Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1894-07-26
DANGEROUS LABOR LEADERS

DANGEROUS LABOR LEADERS.
AS the Philadelphia Times says,
the workingmen of this country
have lost many millions of dol
lars in wages by following the
ignorant and arrogant orders of
incompetent labor leaders. One
of the most destructive strikes
to labor and to the cause Of or
ganized labor was that ordered
| by Martin Irons several years
ago. Like many labor strikes.
it was utterly causeless and was
ordered in utter recklesSness.
Under such leader it was not
surprising that violence and de-
struction of both life and prop
erty followed. and in the end
there could be but one result,
and that the utter overthrow Of
the organization that had made
the strike. After the misguided
workmen had done all possible
damage to themselves and their
employers they turned upon
their unscrupulous leader and
kicked him out, and he has since
been a vagabond and fugitive
from Justice.
| The two labor leaders who are
earnestly struggling to keep up
the strike that was practically
ended some days aro, are Presi-
dent Debs, of the American Rail
way Union, and General Master
Workman Sovereign, of the
Knights of Labor These men
are telegraphing every hour of
the day to their people in every
section of the country that the
strike is still on and certain to
be successful; but, in point Of
fact, they both know that there
orders have been disregarded
and that the strike is ended. 1t
is hardly surprising that such
men as Debs and Sovereign
should abuse the high trust which
has been confided to them when
Z lit is remembered that one OF
them was in an asylum, not long
since for treatment as an inc
briate. and that the other is un-
dergoing treatment for dementla.
| Both of these men have proved
during the last few weeks that 1T
would be vastly safer for them
selves and especially for their
followers if they were IN
an asylum to-day; but as long as
workingmen will pay the eX-
penses of such haphazard lead
ers, and pay the expenses of all
cranks and hangers on they
choose to send out to disturb
the labor of the country, why
should they not struggle to main
tain their self-importance by de-
ranging the tranquility of labor ::
There is little reason to doubt
that the members of the Amerl-
, can Railway Union and of the
, Knights of Labor will soon KICK
, out Debs and Sovereign as the
: deluded followers of Irons and
Kearney kicked them out some
years ago. Neither of these as,
sociations can maintain vital
organization with snch lunatlcs
as Debs and Sovereign at their
head, and the only safety to asso-
ciated labor is in adhering to the
line to discard all such reckless
disturbers of the relations be-
tween capital and labor. Presi-
dent Arthur, Of the Locomotive
Brotherhood, stands out con-
spicuously as an exemplar of a
labor leader, and every organi-
zation of labor that can find a
man of his mould should summon
: : him to the command. His peo-
l pie have never lost a dollar by a
strike, and they are not likely
ever to suffer while he is at the
/ head of the organization. Any
dispute between his followers
and their employers would be
peaceable to the last degree, and
r reasonable justice will be com
: manded for them under any cir
: cumstances because of the repu-
d table record they have made as
=. workmen.
Il The Knights of Labor grew tt
! their greatest proportions under
q o the leadership of Terrence V
# Powderly. He was thorough,
l. honest In his devotion to his peo
y pie and to his cause, and he al
=. ways acted with rare intelligenc
= and discretion on every occasion
He never ordered a strike, an
many times saved his rash as
SemblieS from the Just cOnse