The Sunday Oregonian., March 13, 1904, PART FOUR, Page 33, Image 33

55
Former Labor Leader Says Strikes Do Not Pay
Terence V. Powderly Talks With Frank G. Carpenter
on Subject of Employer and Employe.
OREGONIXN, PORTLAND. MAECH 13, 190
WASHINGTON, March S. (Special j
Correspondence of Too Sunday :
Qregonian.) "I don't believe in
strikes for the laboring man."
These -were the words of Terence V.
Powderly. as we chatted, together In his
house facing the Soldiers' Home Park,
this afternoon. They are significant
words, because they come from the mouth
of a labor leader, a man who has worked
with his hands and who has gone through
every gradation of labor, organized and
unorganized. Mr. Powderly was the son
of a workingman. At 13 he earned his
dally bread; at 15 he was a switchtender;
at 17 he was an apprentice in the Dela
ware & Hudson carsbops; at 21 a ma
chinist, and for years thereafter he
worked at his trade. A man of ability
and an orator, he soon became a leader
of his fellows, and after a 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 ffor 14 years, during
which time the Knights of Labor grew
until it embraced unions in every part
of the country and had more than a
million members. They became a busi
ness and a political force, and Mr. Pow
derly, as their head, was the first of the
labor leaders to Inspire a respect for
organized labor. He was cool and con
servative, and was, In fact, the advance
representative of the practical diplomatic,
businesslike men who form the best type
of the labor leaders of today.
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 McKlnley's ad
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.
Strikes Don't Pay.
"No, I don't believe In strikes," said
he. "I have never believed in them and
have done all I could to keep my men
out of them. They dont pay. They are
not necessary, and they bring great suf
fering. Nine-tenths of the trouble be
tween employers and employes are based
on misunderstandings and precipitate ac
tion. Both parties are afraid of each
other, and they stand off when they
should come together. Sometimes the
men have a grievance and one of the in
discreet among them complains of the
situation to a newspaper reporter and a
sensational article Is published, saying
the men aie going to strike. This makes
the employer angry. He asks why the
men did not come to him with their trou
bles. Instead of going to the papers. The
report hurts his business, and he is In a
fit mood for a fight. All this Is wrong.
The employers and employes 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 Interest of indus
trial peace."
How Men Should Help Employers.
"What do you mean by that?" I asked.
"I mean that when the business is go
ing on all right and the men are satis
fied the employer should show an Inter
est 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. It 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 man?" I asked.
"Yes, It is," replied Mr. Powderly. "The
THE 7VP1ROM GI"RL OF 1904
Boon to Office Girl Who Values Good Appearance.
LL hall to tho Apron Girl of 1904!
She does not belong to that fra
ternity, the members of which
wear aprons as a badge of servitude.
Neither does she count herself among
those who are not obliged to toll or spin
for their living, but who wear dainty
little aprons when they embroider or do
fancy work, just as they wear a glove
handkerchief for looks.
The Apron Girl of 1904 would not feel
complimented to be classed with either of
these. She is a type by herself, and
prides herself on her Individuality, for
she belongs to the emancipated guild of
breadwinners whose work takes her Into
big down-town offices.
Improvised paper cuffs, or black sateen
ones to match the apron, have been the
regalia of the office girl ever since she
first became one. No wonder the gal
lantry of men waned, when, day after
day, they were obliged to dictate to such
untidy specimens of femininity.
All this Is changing under the new dis
pensation of aprons, thanks to the girl
who originated the Idea, and was cour
ageous enough to start the new fashion.
She, too, had worn the stereotyped black
apron, which covered the front of her
skirt, but failed to protect her sleeves or
her waist. More than one shirtwaist was
sent to the laundry after wearing once,
because of soiled sleeves, which were In
contrast to Its otherwise Immaculate ap
pearance. One day she thought of her apron
scheme, something that would differ
from the apron of the waitress or nurse
maid, or artist, and yet protect her
gown and be picturesque. She was not
quite sure whether her employer would
.approve of her new regalia, but her fears
were dispelled the morning of Its Initia
tion, when he expressed admiration for
the new garment. After that it was
smooth sailing, and she insists that the
men in the office have been more polite
to her ever since.
