The Irish standard., 1895-11-02
HE HI) HADHON0R And ABUSE
Terence v. Powderly drowing
Prematurely Old After a
Life Of Toll.
While At the Head of the Knights
of Labor He Was King Of
the Industrial World.
Came Within An Ace OF Being 8
Newspaper Man But Finally
cIung To the Order.

Earthly fame is elusive, uncertain and
unsatisfactory. The people are very
tickle, and the man who occupies the
largest share in the public eye today may
be all but forgotten tomorrow. These
thoughts fitted through my mind the
other day as saw T. v. Powderly pass
ing down the street. looking older, grayer
and more sedate than in the days when
as the head of the knights of Labor he
was virtually king of the industrial
world, says writer in the Catholic
Times. While not the founder of the
order, Powderlv was one of it's earliest
members He occupied the position of
general master workman for over six
years, and naturally was the target OF
envy, malice, hatred and ambition from
both within and without the order Dur
ing that time he came in for great deal
of harsh criticism on the one hand and a
great deal of fulsome praise on the other.
Even at this late day, when the world has
SCCA CIlC l1SO Gtlu ldll OL SA0 OlSSA, -
seems difficult to make just and accu-
rate estimate Of it's greatest and most
conspicuous leader. Capitalists and man
ufacturers generally, together with a
large portion of the daily press, looked
upon him as an ordinary agitator and
successful demagouge. This is assuredly
a. prejudiced view of the man. It strikes
me that with all his faults Powderly did
not merit these obnoxious appelations.
1t has always been my view that he be-
gan his work with the best intentions In
the world and that he ruled the discord-
ant elements under him with more sa-
gacity and greater integrity than could
have been done by any other man prom
inentSin the labor movement, He made
errors, it is true, but. they were errors of
Judgment. He may have been carried
away at times by the sudden greatness
of the organization, and later on [ am
afraid permitted himself to become en-
tangled in the int1igues which were be-
ing carried on among men at the head OF
the order. This was partly for self-pro-
lection, and in doing so he was, forced to
fight fire with fire. But in the main
think Powderly did well, and ] believe he
came out of the position with more credit
to himself than some persons are willing
to 3concede him. @
& Mr.. Powderly was born in Carbondale,
Pa, in 1849. Excessive care and worri-
ment make him look much older than he
really is, and his luxuriant hair is liber-
ally sprinkled with silver threads. He
learned the trade Of, a machinist, and
put in his spare time educating himself
in civil engineering When he was but
10 years Of age he Joined the Machinists
and Blacksmiths' Union Of Scranton.
Here he was so popular and successful
that in less than year he became the
presiding officer of that Organization.
A few years later he joined the Knights
of Labor, and then the dust-be egrimed
mechanic who had daily walked to work
with his tin dinner kettle under his arm
became the head and the life Of the great
est labor organization in the world. In
the great labor mivement of 1877 he was
made mayor Of Scranton, and afterwards
was elected to the same Office by the
Democrats and again on the Peoples
ticket. He now lives with his family in
a pretty little, house in the suburbs Of
Scranton.
The mention of this house brings to
mind an incident which Mr.. Powderly
4o11o .<yro
Like most other people, at one period in
his life he became tired of paying rent.
So having by the strictest economy
amassed a snug little sum, he resolved to
have a house of his own, and what was
more to have it built according to his
own ideas and plans. The general mas
ter workman is great believer in physi-
Gal exercise as tonic for a weary brain
worker. While the cellar for the new
house was being excavated Mr.. POWderly
resolved to take a hand in the operation.
SO every morning regularly for a week
or two he appeared on the scene arrayed
ia a dirty blouse and a pair of disrepu-
table overalls. s
4 This was occasionally supplemented bS
a slouch hat that had seen better days.
5Cne beautiful morning a stranger who
b ad jou1neyed all the way from New York
to see the general master workman called
al the PowderIy homestead and was di-
rected to the site Of the new house. A
few minutes later he returned and asked
Mrs. PoWdefly when the next train would
leave for New ork. AS he was hurrying
away the lady called after him, whether
lie. had. met Mr.. PoWderly %, ' he CALI
ed back, II deep disgust: 3 therewa no.
body. there but a bald headed old man dig
ging a cellar The head Of the Knights.
was greatly pleased when he heard this
descr ton Of himself .5is
# PcWderly ins his busy career has
had dealings with scores of people 81 ho.
are classed under the rather harsh title
5cf ks ~ He has sacorrespondent a in
5GaIifornia who. NJ iitess 70 egIalarIy
and VINO often e1egraph phs gning himself
some Iieal ssDIis
n
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