Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-28


.pioyes at once objected to this, and in
n any instances locked their doors, deny
Ing the right of labor to SO organize. The
, Just n employer had no fault to find with
right to organize is not denied by any right
thinking people.
Four Classes of Labor Organizations.
There are four classes Of so-called labor
organizations in THE United States, each
having its own peculiar methods for the
conduct of labers interests.
L In the first class, though widely differing
In their methods. we will place the anar-
chfsts, socialists and other revolutionary
societies. For these there is no room in
free America. They have mistaken our
promise OF freedom for a degree OF license
which is positively dangerous to society,
ana, While there are many able and con-
among them, the American organizations
Of labor cannot afford to allow them to
dominate their actions or influence their
movements.
In the second class of these organizations
We md the ancient and time-honored trade
union. These bodies are always on the look
out Tor their own trade, and don't seem TO
care much what becomes of the rest of
humanity. The Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers is fair sample of this element
IN the field of labor. They are ever on the
lookout for No, 1. No one ever heard OF
Grand Chief p. NJ. Arthur issuing an APP
peal for the relief of any one in distress,
except the brotherhood of Engineers.
The Spirit Of Self-Interest.
The organization seems to be dominated
by the spirit of self-intereSt. 1t Is not
many years since the great typographical
Union was In the same boat. A feature Of
the order Of business at each meeting was
then, as now, the discussion of the welfare
OF the union. But woe to any man who
should venture to introduce anything for
nal for Of R1rAnS han nri I'M nc
There was a feeling that printers We're a
little better than the rest Of the labor
world, and there was no feeling In common
with other branches of toll. But that is all
changed now, and the average union printer
Is today an able advocate OF the rights OF
all mankind. This second class of labor
organizations have no weapon of onense or
defense but the strike. They see In the
field OF labor but two methods whereby
labor may be uplifted, i.e.: by increasing
wages and shortening the hours of labor
both commendable so far as they go, but
both falling far short of any solution Of
the problem confronting labor in this last
decade OF the nineteenth century.
Federated Interests.
The third class comprises those unions
of trades which, under the leadership Of
Eugene V. Debs, have consolidated or fed
Grated their interests for mutual help in
time of trouble. The recent struggle of the
American Railway Union is the first great
trial of the strength of this tie of fellow
ship between the various divisions of the
railway employees. So far as they had been
compactly organized they stood together
like men. and obeyed the orders of their
chosen leaders and advisers. There Is no
good reason for criticising Mr.. Debs for his
course during this strike. He was but
carrying out the prearranged plans of his
organization, and for so doing he has got
ten himself and associates in trouble. The
fault is in the foundation principle of their
organized structure.
The strike Must BE Laid Aside.
The time has come in the development of
American industry when the strike. as a
factor in the settlements of labor disputes,
must be laid aside. These are strong words
from one who has been intimately associat-
ed with the labor movement for over twenty
years, but they are true. The strike has
had its day Of usefulness, and has done
SoCd; but that day is past and gone, never
to return. Mr.. Debs made his fatal mistake
when he interfered with the rights and
comforts of the general public. An injury
to one is the concern of ALL" is his motto;
but in his zeal to carry out this principle
he made the concern of one an injury to ALL
and that is where his plan will end every
time. His union of all branches of the rail-
way trades is all risht and commentaries
But let them confine their efforts to a dis
cussion of the principles underlying their
movement, and united effort to secure
their rights in peaceable ways without re-
sort to those methods which will bring upon
them only condemnation from the public,
and at the same time place them under the
ban of the federal courts.
Relief Through Legislation.
The fourth class of labor organizations
represents that element in the labor move
ment which seeks to bring about the re-
forms nece ssary to the uplifting of labor
through legislation. These are represented
in the labor movement of today by the
knights of Labor. Uriah s. Stephens of
Philadelphia, whose portrait looks down
upon me as write, peered into the future
and foresaw the present condition of the
toilers, and he rightly OWNED that perma-
rent relief could not be secured except
through legislation; and while the Knights
of Labor have been associated in the past.
and in the present instance. with many
strikes, yet 1t Is not one of the methods of
settling labor disputes laid down in their
accepted platform They bring together all
branches of honorable toll, from the man
who labors in the trench to the business
man behind the counter or the editor in his
sanctum, and seek by discussion and agi-
tation to create a healthy public opinion on
the subject of labor and the justice Of its
receiving a full, just share of the values
created by 1t. And II the labor question is
ever solved thr9ngh the efforts of the toilers
themselves it will be through this or some
other similar association of workers.
Education the Wntchword.
Education must be the watchword, and
through education of the masses alone will
a solution be found. The errors in our pres
ent industrial system are many, and they
must be sought out and remedied. But this
cannot be done by men heated by passion
and inflamed by prejudice. Invective must
give place to argument, and threats of vio-
lence must be laid aside for the more DOW
erful influence of reason. Intelligent organ
iZation and we'll directed effort can secure
at the hands of legislators what can never
be forced from corporations by the
strike or boycott. Let labor do
its striking in the future at the
ballot box, and boycott the saloon, if it
must boycott anything. and strive through
education to lift its fellows above the level
of the brute creation into a realm where
there shall be a desire for better things
And when that desire has been created a
way will be found to satisfy it Labor
which respects itself will command and re-
ceive the respect of others.
A. NJ. DEWEY.
BROOKLYN BRIDGE.