In days of yore the black silk apron was
the acme of elegance and propriety if It
had a few rows of black velvet ribbon
upon it. The defects of any nondescript
gown could be covered and dignified by
such a garment. That was undor the
old regime, however. The Apron Girl
of 1904 believes in being well gowned for
business, and she does not save her best
dresses for home wear. She knows it is
to her advantage to appear smart, but
not overdressed.
Unfortunately, desk work is hard on
sleeves, not only soiling, but wearing
them out quickly. For this reason .the
big apron i welcomed as a protector
of the" , gown underneath, which
will wear twice as long for the precau
tion. Then, too, many young women are
obliged to dress in the morning for some
evening recreation, as the distance Is too
great for them to return home after office
hours. The new apron helps out in this
direction also, and thus saves time and
the gown as well.
One of the prettiest of these aprons
is worn by a girl .in an office "building
which is well kept, and therefore admits
ot the extravagance of wearing white.
It is of .sheer white India linen, and is
trimmed with embroidery, embroidered
beading and white wash silk ribbon. Tho
men are dependent for their work on the
success of the capitalist, and be is de
pendent on them."
"Then why should not the two go Into
partnership?"
"They are in a partnership whether the
men will acknowledge it or not," was the
reply; "but the partnership differs from
the ordinary partnership In that each
party has an Individual interest antag
onistic to the other. Each wants the big
gest share of the profits; the laboring
man his increased wages, the capitalist
his in cutting wages down to increase
the profits. The two are working to
gether, hut at the same time always
pulling apart. It Is one of the most deli
cate relations on earth."
"Do you think the laboring man is
benefited by being a partner In the shop
or factory for which he works?"
"Yes, I do. Such a partnership, if the
men have a place on the directorate,
shows them how the business is really
running. They learn the difficulties,
losses and troubles of the management
and get a look at the other side of the
ledger. If business is bad they are less
ready to strike and If good they" get a
share of the profits."
Plants Run by Workmen.
"How about the laboring men joining
and starting Independent places of their
own?"
"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 accumulating in
the treasuries of the trades unions. 3
see In the" papers that some of the unions
of Chicago have so much money they
talk of starting a bank. The United
Mine "Workers, for instance, have over
$1,000,000 In their treasury.
"But, as I have said," continued Mr.
Powderly, "such things fall. "Why? I
will tell you why. Managing a great
business Is as much ot a profession as
the proper handling of certain tools in
, a trade. It is only to be acquired by
natural skill and long training. If you
should put a banker to building a steam
engine he would fall, and so win tne
machinist fail who tried to manage a
bank or a factory. There are exceptions,
I grant you, but 99 times out of a hun
dred either will fall. This is more so
every year as businesses and trades are
specialized. In the big undertakings of
today the capacity required is greater
than ever before."
"What do the laboring men think of
their chances of eventually becoming
their own managers?"
"I don't think their ambition runs that
way at least not as a mass. Individuals
do rise and will always rise as long as
God gives men different capacities and
talents. We shall have Carengles and
Schwabs as long as brains married to
brawn bring forth great fortunes. The
peculiar brains will come to the top,
however hard you stir the business and
labor kettle to keep them down.
A Story of Abram S. Hewitt.
"But as to the masses of laboring men
owning and controlling factories them
selves,, they are afraid of It," Mr. Pow
derly continued.
"I remember when I was general master
workman of the Knights of Labor, Abram
S. Hewitt, Peter Cooper's son-in-law, who
owned some of the greatest Iron works
of the country, offered to let his men In
tho Iron works at Trenton take that plant
and run It. Mr. Hewitt was noted for his
friendship to the laboring man. He never
had any serious trouble, notwithstanding
he employed thousands, and In hard times
he carried on his furnaces at a loss rather
than close them and put his men out.
