Sunday Washington globe., 1902-04-13
Labor Leaders-A Lesson.

For betraying the Knights of Labor and
turning over to Mark Hanna that organiza-
ton in the first Mckinley Presidential
campaign Terrence V. Powderly was re-
warded with the Office Of Commissioner
General of immigration If the late Presi-
dent had survived to fill his second term it
is more than probable Senator Hanna's in
fluence would have kept Mr. Powderly in
his office, albeit the Knights of Labor are
no longer a factor, that once powerful
labor organization being reduced to a mere
skeleton and to its the national officers who
are fighting in rival camps for the property of
the order. Secretary Treasurer Hayes leads
one set of officers and ex-President Parsons
leads the other The attorneys on either
side are eating up the last assets of the
order while the few members who still
contribute are powerless TO stop the Kill
kenny cat fight.
The trouble with powerful labor organi-
cations is the temptation and fall of its
officers. The Knights of Labor as an organi-
zation is practically defunct because of this
weakness in their high officers and leaders
1t is both difficult and useless to suggest a
remedy. Mr.. Powderly is fine object
lesson Of what politicians think of traitors
when they are no longer Of any service to
the party. II may however in justice be
said Of labor leaders what Moore sang Of
his countrYmen:
Unprized are her sons till they learn to betray,
Trrdiefiug,tfehe1 fha.- 1f,-a - tha.s y,of
their sires;
And the torch that would light them to dig
nitys way
Must be caught=irom the pyre where their
country eXpiresl
These modern labor leaders if they are
unable to perpetuate themselves in office
Ga Ia Hayes, Gompers ct ai) and are de-
throued by rivals soon sink below the
horizon of affairs and are heard of no more.
Hence the temptation is grievous1and ir.
resisdble to which they are subjected,
while at the head or influential with their
followers, to make hay while the sun shines
and hence Mark Hauua's deal with Pow
derby.
His successor, Sargent, has held Office
in the Locomotive Firemen's organization
number Of years and has proven himself to
be a sagacious leader. Realizing, probably,
like Powderly, that his hold is weakening
he accepts Office and leaves the organization
to be run by the next ambitious Office
seeker from the ranks. Powderly's reflec-
tions on his latter career must be bitter and
remorseful as he is principally responsible
for the destruction of the once powerful
organization. Labor leaders as we'll as
members Of labor organizations have a per-
feet right to be active politicians, but the
crime of the leaders comes in when for Office
and gain as in the case of Powderly the
organization, as SUCH is sold to one politi-
cal party for value received" The DEM
ocratic party is the natural home of every
white man who tolls for his bread and Pow
derly Gompers, Hayes, et a., know this,
hence when all or either Of them fraternize
with the labor crusher at the head of the
trr organization, known as the Repub.
licaai party, honest, plain people know that
a price has been paid Powderly delivered
the goods and received but partial payment
for the political leaders are fully aware that
the once powerful labor leader is now harm
less for good or ill., hence he is kicked out
and there is not single union labor man
now SO poor as to do him reverencel Vale,
Terrencel