The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1894-07-20
The 91emorrat.
What Sovereign Says.

The manifesto of General Master Work |
man Sovereign TO the Knights of Labor is
as follows: Chicago, Ill. July 10, 1894.
To the Knights of Labor of America. =
Greeting; A crisis has been reached in
the affairs of this nation that endangers
the peace Of the republic, Every fiber in
our civil structure is strained to the break
ing point. Tie shadow of factional ha-
tired hovers ever our fair land with terrible
forebodings. The arrogant lash of sCpe-
riOrity is being applied by the corporations
with relentless fury, and the chasm between
the masses and the classes is growing deep
er and wider with each succeeding day.
If peace is restored and this nation saved
FROM acts repulsive to the conscience of
Christian people there must be wise action,
ard that quickly.
Sincerely believing that the flames of
discord are being purposely famed by the
railway corporations, to The risk of the life
of the government take the liberty TO
appeal to you, and through you, TO the con-
science of the whole people imploring you
to lay dowa the implements of toll for a
short season, and under the banner of peace
and patriotic desire 10 promote the public
welfare, uSo the power of your aggregated
numbers through peaceable assembages
to create healthy public sentiment in
favor of amicab'e settlement of the issues
growing out of the recent strike of the
Pullman palace car employees; ard you are
further requested no, TO return to your
usual vocations until settlement of the
pending troubles is made known to you
through some authentic source.
'ln the present strained relations be-
tween corporations and their employees is
involved principle near AMI dear to all
true American citizens-the right of labor
to present its grievances TO owners and
representatives of corporations and capi-
tai. The Pullman Palace Car Company
refuses TO arbit-ate the differences between
itself and its employees on the ground that
! cars were built below cost and, therefore,
there is nothing 10 arbitrate. But the con-
ciusion of every unprejudiced mind must
be that if such were the facts. it could
have nothing to fear at the hands of an
arbltrltion committee. But the Pullman
Company goes further in its au,ocratic
policy than a refusal 10 4rbiIa'e. |; has
I refused to jcir 18th the business men and
( the board Of alderman of Chicago in COM
mittee TO discuss the question as 10 whether
/ there is anything to arbitraie or not, and
behind this autOcrat;c policy stands the
! General Managers Association of the rail-
way corporations, backed By the United
States, as t1e aiders and abe,tors of this
social crime.
Suppose the PaiIman Company had in
vited organized labor to arbIiia;e and or
/ ganizei labor had declined the invitation
and refused TO discuss the question as 10
whether there was anything 10 arbitrA' e
/ or not: II is needless 10 say wave oi
popular indignation would obliteFate every
labor organization from lhe face of the
country, AMI no more cou be formed for
the mex; 80 years. The stigma Of such q
! position would follo7E every man connected
with organized labor to the grave. Bu. in
the present crisis, Tue corporations, whose
wealth mas been created by labor, take the
position that they are prior 10 and above
their creator. Like toe briganIs of old
they rob the lAboring masses and employ
the sword and biLdgeon and sst up throne
on the bones os The vauQuisbed and hold
their divine ri Ii, to rule over the remain.
der Pullman claims that uotwilhstsnd-
ing the wages Of the emPloye were reduced
TO starvation point, here is nothing tc
arb;trate hecausue cas- Rave been built at a
! less; yet Geglrcts 10 state that the stock oi
tne company has been watered three time.
over ard that toe company has been able
not only TO pay It's regular dividend on
water and all. but lis stocks have long
been, and at the present time are at 4 pre-.
MUM on the stock market
'Pul man cries poverty to his starving
employees. and then regrets 10 his princely
fsumuleT mansion on the s. Lawerence river,
aud wires the oesinsss I-rn Of Chicago tha;
be hes nothing 10 abb r'te. Like Nero,
he laughs in luxury, ~h,le his devoted
martyrs burn. IL the p'ssen, suike is lost
TO labor, It will re,ard In: progress ci CIVIL
izaiic= and reduce the ps ss'bil;ties of labor
70 ever emancipa;e Itself from the ,hralIdom
Of g'eei. The dignity Of labor and all the
vicioiies wor the past are at stake in this
onaict. beseeeh you to your obligations
n this hour of ;Fisl. Court ihs co-opera-
tion Of generous public, stand firm and
united in cur common cause, and the victory
will h; one of peace and Proipsri:y for the
the fsi'htul (Signed)
b SOVEREIGN,
General Mssler Workman -