New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-15
SOTERETGN EMINCIPITING LABOR.

We do no; pretend 10 understand precisely
what Mr.. Sovereign, the General Master Work
man Of the knights of Labor. means by indus
trial emancipation which, he says in his Ann'i-
nj Address the order Of which he Is the head Is
struggling for; nor are we acquainted Win the
details Of what he calls "a well-directed con-
spiracy to destroy It," the tendency OF when
has been to arrest its onward march Dut we
are quite certain II one thing, which Is, that II II
had been possible to emancipate industry by
word Of mouth Sovereign would have talked
the shackles off long ago. Viewed in the an
stract this might have been good thing FOR
industry But when ii comes to be CONSIDERED
in the concrete, the reflection forces Itself upon
us that the emancipation Of industry would
leave Sovereign nothing to do. and that we do
not like to think Of. For SOvereigns industry.
which has for a long time If not always. been
carried on almost entirely between his nose and
chin. has often served to furnish innocent amuse-
mcnt and enliven an otherwise dull period And
# must be said too that unlike Debs and Mar
tin Irons and some other labor leaders, he has
never done any serious mischief with his mouth.
His have been merely verbal pyrotechnics. pref
ty 10 look at. scntillant and loud-sounding, but
harmless Nobody has ever been frightened by
them because everybody knew they were not
loaded.
Sovereign has the gift Of fuency. and that
seems to 20 a great way with the knights OF
Labor who on that account have made nm lheT
visible and voube head He has an ample
vocabulary. and he uses 1t with breezy frc'-
dom which his audiences enjoy beyond measure
without putting their intellectual processes 10
any strain to find out what he is talking ABOUT
or what he may be driving at 1t Is douo'iui'
indeed. If he has any clear idea about II hiii'-
self but so long as he enjoys talking anu 'ne
Knights enjoy listening TO him VINO can COLI
plain? For instance, in this Annual AdureS>'
speaking Of the "cOnspiratOrs' who arrested the
onward march for industrial emancipation, he
SAYS that the general officers OF the ORDER
armed with the truth. applied me knlle Oh
..surgcry TO charters and membership dlSloyal
..to the cause of knighthood. and when the viru-
..lcnt tumors were exposed TO the world thou
sands Of misguided members saw the error I'll
choir WAYS and returned to the order Ihls
NAV be mixed and perhaps obscure Dut VIII
any one who is not foe to "indus'riil eniah
cinotion" say It is not beautiful? Speaking OF
the outlook for labor. he says: Labor Is ho"
"between the devil and the deep sea. WIN NE
.do,f ruuninr down the beach and the tide
flowing in" Without stopping 10 explain WHO
.tbe devil is running down the brach ana
why THE tide" should not be flowing H. he
continues in this way: Capital mas ihohopo-
lzcd the elements of production ana laoor IL
"in competition with itself for the right 10 HVe'
and there can never be exact justice 10 aoor
"ond n final solution to the industrial question
"wbile the competitive and wage systems con-
.tinuc to hamper the passions Of greed ana
"g,ind the faces of the poor" We do not quite
understand why the passions Of greed should
ROT no hampered but we do say that the whole
massage is very eloquent.
He also says that 1.-THE industrial masses are
"f.st beine reduced 10 circumstances that over
shadow independence and manhood with the
.strupple for bread and shelter in view or
,vbicb no urges the necessity Of preparing for
can aggressive campaign against the common
"foe" Following this he says that, after care
"fuIlv reviewing the wreck and ruin wrought
.hv tho money power' he ISSUED Il boycott on
the notes of National banks, and he now
urges "the General Assembly Of the Knights
.of Labor TO ndorse that boycott, and give it
.ovcrv possible force Of official sanction" For,
ho sovs with the JUNCTION and enthusiasm OF Il
man who Is conscious Of having done something
world "lf I were to die tomorrow | would de-
clare It the most righteous act of my Ire.
\otbinp could be more solemn than this What
over the civilized world may think Of the wis
dom Of Sovereigns policy for emanclpating In
dustry and retrieving the wreck and rum
wrought by the money power by Doycotlhg
National bank notes. il cannot fail to be I'M
pressed with the fact that he Is very much in
earnest about it, though, as a matter OF fact. the
bovcott has as yet had no serious results. The
Address as "A whole. is exceedingly fine. We
recall nothing in ancient or modern literature
that approaches it in splendor Gradys pmhp-
pics on Parkhurst may hold over II trlhe in
warm invective but for pathos and power
Sovereign leaves Grady clear out OF sight. lf
industry can be emancipated by word of mouth,
Sovereign will certainly 40 it. unless his fuency
should be arrested by lockjaw.