Well, he offered to let the men take the
Trenton works as they stood and run
them on the condition that they were to
pay the expenses, manage them and have
all the profits. At first thought the men
were very enthusiastic and they brought
their proposition to me. I advised them
to think the matter over before they ac
cepted. " 'Who among you understands the
girl who wears it is petite, so she chose
the baby waist effect, which Is most be
coming to her. It has long bishop sleeves,
finished in a band of the embroidered
Beading, and with baby ribbon run
through It. Thl3 she calls her "dress-up"
apron. She also wears pale blue, pink
and lavender dimity, or lawn aprons for
a change.
A more practical young woman selects
for her office aprons materials of a qual
ity that will lend themselves to the
washtub. She knows that some mate
rials take on a darker color when
washed, and that they starch In a papery
fashion. Her choice, therefore, is for
India linens, percales, and even prints.
A pretty print apron, commonly called
calico, is not to be despised, if well
made and ruffled. Such a one Is espe
cially desirable for the typewriter girl
and tho girl who copies, and thereby
comes In contact with ink. A simple way
to make one of these is to gore the front
breadth. Inserting the gores to give
width at the bottom. Instead of arm
holes, the apron is not sewed up all tho
way, space being left for them in the
seam. Or It can be made sleeveless. If
desired. A navy blue one, with white
polka dot. Is ruffled with the same, and
is trimmed with a white finishing braid
fln the pocket, ruffles and bands.
Another dark one, which is both ser
viceable and pretty, is made of a good
quality of percallne. which is as light
in weight and resembles moire silk. It
has lengthwise tucks In the waist to fit
It to the form. The ties are Inserted at
the waist line on each side, which brings
the apron well in at the back. The ruf
fles, pocket and ties are briar stitched,
as are also the tucks in front. This
method is an Improvement over the old
one of featherstltchlng.
The Song of the Drum.
Pall Mall Gazette.
Do you hear my summons hammer thro' the
crackle and the clamor.
Do you feel my throb and thrill?
When I meet the smell of powder, oh, my
marry note grows louder.
And my song shall not be still.
Follow, each beside his fellow, 'neath the va
pors gray and yellow.
Wildly cheering-, sternly dumb,
And rumble, rumble, rumble, when the
smoke wreaths toss and tumble.
You shall hear the rolling drum. Follow
the drum!
Men forget their fears and follies as they
face the blinding volleys.
And the young recruits they come.
With their simple sunburnt faces, from -the
quiet, country places.
To the call of me, the drum.
Come, plowbcy. lad nnd carter, and your,
llfeblood freely barter
.For the bullet sure for some.
And rattle, rattle, rattle, through the din
and roar of battle.
You shall hear the rolling drum; Follow
the drum!
When the boys that follow fast there, drop
aside and fall at last there.
From the surging: lines of red.
Then no more of pomp and rufflo; my -notes
awhile I muffle.
And I moan and- mourn the dead.
But the losing battle needs me, and the
whistling bullet speeds me;
Through the reeling ranks I come.
And clatter, clatter, clatter, where the
broken regiments scatter.
You shall hear the rolling drum. Follow.
the drum!
business of management?" said I. They
had not thought of that.
" 'What do you know of the markets,
how to advertise, when to buy cheapest
and where to sell best?' All this they did
not know. Well, to make a long story
short, they thanked Mr. Hewitt, but re
fused to take the mill."
"But in working for wages, Mr. Pow
derly, does labor get Its share of the
profits?"
"Who can tell?" was the reply. "Some
times it does, sometimes not. I think the
working man should be well paid and that
his life should be made easier in every
possible way. It Is to the Interest of all
that he have good wages, for good wages
means more money in circulation, a
greater consumption of all kinds of goods
and good times. Again, If tho wages be
too high the business cannot pay, and
the reverse of all this Is the case."
Wages Steadily Rising.
"But wages are steadily rising the world
over, are they not?"
"Yes, especially In the United States.
Take this carpet," said Mr. Powderly, as
be kicked a Turkish rug at his feet.
AN OFFICE APXON
"There was nothing like carpet in the
poor man's house when I was a boy.
