The People's friend., 1894-07-13
ANOTHER CALL.
Knights Of Labor Of the Cour try
Ordered Out.
The Manifesto Of Grand Master Sovereign
Giving the Reasons for Their Joining
i'll the Pullman Boycott-The
Situation Reviewed.
knights Take a Hand.

CHICAGO, July 11-=knights of Labor
throughout the country, numbering
nearly 1000, 900 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 10-A crisis has been reached
In the affairs Of this nation that endangers the
peace Of the republic Every fibre in our civil
structure is strained to the breaking point
The shadows Of factional hatrel hover over
our fair land with terrible forebodings The
arrogant lash Of superiority is being applied by
the corporate ions with relentless fury, and
the chaSm between the masses and the classes
IS growing deeper and wider with each succeed
ing day. If peace is restored, and this nation
is saved from acts repulsive to the conscience
of all Christian people, there must be wise
action, and that quickly.
Sincerely believing that the flames CT discord
are being purpOsely famed by the railway cor
pOratiOnS, at 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, imploring you to lay down the implements
of toll for short season. and under the banner
Of peace and with a patriotic desire to promote
the public welfare. use the power of your ag
gregated numbers through peaceable assem-
blages to create healthy public sentiment in
favor Of an amcable 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 troubles is made known to
you through some authentic source. In the
present strained relations between corpora
tiOnS and their employees is invOlveda a principle
near and dear to all American citizens, the
right Of labor to present its grievances to the
owners and representatives of corporate capl-
cal
The Pullman Palace Car Co. refused to arbi-
trate the differences between itself and its en-
plOyes on the ground that cars were built be-
low cost and therefore there was nothing to
arbtrate. But the conclusion of every un-
prejudced 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 refusal to arbitrate. 1t has
fused to join with the business men and the
board Of aldermen Of Chicago in d committee
to discuss the question to whether there is
anything to arbitrate or not. and behind this
autOcratic policy stands the Managers aSSOci
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 arbitrate and organized labor had
declined the invitation and refused to discuss
the question to whether there was
anything to arbitrate or not. it is needless to
say wave Of popular Indignation would OBJ
literate 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
TIrith n n6 IN IN m in ha
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 brigandS of old, they rob the labOring
masses and employ the sword and the bludgeOn
and set up a throne on the bones of the van
quished and declare their divine right to rule
over the balance of mankind.
The Pullman company claims that nOtwith-
standing the wages Of their employees were re-
duced to the starving point there is nothing to
arbitrate because cars have been built at a
loss. vet 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 dividends on water and
all but that its stocks have long been and are
at the present time at premium on the stock
markets. Mr.. Pullman cries poverty to his
starving employees and then retreats to his
princely summer mansion on Pullman island
in the st. Lawrence river and wires the buSi-
ness men ol 1nlcuBO lldI Uc HIS uOlullP W dT-
bitrate. Like Nero, he laughs in luxury while
devoted martyrs burn.
If the present strike is lost to labor. it will
retard The progress Of civilization and reduce
the possibility of labor to ever emancipate
itself from the thraldom of greed. The dig
nifty Of labor and all the victories won in the
past are ut stake in this conflict. beSeech
you to be true to your obligations in this hour
OF trial Court the cooperation of the gen.
erous public, Stand firm and united in our
common cause and the victory will be one of
feace and prosperity for the faithful.
j. r. SOVEREIGN Grand Master Workman.