Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1894-08-10
LITTLE AUGUST 10 1s,4

toned organizations, provided that any
such national or international labor or
ganization is not organized to antag-
onize or undermine any existing bona
the same trade or calling" Bear in
mind that the American Railway union
was not represented IN the conference
and take into consideration the fact that
some of the brotherhood men declared
that they would not sit with A. r. q.
men, and you will appreciate the force
of the .'provided'' part Of the resolu:
ton quoted The proyiso should have
been left out of the resolution
The knights of Labor representatives
introduced a proposition for the inter
changapof working cards between their
organization and the unions affiliated
with the. American federation. This
was defeated and the following adopt
ed: 'For the purpose of preventing strife
and antagonlsm between labor organi-
cations we declare that there should not
be dual organization or authority in
any trade or calling, and that in mat
tiers of trade conflicts, boycotts and
trade labels the union particularly in
interest should have absolute authority,
and autonomy" This contains the prin-
ciple laid down at Philadelphia. It was
opposed by the representative Of the
general executive board then, and the
general officers of the order voted against
it at st. Louis. They favored, as has
been stated, an interchange of working
cards and joint authority in conflicts
with employers. l should like every
reader to decide for himself between
these two propositions, but I have no
wish to evade the question myself, and
say that there cannot be harmony and
peace in trade where some Of the
workers owe allegiance to one authori
ty and some to another; where there may
be wide difference in the financial OBJ
legations in the two organizations, and
while men are human beings and the
wish to excel-in combination as we'll
as individually-isa human character
istic. Labor organizations, to be success
full, must be conducted on business
principles.
There were "a Knights Of Labor in
the Philadelphia conference, the major
ity being among the Oldest members of
the order and all of more or less prom
inence. So far as I know, the one organ
ization to each trade principle was in
dorsed by every Knight present except
ing Schonfarber, who represented the
general executive board. firmly be-
lieve that majority of the members of
the order today favor that plan, and that
if the question was fairly explained to
them the whole rank and file Of the or
der would agree to it, for it's adoption
would settle the controversies which
lave depleted the orgapization during
the past eight years, and it would soon
grow to it's former magnificent position
in the industrial movement. say this
as one member of the Knights of Labor
who contributed to some extent to-
ward building up the organization prior
to 1887, and who is now in the ranks
ready to help do the work over again
upon a more lasting basis.
At the close Of the st. Louis confer
ence the general officers of the Knights
went to Chicago, where the American
Railway union was in session, and that
organization, after listening to an ad-
dress from the general master workman,
adopted a resolution declaring it's will
ingness to cooperate with the Knights
of Labor. Subsequently, understand,
a close alliance was effected between
the two organizations. Now we begin
to get into the stumps in trying to steer
the craft to harmony shore. We find by
looking at our notes that the general
officers of the knights of Labor make
an agreement to meet semiannually in
labor conference from which the
American Railway union is barred, and
within a few hours of that agreement
they are making overtures for and ef-
fecting an offensive and defensive alli-
ance with that same American Railway
union. What are our general officers
| driving at? Have they repudiated the
action Of the st. Louis conference?
Now word about the American
Railway union. In the first place,
want to say that that organization has
never had warmer sympathizer than
myself, and esteem no man in the la
Dor movement above it's protector and
present president. The birth of the idea
Of the union was an inspiration. For
the great majority Of railway employees
organization had been complete fail
ure. Aristocracy and exclusiveness were
the curses Of the railway brotherhoods,
and as a general thing the greater num-
Der of the railway men were ignored
and left to the tender mercies of the
corporations. In one year the American
Railway union has changed all this,
and now, where it has the power to Sc
cure it, every man in the service has
show. But, says Mr.: Critic, is not the
A. R. q. built upon the plan which
you oppose in the Knights of Labor, and
will not the conflicts it must necessari-
" have with the brotherhoods interfere
with your unity scheme? No. empha..