My father was rather well off for a labor
ing man. He came to this country from
Ireland In 1S26 and settled In Northern
Pennsylvania, opening up the first coal
mine in that part of the state. He had
12 children, and we had none too much
Still, we were as well off as laboring peo
ple generally. We lived in a cabin with
no plaster or paper on the walls and no
carpets on the floors. I slept In the loft,
and the snow came through the roof In
drifts upon my bed, often covering the
floor. I remember now how cold it was
when I stepped out on that snow. Con
trast that with the working man's home
of today. He has his r-arpets, his com
fortable furniture, and often his piano.
He lives better, has books, newspapers
and magazines, and can educate his chil
dren." 1
OF SHKKR WHITE INDIA LAW", TRIMMED
XRY AXD EMBROIDERY BLADING.
"How about your education, Mr. Pow
derly V
"I went to school until I was 13." re
plied Mr. Powderly, "and then stopped
on account of trouble with my eyes. I
needed glosses, for I was born near
sighted, but I did not know what was the
matter for years afterward. I could see
nothing well at a distance. Indeed, until
I was IS years of age I never saw the
stars. I had heard of them, of course.
but I looked upon them rather as
WXTHrEMB&OnX
EUCX AN
poetical fiction than as a visual reality.
One day I took up a pair of glasses that
happened to fit me, and, like Columbus.
discovered a new world. I could see
things I had never Imagined anyone saw
the leaves on the trees In the distance,
faces across the street. Indeed, I never
really saw, as you see. until I was IS."
"I don't understand how you could
work 'with your defective eyesight."
"I can see well enough at close range,"
was the reply. "I can take a red cent,
and by nailing It with brads to a bench,
can file off the nose of the Indian without
cutting the edges. The Indian's nose is,
you know, a little higher than the face of
the cent. It takes good eyesight and good
nerves to so file It off, arid this we often
tried to do in the shops. I am one of the
few who can do it without cutting the
edges of the coin. I also used to pick out
with my knife the splinters of steel that
flew Into the eyes of my fellows. That Is
also a delicate job."
The Story of a Labor Leader.
"When did you become interested, in
organized labor?"
"I Joined the Machinists' and Black
smiths' Union In 1870. 34 years ago, and
wa3 soon elected president. Then I
joined the Knights of Labor, and In 1879
was elected General master workman. I
held that office until 1SS3."
'Was there much money In It?" I
asked. "Sam Parks would have done
well If he had had that place."
'There was nothing In it but tho sal
ary," replied Mr. Powderly, and when I
left the office I was $7000 in debt. I was
paid practically nothing for the first four
years, then $800 a year, then JloOO, and
finally $5000, but the $5000 was not always
paid. The position was not financially
profitable. As to Sam Parks, It Is not fair
to use him as a type of the labor leader
of that time or now. He Is a villain. The
representatives of our unions today and
of the past are and. have been men of the
highest sense of honor. Indeed, they are
philanthropic and are conscientiously
doing what they can for their fellows.'
About the Knights of Labor.
"The Knights of Labor was the mother
of the Federation of Labor, was It not?
Are not the two bodies very similar?"
"No, the Knights of Labor had, not
only representatives of the trades unions,
but also of the employers. . At one time
one-third of Its members were employ
ers."
"Then It was somewhat like the Civic
Federation, of which Senator Hanna was
the nresldent?"
"In a sense, yes. It tried to settle labor
disputes as far' as possible without re
course to strikes. It is true we had some
strikes, but we settled 1100 labor disputes
without strikes. Indeed, I might say we
prevented over 1000 strikes."
How Mark Hanna Did Business.
"Speaking of Senator Hanna," Mr.
Powderly went on, "he was thoroughly
In earnest In his desire to settle labor
troubles through arbitration. I know
that he began It more than 20 years ago,
It Is now 22 years since I was asked by
his men to come out to Ohio to act as
their representative in a strike there. I
went and, as their delegate, called on
Mr. Hanna and tried to present the case.
Ho treated me politely, but refused ta
talk to me. He said:
" 'What Is the matter with the men?
