502 THE POPULAR SC1KXCE MOXTHLY 



The variety of political reform movements, their weakness and lack 

 of harmony are indicative of the bankruptcy o( the reform movements 

 o( the type then prevailing. Truth, "A Journal for the Poor," and a 

 radical paper, declared : 



This journal is not the paid mouthpiece of either Trades' Unions, Knights of 

 Labor, Ant i-Monopoly Party, Greenback Party, Socialistic Labor Party, Liberal 

 League, Patrons of Husbandry (Grangers), Fanners' Alliance, Irish Revolu- 

 tionary Organizations, or any other Nihilistic, Communal or Socialistic organiza- 

 tion. But it is the friend of every one of them." 



Buchanan speaks of the lack of harmony in the ranks of the labor 

 and reform forces of this period. In 1SSS. as editor of the Chicago 

 Enquirer, he pled for a union among the following movements: "The 

 Union Labor Party, United Labor Party, Progressive Labor Party, 

 American Reform Party, the Grange, the Farmer's Alliance, the Tax 

 Reformers, Anti-Monopolists, Homesteaders, and all other political and 

 politico-economic organizations of bread-winners." 65 



Nevertheless, labor organizations were gaining in strength. The 

 Knights of Labor reached its high water mark in 1886; and the Ameri- 

 can Federation of Labor increased from less than 50,000 in 1881 to 

 over 200,000 in 1889. In an address sent by the heads of several trade 

 unions to the convention of the Knights of Labor in 1886, it was confi- 

 dently assorted that "within the past year the national and international 

 trades unions have grown with giant strides." The following statistics 

 of growth during the preceding year were offered : 56 



Members 



International Typographical Union has gained 9,642 



Cigarmakers' International Union has gained 7,101 



Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners has gained 13,464 



International Union of Bricklayers and Masons has gained. 9,578 



National Bakers ' Union has gained 7,564 



Furniture "Workers ' Union has gained 6,633 



Amalgamated Iron and Steel Workers has gained 8,230 



Iron Holders' Union has gained 12,400 



Granite Cutters' Union has gained 3,622 



Custom Tailors have gained 2,541 



Coal Miners have gained 36,000 



Labor was sloughing off its reformism and returning to the " pure and 

 simple" type of trade unionism. Its was evidently becoming more 

 difficult to lead the wage earners into the camp of the reformers. 



During the period under consideration, employers' associations hos- 

 tile to organized labor were by no means unknown. In July, 1872, " The 

 Employers" Central Executive Committee" of New York City sent out 

 a questionnaire containing eleven questions. The committee desired 

 "to avail itself of the wisdom and experience of Thinkers and Em- 



" September 15, 1883, Vol. 7. 



65 "Story of a Labor Agitator," p. 429. 



60 "Labor: Its Rights and Wrongs" (18S6). 



