The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1900-07-20
Summing Up the Results.
Editor Democrat Star.

fultnT Democrat star.
On May 18th the lahorers employed
in the different mills at Moss Point
went out On a strike, demanding that
they be paid their wages weekly
This demand they had IA right t.
make, yet il was Of so small cGnse
quence that perhaps one-third 0f the
laborers preferred the present monthly
payments.
The strike was ordered and took ef'
feet in direct opposition to the advice
Of the District Grand Master Work.
man, Mr.. Judge, OF Mobile. who was
present by invitation. No prepara-
iiOn whatever was made to make the
strike Il success, either by the differ
ent lodges or NV the individual mem
berS. In fact, from the time they Ia
nored the advice of Mr.. Judge up to
the present time, not a grain Of brains
or even common horse sense has
ever been used by the strikers, either
collectively or individually. These
labOrcrS had rights which no one
questioned. and the laws of our State
and Nation protected. Yet, from the
very beginning uf the strike, blood
shed ana lawleSSncSS seemed tn be the
means by which many Of them eX-
pected to gain their fight. And as
neither of the lodges, u any of the
individual members raised even Il
littlc finger IN aid Of finding and pun.
iShing the would-be murderer. the re-
putation of the Knights of Labor
necessarily suffered. IT. is incOmpre-
henSihle to me how so many men
could act with so little common sense
and want Of consideration for the
we'll being OF Il good community.
While these people. up TO the present
time. have not shown any evidence of
either thought or respect for good
government, it does seem to me it is
about time tn stop and figure up the
results. | do not believe the Knights
OF Labor. by' their laws or by their
principles. teach lawlessness, yet an
account OF the great amount Of in
cendiary talk, in and out Of the lodges.
made by both white and black mem
beers. the lawlesS members were en-
cnuraged to do the acts that outraged
our community and cast such disgrace
on the Knights Of Labor.
Now. what are the material results?
There are three Knights Of Labor in
jail for shooting into Il mans house:
there are eight Knights Of Labor in
Jail for attempting to murder several
OF their own members at the Dantzler
mill; these eleven Knights of Labor
nave a through ticket. by way of a
special Circuit Court. to the penitcn-
tlary for twenty years each; one Mas.
ter Workman is under bond to appear
Tor trial for conspiracy: two knights
III Labor are shot and wounded: four
knights Of Labor, or their synpa-
thizerS, have been run out Of the
county for life about twenty-five
knights of Labor, who had been talk
Ing biz, became alarmed and have left
the county: the wives and children Of
the criminals now IN jail and on their
way to the "pen." are without sup
port, and the children will he grown
before they see their fathers again.
The wives. no doubt. will all be COM
PEELED to marry again. as q sentence
to the pen" is IA legal cause for
divorce. The Knights Of Labor. as an
organization. Stinks in the no>trilS of
all our people, and it is very question:
a0le II they can ever restore the Order
TO "A respectable standing in our
Certainly this is a bad picture. and
what makes it more hideous is the
that all these troubles and dis
grace could have been avoided had
Lhey followed the advice of their Dis.
'rlct Grand Workman, or had they
III been good citizens or even good
knights of Labor.
Respectfully submitted to all good
for their sober consideration
NJ. A. DEEs.
Moss Point, Miss. July 20. 1900.