF the foremost leaders of thought
IN the labor movement had meeting to dis
cuss ways and means. These men were sin
cere, able. vigilant and honest. They have not
given up the idea and will work it out quietly
II slowly, until others see the question as they
see 1t, or as future developments may shape it
My recommendation to the general assem-
Oily to adjourn without fixing the date of the
next meeting was misunderstood, whether pur.
posely or not l neither know nor care. The
object was to have all other organizations de-
the same and agree to hold their meetings fol
1894 at the same time and in the same city. A,
that time the representatives of all could mee
with each other in the evenings talk matters
over. compare notes and ascertain that the wal
between them was, after all, an imaginary one
During the time they would be in session have
one or more joint sessions. to be called the Ma
tional Council Of Industry, at which only the
future Of labor should constitute the subject
for discussion. having it understood that the
claims of individuals, their prejudices or feel
ings, would not be aired or intruded. Have il
understood that no vote to bind any would b<
passed. If such q step had been taken, believe
that in a few years would know each Othel
30 we'll that all obstacles to harmony and the
great organization of the future would be re-
-
when say a few years" but, Brother Buchan
an. you and l know that the organization OF
labor is like the government Of a nation, and
years in it's existence as hours in the life OF
the individual.
Anyway these are my sentiments, and shall
not give up the hope Of witnessing something
of the kind, better trust. come out of our work
of today. T.V. PowDERLY.
Scranton, Pa.
Twas greatly pleased at receiving the
following letter from William F. Hynes
of Denver. Mr.. Hynesis chairman of the
board of trustees of the grand lodge OF
the Brotherhood Of Locomotive Firemen
a position he has held for several years:
Jos. R. Buchanan:
The Importance the necessity - of al
branches of organized labor coming closer to.
gether cannot be emphasized too strongly. This
necessity is generally admitted-n fact only 8
comparative few are indiffere mt, or perhaps
would oppose an effort in this direction, anG
these few are confined to men who have not
given the situation any serious thought. Labor
has been forced to organize by the aggression
and tyranny of organized capital, and must be
maintained If we desire to avoid the horrors OF
'93.
The many unnecessary divisions of organized
labor have weakened its efficiency and toe
often brought disaster where success in vindi
cation of justice would have been secured
These innumerable divisions induce discorG
and MISUNDERSTANDING. They open the way
to multiply jealousies and create chaos anc
disorder where discipline should have reigned
This Is particularly true in the many unions
societies or brotherhoods where a well estab
lished amity with kindred organizations is moi
maintained. Each must feel and recognize
that the support Of the other cannot be dis
pensed with, and at all times be in such har
mony and touch that such support can be OBJ
tanned when needed, not only admitting and
teaching, but living with the commands Of thai
well founded assertion, IAN injury to one is the
concern Of ALL"
The bringing together of the many element!
can be accomplished without any of it's divi
sions loosing it's identity. The one great cen
trail point around which the entire force of or
ganized labor can rally is the hallot-the mos
powerful weapon by which free people cal
defend their liberties If the army of laborer
cannot will not be solidified to use it, they
before many years, will not have the opportu
nifty. The whole trend of the efforts, the
hopes of consolidated capital, is to reduce The
privileges of the franchise. Once undertaken
it will be pressed with a disregard to constitu
tional rights that only be compared to the
unreasonable if not brutal discrimination thai
corporate greed has made and is making
against unorganiZed labor.
Denver. w. F. HYNEs.
Pursuant to an invitation rendered
by the general executive board of thu
Knights of Labor, the American Fedora
ton elected three representatives to con
fer with a like number of Knights, and
believe it is the intention to invite to the
conference representatives of other in
dustrial organizations. Time and place
for the conferences have not yet beer
named, and it is feared that nothing i'm
portant will come of it when it is held
I am not attempting to discount it's eff
forts in advance, and if the needed move
ment can be started in that way we will
all rejoice. But am sorely afraid thai
all the projectors of the conference had in
view was the making of sort of arms
tice to end the wars between the Knights
and unionists and mutual agreement
to confer through their respective officers
on questions of strikes and boycotts here
after.
do not think sufficient thought was
given to the needs of the hour by either
the Knights or Federation. While there
are among the men named to participate
in the conference some of the ables
champions of labor in the country an6
men in whose integrity have every con
fidence, yet believe that a mistake was
made in a greater part Of the selections
It is freely stated that the quarrels of thu
past have been due to the personal il
feeling existing between the officers o.
the two organizations. Then a confer
ence between these officers is very likely
to have in it too much of suspicion o.
each other, and suspicion which eacl
one may feel fully justified in holding
I believe all good men in the labor move
ment can be brought together; but, as il
now stands, the proposed conference,
grieve to say, is not full of promise.
If, however. the gentlemen canno
agree upon a plan for bringing on tn
new and general movement, they nigh
call congress for that purpose. I fully