Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1894-02-16
HOW WILL IT BE DONE

HOW Will. TT BE DONE
BY WHAT METHOD WILL LABOR BE
-; soLlDLY UNlTEDa
All Agree That the Aim Is LaudabIe-Now
| to Action-A Letter From A. W.. Wright
OF the Knights of Labor Buchanan s
Views on the Organization of Printers.
cannot get away from the subject Of
broader and more united form of or
ganization Of the American workers, and
Idon't know that Iwantt to get away from
it, SO long as ] can think of anything
to say and can obtain the assistance of
good men in the agitation, for all must
concedea that it is the most important
question now demanding the attention
of workingmen. .as E.
Below is a splendid letter from A. W.
Wright, ex-member of the general ex-
ecutive board Of the Knights of Labor:
Jos. r. Buchanan: a.. y 81
1t ought not to require argument to convince
trades unionists and Knights of Labor that
the best interests of the workers will be pro-
NOTED by union, nor should it need q debate to
persuade them that only evil can result from
continued needless divisions and antagonisms
There may be some difficulty, however, in con-
v1ncing them that any one particular plan for
uniting them is the best or even good or FEAST
BILE plan. I'll gratifying to note tho tone of most
OF the letters that have appeared in your SYM
postum. Without exception the writer's favor a
drawing together of labor's forces, while, with
but few exceptions. they are l.peful that a
basis of union can be found. For my own part,
see no good reason why an agreement cannot
be made under which, while respecting each
others rights and sentiments and even preju-
d1ces, 1t you will. all labor organizations might
work for the common good. am glad the
Federation of Labor has accepted the invita-
ton OF the knights to meet for purposes of con-
ference, and it the members of the committees
from these two bodies and others who may en-
ter the conference with them approach the
subject they are sent to discuss in the proper
spirit, good must come of it. The members of
the several committees must, however, under
stand that they are not sent to thrash over old
straw--not to discuss and perhaps quarrel over
bygones, but to map out, if possible, practical
plans for the future.
Plans upon which the organizations can act
unitedly will be best discussed in the confer
ence, where each plan and the objections to it
can be considered as it comes up. l will there
fore not offer any plan, though may say of
the suggestions made by friends Mcclure and
Lennon, and also by friend Pyne, that it seems
to me that, starting with the idea outlined by
them, a practicable and work able plan of union
might be arrived at. The purposes of organi-
zation as understood in these days are two
| fold. First, we organize tofmprove Individual
and general conditions, having reference spe-
cially to wages and conditions Of employment,
and, second, for educational purposes. to the
end that the masses of the toilers may work
unitedly and intelligently for reforms neces-
sary for the permanent good of the producing
classes. Neither of these purposes must be
lost sight of, and any plan under which we can
hope to organize the entire army of organized
labor must include both.
If the proper spirit actuates those who take
part in the coming conference, if each shall
come prepared to candidly consider the pro-
posals OF others, ready to accept what is good
and amend what needs amendment, and ready
| too, to modify or even abandon his own pre-
conceived opinions when better plans are pro-
posed. the conference will accomplish a work
which will reflect honor on all who take part
in it. Its members will have splendid oppor-
| tunity. May they be equal to it and worthy of
it! Surely they will; surely even the mentally
| narrow will grow broad and catholic in thepres-
ence of such an occasion. But if they fail, if
| they are unequal to the occasion or are unable
to rise to it, if they come back to us reporting
! that they can find no common standing ground
upon which all labor's forces can work for the
common good, If they return telling US that
the forces OF labor must remain divided into
hostile, or, at best, distrustfully neutral camps
| never helping but often hindering each others
work, or If we learn, matter what they tell
| US, that personal animosities and ambitions
| prevented the members of the conference
from calmly and dispassionately and in the
proper spirit considering what others had to
| propose or offer, what then? Shall the effort
to bring harmony out of discord and unity out
| of contention cease? I for one think not The
| work is necessary; it must be DONE If the
| conference will not or cannot do it, it must be
| done otherwise and by others. 1t can be done
more easily by the conference and perhaps
more speedily, but if they fail it can be done,
| with greater effort it may be and more slowly
but none the less surely and efficiently by 9th
| ers. The hour is ripe; the men alone are need
! ed. If they be not found in the conference,
| they will be found elsewhere, Faithfully
| yours, A. w. WRIGHT
Philadelphia.
No, Mr.. Wright, the effort to bring
about harmony and unity must not cease,
though the conference you refer to fails
ITO adopt any practicable plan. It is the
| firm belief of the many men with whom
have talked and corresponded upon
this subject that the rank and file of la
Dor desire the immediate Inauguration
of the new movement, and it must come
if that is so. No one doubts that the Off
GERS of the Knights Of Labor and Of the
| American Federation want to sec labor
better organized than it is at present
and so organized as to be powerful and
influential. Those who compose the con-
ference committees individually hold
those sentiments, but there is general
belief that past differences and personal
feeling stand in the way Of the Inaugural
| ton of such measures as the wishes of
the workingmen generally embody. For
this reason I am Of the opinion that if
the gentlemen will not attempt anything
further than to unite in call for gen
eral conference, which shall include care
| fully selected representatives Of each of
the national and international organiza-
lions, they will have done the best thing
possible under the circumstances.
Some of the men prominent in labor
affairs who have expressed themselves
upon this subject of a union of all the or
CARNATIONS have evinced the fear that it
could not be done because-well, because
certain leaders would block the way
from selfish motives. have analysed
this little piece of pessimism, and here is
the result: Every man says, II am favor
able to such q laudable undertaking, but
I'm afraid of some of the other fellows -
Now, if each is favorable and makes up
his mind to do his duty and does it, he
will find that his fears in most cases were
groundless, and in the rest Gf there are
any who are traitors and hypocrites) that
they will be powerless to do harm if the
square men have confidence in each other
and possess courage. Have you noticed
that never a man says a word against
the idea of thorough unity? 1 have no.
ticed it. They say: 'That's right" "It's
absurd and suicidal that labor's forces
should be so scattered" ssNow you're
talking sense on, the subject of labor or
ganization." "But," says my discour-
aged friend, 'you can't do it. It's been
tried before and failed"
| deny the latter assertion. There
never was an effort such as is now ad-
vocated to unite the labor forces. The
efforts that my friend referred to were
to establish friendly relations" or the
attempt of one organization to absorb
others, or some such half way move
ment. What is wanted is the coming
together mutually Of the different o.