Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-07-12
ORDERED OUT.
knights Of Labor Called Upon to
Strike.
Tie FULL TEXT OF The ORDER.


CHICAGO, July ll.-Knights Of Labor
throughout the country, numbering
nearly 1000, 600 men, have been called
upon to strike for the cause Of organ
lied labor. General Master Workman
Sovereign issued an order late last
evening to all members Of the organi.
zation to cease work until the conflict
originating in the strike Of the Pull
man employees shall have been settled.
Following is the text Of the order:
To the Knights Of Labor Of America. Greeting.
CHICAGO, July i0.--A crisis has been reached
In the Affairs Of this nation that endangers the
peace Of the republic. Every hbre In or civil
structure Is strained to the breaking point.
The shadows Of fractional hatred hover over
our fair land with terrible forebodings. The
arrogant lush Of superiority Is being applied BY
the corporations with relentless fury, and
the chasm between the masses and the classes
is growing deeper and wider with each succeed
ing day. II peace is restored and this nation
Is saved from acts rspulsive to the conscience
Of oil Christian people, there must be wise
action, and that quickly.
Sincerely believing that the flames Of discord
are being purposely famed by the railway cor.
porations, OF the risk Of the life OF the govern
ment, take the liberty to appeal to you, and
through you to the conscience Of the whole peo-
pie, implcrlng you TO lay down the implements
Of toll for short season. and under tho banner
Of peace and with patriotic desire to promote
the public welfare, use the power Of your s-
gregated numbers through peacesble assem-.
blages to create healthy public sentiment In
favor Of on amicable settlement Of the issues
growing out Of the recent strike Of the Pullman
employees; and you are further requested not 10
return to your usual avocations until . settle
ment Of the pending troubles IL made known 10
you through some authentic source. In tho
present strained relations between corpora
tlons and their employees Is involvcda principle
near and dear to oil American citizens, the
right Of labor to present Its grievances to tho
owners and representatives Of corporate capl-
tai,
The Pullman Palace Car Co. refused to arbi.
trate the differences between itself and Its en-
ployes on the ground that cars we're built be.
low cost and therefore there was nothing 10
arbltrate But the conclusion Of every un-
prejudiced mind must be that II such were the
true facts 1t could have nothing to fear ct the
hands Of an arbitration committee. But the
Pullman company goes farther In Its autocratic
policy than refusal to arbitrate. 1t has re-
fused TO join with the business men and the
board Of aldermen OF Chicago In committee
to discuss the question Us to whether there II
anything to arbltratc or not, and behind this
nnfaarnt In ro1jou ~ dc ha ne
alton Of the railway corporations, backed BY
the United States army as the aiders and abet-
tors Of this social crime.
Suppose the Pullman Co. had invited organ
lied labor to arbltrate and organized labor had
declined the invitation and refused To discuss
tho question as TO whether there was
anything to arbitrate or not II IL needless 10
say, wave OF popular indignation would OBJ
llterate every labor organization from the face
Of the country, and no more could be formed
for the next fifty years. The stigma Of such .
position would follow every name connected
with organized labor to the grave. But In the
present crisis the corporations, whose wealth
has bee n created by labor, take the position
that they are prior and choke their creator,
Like the brgands Of old they rob the laborina
masses and employ the sword and the bludgeon
and set I'M throne on the homes Of the van
ouishod md declare their divine RIGHT 10 rula
over the balance Of mankind,
The Pullman compnny claims that notwith.
standing The wages Of their employees were re-
duced to the starving point there is nothing to
arbitrate because cars nave neen pulll o. 2
t ,s' c yU, sas nosu watsrsa thres times