The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-11-19
UNION is STRENGTH.
Great Labor Organi-
cations May Join
Their Forces.
WORKING FOR EIGHT HOURS.
Machinist Said to Be Black
listed in Some Worces-
ter Shops.
WORKING FOR EIGHT HOURS.

The sessions of the general assembly
of the Knights of Labor in Boston the
past week have been eye openers to
those unfamiliar with the organization,
which once controlled the interests of
organized labor in this country. Since
the inception of the American Fedora
ton of Labor there has been a grad
ual decline of interest in the knights.
In New England the branch of the
knights of Labor is weak, and in Wor-
cester it has no local assemblies
The decision to hold the sessions in
Boston was undoubtedly due to recog-
milton by the national officers of the
weakness Of the body in New England
AT the North Adams convention of the
state branch of the American Fedora
ton Of Labor, resolutions were adopted
recommending that steps be taken to
get control of knights of Labor bodies
in Massachusetts, The Boston conyen-
ton of the Knights did not record any
such proceeding, and the two bodies
remain Independent of each other, so
far as uniformity of action is con-
cerned
To the trade unionist there seems rea-
son for regretting the existing condi-
tons. The amalgamation of the Knights
Of Labor and the American Federation
would result in the formation of a vast
army Of organized wage earners, and
would put meaning to the expression,
In union there is strength"
The knights of Labor was recognized
as a public body in 1878, and eight years
IA aln Of
Dor was formed in Columbus, 0. The
beginning Of the federation was not
attended by success, but each succeed
ing year has added to the strength of
that body until today 1t is recognized
as the greatest organization of work.
ingmen in existence.
While the career of the knights of
Labor may have been such as to cause
1t to become better known to people
outside the trade union movement,
there has been a steady gain in mem
bership and results which has placed
the American Federation of Labor at
the head
The success of the American Fedora
ton of Labor does not lie directly at
the door of it's increased membership.
There has always been independence in
politics. No man. they say, who wishes
that the trade union movement might
be general can consistently urge his fell
low -workmen to vote for the candidate
Of any political party. In New York
state the labor unionists cut big fig
ure in the results Of an election. A
candidate for governor who has not the
Endorsement of labor leaders in and
around New York city, must eXpend
every energy in the upper part of the
state or he Is beaten.
In mingling with political wire pull
ers, representatives of the Knights of
Labor have made the trade union
movement little less than farce in
New York state. Because of a belief
that the candidate favored by labor
unionists will benefit the workingmen,
there is hustling for their election. Year
after year this has continued until it
has degenerated into a contest of Josh"
and con" games. The man who throws
the biggest front, gets the Endorsement
of New York labor leaders, and in their
political scrambling, all sight of the
needs of trade unions is lost The fed
Grafton avoids politics.
At the convention in Detroit, next
month, the federation will consider a
resolution from its first vice president,
P. ]. MCGUIRE, recommending the uni
versal adoption of an eight-hour work
ing day. In a movement where strength
is needed, there should be a concen-
tration of efforts, and when the
knights of Labor and the federation
combine, there will be a formidable
opponents to antagonists of organized
labor. Personal ambitions should be
sacrificed, and the result would be a
body of wage -earners able to cope with
all the difficulties of the present sys-
tenn.
The knights of Labor has it's faults,
the American Federation of Labor is
not perfect, but a standard of excellence
H.,
The decision of John J. Connolly, or
gahizer for the International Associa-
tion of Machinists, to establish head
quarters in this city for the next few
weeks, is regarded as note of prog
ress by local labor unionists. Until
Mr.. Connolly visited Worcester, organi
cation of machinists seemed an impos-
sibility. With the possible exception
of the building trades organization of
workingmen, there is no combine of
wage earners whose accomplishments
mean more to the city Worcester is
eminently a machine manufactur-
ing city, and a building centre.
In both these sections of local inter
est, there has been activity. The Car
penters and Joiners' Union has inaugu-
rated a movement for the eight hour
working day, by organizing a union of
F'rench-speaking carpenters. The Ma
chinists' Union has advocated expan-
sion of membership, and in addition to
building up the union already estab-
lished, Swedish machinists have been
organized.
The antagonism of proprietors Of To-
cal machine shops to the objects of the
Maohinists' Union, is said to be pro
nounced. The nGaeFs of it's officers
have been kept in secrecy, but one name
leaked out in the scramble for preser-
walton of silence regarding the names of
the officers, and the man bearing that
name has found himself at work in half