Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-31
Cheering Prospects for the Year Of
1896.
FOREMAN BISHOP SPEAKS OF PLANS
Granite Cutters Expect important
Buildings Erected.
TO PREVENT STRIKES

General Worthy Foreman NJ. ]. Bishop
of the Knights of Labor whose home Is at
Scituate near Boston, Mass, was in Wash
ington last night, and was seen at his
hotel by a Star reporter. who asked Mr..
Bishop to give The Star his opinion Of the
labor outlook for 1896. In reply Mr.. Bish-
op said:
From our outlook the prospect is more
than bright. The knights of Labor believe
that the ideas which the organization repre-
sents are becoming favorably considered by
a larger and more influential number Of
people than ever before in the history Of
the organization.
THE basic difference between our own
and the open forms of labor organizations
Is the advisability of independent political
action. The knights Of Labor believe
that most, If not all, the objects desired
by the working classes. not only Of Amer
lea, but also Of the world. can only be
obtained through intelligent legislation. and
we consider 1T the duty of all who can be
called producers to support with their in
fluence and vote the party that will most
quickly secure the enactment of such leg
isation.
Contrary to a generally accepted theory.
the Knights of Labor have nc compulsory
control over the vote of their members,
but its propaganda Is in the line OF demon
strating to the workers the necessity and
Importance of uniting. politically, to secure
the rights which belong to them, and in
this work we are now making most salts
factory progress.
"'Throughout the length and breadth Of
the land among both the urban and agri-
cultural population, our views are being
accepted to a greater extent than ever be-
fore in the history of our organization.
I'VE have no quarrel with capital or
capitalists as such: We have neither SYM
pathy nor support for the demagogue who
=, 1yy,,t h fl,xr
but we have a desire to revolutionize the in
dustrial system which makes possible cap
ital and capitalists as they today exist.
Alive to Opportunities.
This system is responsible for all the
conflicts and all the disagreements that
have arisen in the labor world. past or
present, and only by the methods ad-
vanced by the Knights Of Labor can any
permanent change for the batter be &C
complished
THE evident general acceptance of our
views today renders the situation full Of
hope, and we nave no doubt that the COM
ing year, 1896. will demonstrate that the
intelligent voters of the United States are
in the present crisis as fully alive to their
necessities and their opportunities as they
ever have been III the several supreme
crises of the past.
I'VE have in our order cohesive, unit ed
and progressive organization, steadily
taking advantage of every Incidental ex-
pedient which may temporarily benefit the
membership, we never propose to lose
sight of the ultimate object for which our
organization was founded.
I'VE believe that the present situation
among political parties is also full Of hope
for the community and a cause for con-
graduation. particularly to our own MEM
bers. There are strong causes at work with
in both of the old political parties, against
whose methods We have constantly pro-
tested, which demonstrate that the dissolu-
ticn of one or both Is not far distant, and
when that climax arrives the opportunity
of the worker will have come and the labor
of dfvorcing men from the normal political
creed to which they have in the past been
attached will have been rendered more easy,
If not entirely overcome.
Ordinary trades unionism confines its eff
forts wholly to trade questions, of hours Of
labor. and entirely ignores the higher eco
nomic education of Its members, and the ex-
perience of centuries of this particular form
of organization has demonstrated its COM
plete failure to more than temporarily re-
lieve the mseries under which the workers
of the world suffer.
"Enlghtened self-ntereSt, as understood
by the Knights of Labor. will without doubt
entirely remove the ignorant selfishness
which has heretofore prevented large bodies
of the workers from acting as a unit in the
establishment of their political and indus
trial freedom"
To Prevent Strikes.
IN speaking of the bill intended to prevent
strikes. etc. which has been introduced in
to the House by Representative Thomas W.
Phillips of Pennsylvania, chairman Of the
House committee on labor Mr.. Bishop said:
MIR. Phillips bill has already secured the
united support not only of the knights of
Labor, but of every other labor organiza-
ton far heard from.
1.-THE Knights Of Labor, previous to the in
frn1 md lxro
the contents of Mr.. Phillips bill, discussed
the ACCESSIBILITY Of a measure drafted on al
most similar lines, and have Endorsed the
principles contained in the Phillips bill at
two consecutive annual meetings of the gen.
eral assembly.
''The hill is thoroughly practical and Is
evidently the result of matured thought and
the most careful consideration, and in my
opinion. no man in any condition of life can
object to the adoption and enforcement of
its provisions.
Providing as 1t does for the establish
ment of labor commission composed of
three divisions of seven members each, It
WILL If enacted into law. represent the agri-
cultural. business or capital in its various
forms and the urban industries. In this
body the condition OF labor will be consid-
cred and 1t is expected suggestions will be
made for such legislation as in the Judgment
of the members will tend to harmonic con-
fcting interests and eradicate the many
causes for disagreement which are now con-
tinually arising.
1.-The bill also provides for sufficient salary
to make 1t possible to secure a high. If not
the highest, class of talent in the various in
dustres. and also makes provision for ex-
pert legal advice for each division of the
committee. ard Its enactment will open UP
new era for the workers Mr.. Phillips GER
tainly deserves the thanks Of all classes for
bringing prominently and so intelligently
before the whole people the necessity for
commission of this character. Mr.. Phillips
action in this regard Is looked upon by some
persons as remarkable. as he is a very large
employer of labor himself. and might very
naturally he supposed to object to any
measure which would In any degree tend to
reduce the profits in his own industry"
Granite Cutters.
Vice President James Duncan of the
Federation Of Labor In talking of labor
prospects for 1896 took a very prac teal
view, and said he would conhne his re-
marks to the cause Of the granite cutters,
Of whose national union he is the grand
secretary.
Prospects for our trade and union for
1885, said Mr.. Duncan. ARE much better
than have been similar prospects In the
past few years. Congress Is expected to come
to the rescue with several large buildings
and coast defenses, and many states have
large appropriations for improvements.