The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-13
, IaI | !
I96s9I
DON i believe in strikes
the laboring man."

IM the laboring man."
kAk1 These were the words of Ter
IEfSI ence V. Powderly, as we
- chatted together in his house
facing the Soldiers Home Park, this after
noon. They are significant words. because
they come from the mouth of labor lead
er, man who has worked with his hands
and who has gone through every graduation
of labor. organized and unorganized. Mr..
Powderly was the son of a working man.
At thirteen he earned his daily bread: at
fifteen he was a switch tender; at seven
teen he was an apprentice in the Delaware
& Hudson car shops; at twenty-one ma
chinist, and for years thereafter he worked
at his trade. A man of ability and an ora
tor, he soon became a leader of his fellows,
and after time was made general master
workman of the knights of Labor, and, as
such, the head of the organized labor of
the United States. He held that position for
fourteen years, during which time the
knights of Labor grew until they embraced
unions in every part of the country and had
more than million members. They became
a business and a political force, and Mr.
Powderly. as their head, was the first of
the labor leaders to inspire a respect for
organized labor. He was cool and conserva-
tive, and was, in fact, the advance repre-
sentative of the practical diplomatic bust
ness-like men who form the best type of
the labor leaders of to-day
After leaving the leadership of the
knights of Labor Mr.. Powderly studied
law in Pennsylvania and was admitted TO
the bar there and also TO practice before
the Supreme Court here at washington.
He was, during President McKinleys adj
ministration. the commissioner general of
immigration, but he has now gone back to
his practice. although he has by no means
dropped his interest in labor and labor
questions
NO. don't believe in strikes" said he
L have never believed i'm them and have
done all could to keep my men out of
mem Iney don't pay. They are not neces-
sdry, and they bring great suffering Nine
tenths of the trouble between ennlovers
and employees are based on misunderstand-
lngs and precipitate action. Both parties
are AFRAID OF each other, and they stand
| on when they should come together Some
tlmes the men have a grievance and one
OF the lndlscreet among them complains of
lhe situation to newspaper reporter and
a sensational article is published SAYING
the men are going to strike. This makes
the employer angry. He asks why the
men men dld not come TO him with their troubles,
iihstead or going TO the papers The report
hurts his business and he is in a fit mood
| Tor night. All this is wrong The en-
pIoyers and employees should come closer
together and each should try to know and
! understand the other. They should not wait
! for trouble, but should affiliate in the in
| terest of industrial peace"
MEN SHOULD HELP EMPLOYERS.
What do you mean by that?" asked
Il mean that when the business is going
| on all right and the men are satisfied the
! employer should show an interest in them
| and. If possible, get closer to them. I mean
that the men at such a time should go to
their employer and say: We are doing
well, we like our job and we are satisfied
with our wages. Now, we want to know
If there is any way in which we can help
your business. 1t is to our interest to have
you make money, and anything that we can
do TO make the business pay better we will
! do. Such an action would bring the two
together, and the average employer, if his
success was greater through such action,
would be glad to reward it by higher
wages"
Then the interest of the employer is the
| interest of the mann L asked
Yes, it is replied Mr.. PowderIy. THE
men are dependent for their work on the
success of the capitalist, and he is depend
! ent them"
| Then why should not the two go into
partnership
They are in a partnership whether the
men Will acknowledge il or not" was the
| reply; but the partnership differs from the
| ordinary partnership in that each party has
an individual interest antagonistic to the
other. Each wants the biggest share of
the proits; the laboring man his increased
wages, the capitalist his in cutting wages
down to Increase his profits. The two are
| working together, but at the same time al
ways pulling apart. 1t is one of the most
| delicate relations on earth"
do you think the laboring man is bene-
fitted by being a partner in the shop or fac
| tory for which he works.
Yes, L do. Such a partnership, if the
! men have place on the directorate, shows
| them how the business is really running
| They learn the difficulties. losses and trou-
| bles of the management and get look at
the other side of the ledger. If business is
| bad they are less ready to strike and if
good they get share of the profits"
PLANTS RUN BY WORKMEN.
How about the laboring men joining and
starting independent places of their own p
Such enterprises seldom succeed" said
Mr.. Powderly. They have been tried, and
they are likely to be tried again now that
| so much money is accommodating in the
treasures of the trades unions | see in
cago have so much money they talk of
| starting a bank. The United Mine Work
ers. for instance, have over 100000 in
| their treasury"
But as l have said" continued Mr. Pow
derby, such things fail. Why? 1 will tell
| YOU why. Managing n great business is as
much of profession as the proper handling
| of certain tools is a trade. 1t is only to be
| acquired by natural skill and long training.