Why don't they come to me and present
their own case? They know me. I know
them. I don't know you.'
" 'Will you receive a committee?'
asked.
" 'Of course I will, said Mr. Hanna.
'Send them In.'
"I went out and brought In a commit
tee of the miners and then started to
leave. 'You need not go If you don'
want to.' said Mr. Hanna. 'Sit down!
I looked at the men. They said stay, and
I stayed.
"Well, the discussion then went on be
'
APKON-FEBMTXS THE OFFICE-WORKER TO DRESS IN THE XOBNCiQ
FOX AN EVENING ENTERTAINMENT.
tween Hanna and the men. Tho troubles
were taken up Item by Item and threshed ?
over. Sometimes Hanna gave In, some
times the men, but in an hour or so It
was all settled, and the men said they
were satisfied and would go back, to work.
It was hot at times, but at the close Mr.
Hanna -said: 'Now, men, when you have
any trouble In the future I want you to
come right to me and we will talk It
over. Don't ask Mr. Powderly to coma
clear across Pennsylvania and Ohio to
talk for you. You know what you want.
I know what I want. We are all sensi
ble men and can do our own business.
and we will do it.' From that time oa
Mr. Hanna and his men settled their
labor troubles by conference and mutual
conciliation. He was thoroughly honest .
and earnest in his advocacy ot the policy .
and his life shows It."
How Powderly Saved a Railroad.
"In your strikes I suppose you have ;
often had tcr deal with many violent
men. Mr. Powderly?"
"Yes, we had," was the reply. "But
we tried to hold them in check. I re
member an Incident bf the great railroad
strike of 1SS6, when the Gould system of !
railroads and other roads In the South
west were tied up. The men had .left work ;
for some time whAi I got a letter proposwJ
lng a plan to blow up every bridge anil I
a certain signal. The letter stated that
the only way . to reach Jay Gould was
through his pocket, and that this action,
would prevent the trains from running
and break the strike. The writer said
that he had the dynamite and he gave
a full plan as to how it should be placed
and exploded to wreck the system. Ha
marked his letter confidential and asked
that It be sent back to him. He signed
It with the name 'Henri Lee Caron.
"I was horrified, and at once sent a
warning to all the local assemblies ot
the Knights of Labor, protesting against
the scheme anyln-4twas better ta
lose th-sirTke a hundred times than, to
resort; to such villainy to win It At
the same time I filed away the letter.
A Story of Parnell and Gladstone.
"Well, about three "years after thaV
Mr. Powderly continued, "I picked up mj!
paper one morning and saw that a man
named Henri Lee Caron was giving tes
timony in a damage suit brought by
Charles Stewart Parnell against the Lon
don Times. Caron was on the side at
the Times, and he pretended to testify
as an Irish spy that Parnell had beenr
mixed up In the assassination of Cav
endish and, in other fiendish outrages in
Ireland. I knew that Caron had belonged
to some of the Irish agitator organiza
tions, although he did not belong to tha
Knights of Labor. The moment I saw
his name I remembered that letter. I
took It from the files, had it photo
graphed and mailed prints to Parnell
T. P. O'Connor and Michael Davltt, and
I sent the original to Mr. Gladstone, tell
ing him to give It to ParnelL"
"Why did you not send the original to
Parnell?" I asked.
"Because I thought his mall might not
be safe. I was sure that Gladstone's
letters would not be tampered with, and
that is why I sent the original to him.
All the letters went through, however.
As soon as they reached London I got
a cable from Parnell, asking ma to for
ward the original, but he got it the next
day from Gladstone. Shortly after that
Henri Lee Caron was put on the witness
stand and was ready to make what ij
believe was a tissue of lies. He did glvaj
his testimony, but when his letter, pro
posing to wreck the Gould system with
dynamite was read, it had such an isf.
feet that his evidence counted for noth
ing and Parnell came out on top. I go4
letters of congratulations knd thank
from both Parnell and Gladstone" I" raJ
gard to It." (Copyright 1S04.)
FRANK G. CARPENTER.