The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-11-17
GRAND MASTER WORKMAN sOvEK-
FIGN's ADDRESS.

II Is truly unfortunate for the interests
of laboring men, as well as for those OF
citizens at large. that the authorities OF
the labor unions persist in the views
they hold regarding many Of the public
questions of the day. Grand Master
Workman Sovereign, in his address TO the
knights Of Labor Convention In New
Orleans on Thursday, referred TO the fact
that he had endeavored 10 prevent the
administration selling 100000 Of bonds
last February to replenish the gold fund
reserve as a subject upon which he and
ALL knights of Labor deserved to be con
graduated. and we may consequently in
fer that he would now prevent Mr.. CIeVe-
land from making another sale OF bonds
# his last effort had not proved unsuc-
cessful
How lamentaby short-sighted was Mr.
Sovereign's previous action, and how fatal
TO the interests of those he represents
similar action now would be if success
full
The issue OF bonds last February in
volved an annual charge to this Govern
ment Of s.. 800 900. What does that amount
to 10 the laborers Of the country Nothing
absolutely nothing 1t would be exactly
the same to them whether this Govern
ment owed that $jOOpO,OG0 or whether it
did not But if those bonds had not been
sold and gold realized from the sale to
make the reserve fund good, the whole
OF the reserve fund would have been
drawn out OF the Treasury before this
the Government would have been unable
to meet it's demand gold obligations, IT
would have been protested, gold would
have gone to premium, there would
have been universal state of liquidation
all over America, and we should have
had such financial panic as no people
ever saw. What is the effect Of a finan-
cial panic on laborng mem II closes all
workshops and manufactures, turns la
borers loose upon the country as idlers,
and makes want and suffering universal
amongst them. Is it not plain, then. that
laboring men may of all others, be most
Indifferent about sale Of bonds? But
is it not equally plain that they should
demand that the President shall sell
every bond. no matter how many they
may be, that may be necessary TO pre-
serve the gold fund reserve and prevent
the United States going to protest? why
will lot the leaders of the trades unions
recognize these plain and elementary
truths?
Mr.. Sovereign gave expression TO some
other views which all good citizens must
regret that he should have avowed. He
criticised General Schofeld for the ac-
tive and effective measures taken by him
TO control the mobs in Chicago with the
troops OF the United States. Mr.. Sever
eign will never win friends for the labor
unions by "A course of procedure like this
Whether the Pullman Companys en-
ployes were right in the position they
took in their strike, or whether they were
not, n mob had taken possession Of
large part of Chicago, and IT was de-
stroying property and defying all law.
The interests Of every man, woman and
child in these United States demanded
that that mob should be quelled and
forced to dispense before any enquiry
Of any sort could be permitted into any
alleged grievance Of any kind. However
much wronged men may be, it is not
TO be tolerated that they shall defy the
law Of the land and take the redress of
their grievances into their own hands
They must submit themselves to the
laws and ask redress from them. 1t is
man Palace Car Company treats its en-
ployes inhumanly mob Of other persons
is to tear up the tracks and burn the
cars of railroad company that is In no
way connected with the Pullman Com
pany. Every man who has a particle Of
love for order or respect for the law
must thank General Schoheld for the
energetic and successful measures which
he took TO coerce the mob into desisting
from their unlawful and criminal course
OF procedure. and Mr.. Sovereign only
turns from them their best friends and
we'll wishers when he makes the impress
sion on the public mind that the labor
unions demand an uninterrupted oppor-
tunity TO burn cars and smash up proper
~ generally whenever they have what
they think a grievance against an en-
ployer of labor.