New-York tribune., 1896-08-28
POWDERLY FOR M'KINLEY.
,vt,y THE FORMER HEAD OF TIE
KNIGHTS OF LABOR WILL OP-
POSE BRYAN.
THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES ABILITY AND
HONORABLE RECORD CoNTRAsTED WITH
THE rNExPERrENCE AND SUR
RouNDINGs or THE PoPo-
CRATIC NOMINEE


RouNDrNGs or THE PoPo-
CRATIC NOMINEE
so-ar,or Pom, Aux q The following inter-
view was had her to-day with !. '. Fo"oery'
the former head OF the knights OF Labor:
You were so long part of the labor movement
OF this country, MI Powderly SAID the repo''e''
that what you have to say concerning me ISSUES
in this campaign will be of interest TO thousands.
and since Won have been quoted several times OF
late I would like to publish your views just as you
EXPRESS them to me Who do you think VIII De
elected Presdent?'
"T have no doubt that Mr. Mckinley will be
elected" Mr.. Powderly replied 1T is UNNECESSARY
for me TO say anything in euogy Of him, since his
whole life has been before the people, ana they
know what he is Through the public career OF
Major Mckinley not a breath of scandal has ever
scorched his name. Even when reckless charges
concerning the brbing OF Senator'S ana congress-
men in the progress Of tariff legislation In the Ma
tional Legislature, were being hurled AT every
prominent man. Mr.. Mckinley went through the
ordeal and not a hint OF dishonesty was whispered
about him His political enemies always admitted
his great ability and his steadfast adherence 10
what he conceived to be his duty. and his intense
America nism has been criticised by those VINO
would cater foreign interference in our economic
affairs You say have been quoted several times
To what do you refer?'
You are quoted as favoring Mr.. Bryan, and with
calling Mr.. Hanna AN industrial cannibaL
There Is truth in either statement. am NOT
only not in favor of Mr.. Bryan's election. but am
unequivocally in favor OF the election of Major Nc
Kinley. / do not doubt Mr.. Bryan's ability or sin
cerity but his inexperience and his surroundings
are such as should cause the eector 10 ponder long
and carefully over the probable result OF hlrusl-
ing the business management of this lndustriai
workshop to his care. In selecting President we
ba Ipeire
our own condition as If we were to select an chicer
for some organization. fraternal, mercantile, com
mercal manufacturing with which We might
be connected Sentiment personal friendship
rarely enters into the question Of choosing an
official TO take charge of a business concern. Ex-
perience well-known ability, training. stability OF
character and steady habits all considered. II
not infrequently happens that sympathy plays its
part selecting officers. and in such cases 1t often
turns out that sympathy for the individual works
injury TO the masses Surely the long years Of
experience and the integrity of Mckinley will tell
in this canvass.
MKINLEY THE FRIEND OF LABOR.
'One OF the strong arguments made use Of in this
election is that we should legisate for ourselves
without waiting for the consent OF any other
ma ton on earth. believe in that doctrine so far
as IT can be carried out without injury TO our
selves When Major Mckinley striving 10 up
hold an American policy. which would place our
agricultural and manufacturing interests beyond
the power OF foreigners to injure through compe-
tition. he did ask the consent OF any foreign
power or country He did not even take counsel
with them. He considered what would benefit the
American wage-earner and his employer. II Ameri-
can manufacturers benefited by the Nc
Klnley law so were American workIngmen. and so
were American business men, and II the day comes
when we. as Americans go It alone on the
money question rest assured Mr. Mckinley will be
as ready and anxious 10 take that course as any
other Committees from labor organizations al
ways regarded Major Mckinley as their friend
when he was in Congress. We always sought his
counsel and he always gave il. We relied on his
word when spoken. and he invariably aided us 10
the extent OF his power
"A Pittsburg paper in a long article asserted
that | designated Mr. Hanna an industrial
cannibal' but never used the words with refer
ence 10 Mr. Hanna. any one else that now re-
call | have seen it charged that Mr.. Hanna broke
up the Seamens Union but my recollection of that
affair was that Mark A. Hanna had nothing 10 do
with IT, Now that Dick Powers. the old presi-
dent OF the Seamens Union. is out boldly and en-
Enthusiastically for Mckinley consider his course
the best refutation Of the charge against Mr..
Hanna In any event If we oppose Mr.. Mckinley
because Of defect. flaw or bemish in one Of
his supporters we will find defects. flaws and
blemishes lust as garing on the other side In
this canvass every tub must stand on its own
bottom and We will not elect a President on the
record made by his father his neghbor or his
relatives but on his own record 1t speaks well
for Major Mckinley when no spot he found In
his own character. and when his opponents must
strike at him over the shoulders of some one else
DANGEROUS INFLUENCES OVER BRYAN
What do You mean when you refer to Mr..
Bryans surroundings cause for voting against
him.
81 did not say that his surroundings should cause
any one to vote against him. intimated that they
were OF such character to cause the citizen to
hesitate before voting for HIM When the lnnuence
OF Governor Altged Is powerful enough TO cause
the National Democratic Committee 10 change the
National Headquarters from Washington to Chi-
cago. where he may have his finger on the pulse
all the time 1t should cause the conservative man
70 think long and carefully the situation |
regard Governor Altgeld dangerous man.
DO you believe that Altgeld is an Anarchist?
NO | do not think he is an Anarchist Tor the
Anarchist believes that man should be gooh enough
to live without law, and would abolish lay" Gov
ernor Altgeld would not abolish law. but ne woun
frame the law 10 further the interests OF Altgeld
II IT he true that he has gold clause in the
COS under which he admits tenants TO the UNITY
building. he is not sincere, and his advocacy OF
free coinage is to make money the way tne lhuldll
won the turkey fieaus up' VIII '''' '''
THE makers of the Chicago platform assert thar
IT is a labor platform: that II was modelled aLte,
the preamble of the Knights Of Labor IL mat
""e ron no: there is no resemblance between the
two The Peoples party platform comes nearer
to the Knights OF Labor preamble Lne only th,hs ing
nIank which opposes the importation OF foreign
pauper labor The Knights Of Labor presensed h
bin to Congress over ten years ago Opposing me
Importation Of foreign labor under contract, and 1t
became law We are not troubled with impor,a, I,,io
tIon now: II Is immigration that wrongs the native
md foreign workman to-day.