The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-01-03

lied workers in the smallest towns and vii
lagos, "a well Is the largest cities. There are
hundreds Of towns and villages where the pop
ulation IL 90 small unions cannot be organized,
or cannot exist il organized. There are thou.
sands Of good, well meaning men in thorough
accord with the best impulses Of the labor
movement who are not mechanics or manual
laborers. And for all of these and for every
good trade unionist the knights of Labor
mixed assembly should be the field of endeavor.
The Knights of Labor should cease to- hold as
semblies of any craft or trade where the same
Is organized under q trade union head. This
would get rid of the cause of many chickering's
and clashes of authority in trade affairs. Then
bring the Knights of Labor and trades unions
into line with all other forms Of bona fde in
dustrial organization, blending all in one har-
monious whole. :. Thus the organizations of
labor could be ''as many as the pillows, yet
one as the sea-"
For these and many more reasons l am
heartily with you in the movement to unite
labor's scattered forces. Yours,
P.J. MCGUIRE.
John Mcbride, one of the wheel horses
who has seen as much as any one the
baneful results Of conflicting organiza-
tions, and who has long been one of the
main braces in the United Mine Work
erS, writes as 1OllOWS:
Jos. r. Buchanan:
AS close observer of organized efforts to
ameliOrate labor's condition. l fully recognize
that the fruition Of our hopes and the gratif-
cation OF our desires cannot be realized SO
long as we are so divided that we fight by
detail for the establishment of reform meas
ures which would be difficult of accomplish
ment if attempted by the concerted effort OF
D unified labor force. To carry out the pur-
poses for which labor has organized, and to give
greater promise and better results for the fu-
ture than the present yields, demands, in my
judgment, the closing up of the divided ranks
Of labor by the forming of an alliance that
will guarantee concerted action in any move
ment contemplated along the line of political
or economic thought. To unity our forces we
must crystalline the varied views of labor lead,
ers and labor organizations and formulate
them into clean cut comprehensive and tan.
gible platform, embracing the principles of po-
htical and economic questions upon which we
are all agreed.
It is generally conceded that no man or sci
of men are as well qualified to legislate upon
trade matters as are the tradesmen them
selves, and by leaving to the trades unions this
particular field of work their hearty and ear
nest cooperation will be assured any general
organization of industrial forces which may
be established for the purpose of securing the
social, political and economic reforms which
the present deplOrable and unfortunate condi-
tons of our people demand and their needs re-
Quire.
The practical and most speedy way to bring
about unification of our forces will be to hold
q convention made up Of a limited number OF
delegates from all organized labor bodies in
the country. Such a conference would detect
and eliminate the defects of our present sys-
tenn of organization, and the good judgment of
as wOnt0
safe and comprehensive basis for a newer
grander and more serviceable labor organiza-
ton than the world ever knew.
JOHN MCBRIDE.
JohnW. Hayes, general secretary treas
urer of the Knights of Labor, favors a
conference Of representatives of all in
dustrial organizations:
Jos. r. Buchanan:
believe the time is rapidly approaching in
deed is here, when workingmen Of all classes
must get together. The organization of which
am an officer has taken the initiatory step in
that direction. At the last session of the gen.
eral assembly in Philadelphia resolutions were
passed instructing it's officers to take the proper
step toward the general end aimed at in your
article. Those resolutions met my hearty ap-
prevail.
l take the liberty of correcting one or two of
the statements. The Knights of Labor were
originally organized as trades body-viz,
commencing with the Garment Cutters of
Philadelphia, with certain features added to
the usual trade union ideas then prevalent.
One of these features was to take in members
of other crafts, who were known as ''sojourn-
ers;'' after sufficient number of one craft
had been admitted and qualified as ''sojourn-
ers'' to form an assembly of that particular
trade, they were then organized into a trade
assembly. So you see that the Knights of La
Dor were originally trO1e union organization.
The same system still continues.
l hope before the Federation of Labor will
have adjourned in Chicago they will have acted
on the invitation extended to them, and which
will be forwarded to all other national labor
organizations by the officers of the Knights of
Labor. Such conference can but result in
good for the masses and do much to bring about
unity of action on measures for the benefit of
humanity. J. w. HAYES.
w. B. Prescott, president of the Inter-
national Typographical union, says we
must have two organizations one for
education. the other for administration.
He writes from I. T. U. headquarters at
Indianapolis:
Jos. r. Buchanan:
You are entitled to the thanks of labor re-
formers for mooting the reorganization of the
COll6TS at LnlS OppOfCuno C1mo. Inc COnCen.
tration of capital and scientific improvements
will compel us to investigate the laws and con-
ditions governing the distribution of wealth
more carefully and thoroughly than hereto
fore. This many trades unions cannot, for
obvious reasons, do to the best advantage
At all events, when such matters are exploit.
ed by those of one craft, the discussion will
surely be carried on in the narrow channel
of that particular crafts interests, while a
broadening of our point of view is desra-
BILE. The paramount and only safe function
for a trade union is the regulation of wage
scales. ETC., but we all must learn that there
is something nobler, grander and more radical
in our movement than the establishment OF
scales of prices, and for this reason we should
and must-have some medium for the devel.
opment of the political phase. These two or.
ganizations-one educational and the other ad.
acknowledgements be other than mutually
helpful.
The shortest cut to the goal would seem to
be the identification of the IL. of l.. on the
original line of mixed assemblies, and do not
think present Objectionable laws or officers
should be regarded an insuperable barrier
as these are matters that be readily ad.
justed, if the workers will but make an earnest
effort to do so. If on examination it is found
these Objectionable laws or officers Gf any
cannot be removed, naught remains but to es.
tablsh a new organization.
AS to having all organizations under one SUI.
preme head am not so hopeful. though will
ing to give my humble support to any scheme
having the appearance of feasibility.
Assuring you of any assistance can give in