The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-07-14
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CHICAGO, July 1O.-Knights o
Labor throughout the country
numbering nearly 100000 men
have been called upon to strike fol
the cause Of organized labor. Gen
eral Master Workman Sovereign
issued an order late this evening
to all members of the organization
to quit work until the conflict
originated in the strike of the Pull
man employees shall have beer
settled. Following il the :ext o
the order:
CHICAGO, July 10. To The
Knights Of Labor Of America =
Greeting:-A crisis has been
reached in the affairs Of this nation
that endangers the peace of the re.
public. Every fibre in our civil
structure is strained to the break.
ing point. The shadows of fac
tional hatred hover over our fair
land with terrible forebodings. The
arrogant lash of superiority is be-
ing applied by the corporations
with relentless fury, and the chasm
between the masses and the classes
is growing deeper and wider with
each succeeding day. If peace is
restored and this nation saved from
acts repulsive to the conscience Of
all christian people, there must be
wise action, and that quickly.
Sincerely believing that the
flames of discord are being pur.
posely famed by the railway cor.
porations at the risk Of the life Of
the government, l take the liberty
of appealing to you and through
you to the conscience of the whole
people, imploring you to lay down
the implements of toll for q short
season, and under the banner Of
peace, and with patriotic desire
to promote the public welfare, use
the power of your aggregated mum.
bers, through peaceable Assem-.
blages, to create . healthy public
sentiment in favor of an amicable
settlement of the issues growing
out of the recent strike of the Pull
man employees, and you are fur
Their requested not to return to
your usual avocations until q set
element of the pending trouble 10
made known to you through some
authentic source. In the present
strained relations between corpor-
atoms and the employees is in
volved a principle near and dear to
all American citizens, the right Of
labor to present its grievances to
the owners and representatives OF
corporate capital.
The Pullman Palace Car Com
pany refused to arbitrate the diff
ferences between itself and its en-
ployees, on the ground that cars
were built below cost, and therefore
there was nothing to arbitrate.
But the conclusion of every I'm.
prejudiced mind must be that if
such were the true facts it could
have nothing to fear at the hands
of an arbitration committee.
But the Pullman Car Comany
goes further in its autocratic policy
than a refusal to arbitrate. 1t has
refused to join with the business
men and the Board of Aldermen Of
Chicago in a committee to discuss
the question as to whether there is
to arbitrate or not, and
behind this autocratic policy stands
the Managers Association of the
railway corporations, backed by
the United States army as aiders
and abettors of this social crime.
Suppose the Pullman Company
had invited organized labor to ar
bitrate and organized labor had
declined the invitation and refused
to discuss the question as to
whether there was anything to ar
bitrate or not, it is needless to say
that a wave of popular indignation
would obliterate labor organiza-
tions from the face of this contin-
ent, and no more could be formed
for the next Fifty years. The stigma
of such . position would follow
every name connected with organ
lied labor to the grave. But in the
present crisis the corporations,
whose wealth has been created by
labor, take the position that they
are prior and choke their creator.
Like the brigands of old they rob
the laboring masses and employ
the sword and the bludgeon and
set up . throne on the bones OF
the vanquished and declare their
divine right to rule over the bal.
ance of mankind.
The Pullman Company claims,
Notwithstanding the wages of their
employees we're reduced to the
starving point, there il nothing to
arbitrate because cars have been
built 1t = loss, yet it neglects to
state that the stock of the company
has been watered three times over
and that the company has not only
been able to pay its regular div
idends on water and all, but that