Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1894-07-12
ISSUED AN ORDER.
Knights of Labor Of the Country
Called Out by Master Work
man Sovereign.
A MILLION MEN ARE AFFECTED.
Members Of the Order to Cease
Work Until Pullman Troubles
Are Settled.
A MILLION MEN ARE AFFECTED.
IT'S A FIGHT FOR A PRINCIPLE.
Labor, He Says, Insists on the
Right to Present Grievances
to Capital.

CHICAGO, July ll.-hnlBnts Oh Lapor
throughout the entire country, number
ing nearly 1000, 900 men, have been
called upon to strike for the cause of
organized labor. General Master
Workman Sovereign issued an order
late in the evening to all members OF
the organization to cease work until
tine conflict originating in the strike of
the Pullman employees shall have been
settled. Following is the text of the
order:
To the knights of Labor of America
"A crisis has been reached in the af-
fairs of this nation that endangers the
peace of the rel ublic. Every fiber
in our civil structure is strained to the
breaking point. The shadows of fac
tional hatred hover over our fair land
with terrible forebodings. The AFRO
CANT lash of superiority Is being ap-
piled 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 be-
lieving that the flames of discOrd are
being purposely famed by the railway
corporations at the risk of the life of
the government, l take the liberty to
appeal to you and through you to the
conscience of the whole people, implor-
ing you to lay down the implements of
toll for a short season, and, under the
banner of peace and with a patriotic de-
sire to promote the public welfare, use
the power of your aggregated numbers
through public assemblages to create a
Healthy Public Sentiment
{ in favor of an amicable settlement of
the issues growing out of the recent
strike of the Pullman employees, and
you are further requested not to return
to your usual avocations until a settle
ment of the pending trouble is made
known to you through some authentic
ource. In the present strained rela-
tions between corporations and their
employees is involved a principle near
and dear to all American citizens-the
right of labor to present its grievances
to tho owners and representatives of
corporate capital. The Pullman Palace
Car company refused to arbitrate the
differences between itself and its en-
ployes on the ground that cars were
hpf1f haInvr cost aud tharae~a fho~a
was nothing to arbitrate. But the con-
clusion of every unprecedented 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 company goes
farther in
Its Autocratic Policy
than a refusal to arbitrate. 1t has re-
fused 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 anything to arbitrate
or not, and behind this autocratic pol
icy stands the Managers association of
the railway corporations, backed by the
United States army as the aiders and
abettors of this social crime.
If the present strike is lost to labor it
will retard the progress Of civilization
and reduce the possibility Of Labor to
I emancipate itself from the thraldom of
Gresd. The dignity Of labor and all
the victories won in the past are at
stake In this conflict. / beseech you to
be true to your obligation in this hour
Of trial. Court the cooperation of the
generous public. Stand firm and
united in our common cause and the
! victory will be n Of peace and pros
, perity for the faithful.