Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1882-05-06
The KNIGHTS OF LABOR.


S. Stephens, himself garment-cut-
ter, TO form secret protective union
of their trade. 1t was the germ from
which the Order OF the knights of
Labor has developed itself. The late
Uriak s. Stephens was the founder
an originator of the Order. He
wrote the fundamental work, the ritual
called "Adelphon Krmpt1s"-"The
Secret Of the Brothers" He wrote
the declaration of principles and the
constitution, and proposed the differ
ent ceremonies for the session of 10.
cal assembly; also, the signs, grips
and calls, by which the members are
enabled to recognize each other.
Uriah S Stephens was born August
Sd, 1921, in CaEe May county, N. j.
near Cape May. He was for the
most Of his life resident of Phila-
deiphia. He was Intended by his
parents, who were Baptists, for the
ministry; tut reverses came to the
family, and he was aPprenticed to be a
tailor and cutter, as which he settled
in Phila lelph in 1915. From 1858
to 1858 he travelled in the West In.
dies, Central America, Mexico, and
up the Pacific coast to California. He
was the first Master Workman of the
first Local Assembly, which kept its
existence and its meetings secret up
to 1878. Then the work was given to
the carpenters, tho shoemakers, the
printers, the 'long-shoremen and to
other trades in Philadelphia. Two
years after this, the loo assemblies
of Philadelphia, having increased
their membership to about fifteen
thousand, organized the first District
Assembly, composed of delegates
from the local. Stephens was elected
to be the first District Master Work.
man. He az pointed "a number OF
travelling organizers, and they, m
structed BY himself and equipped
with the secret work written by his
own hand, went all over Pennsylva-
MIA, West Virginia, New Jersey,
Massachusetts, and Maryland, and
there hundreds of LEGAL assemblies
were formed in quick succession. On
the lst of January, 1878. upon a call
from District Assembly, No. l, the
delegates of fifteen districts assem-
bled in Reading, Pa, to form the
General Assembly, which is now the
legislative body for the entire Order.
Stephens was elected to be the first
Grand Master Workman, and Ma
tional Resistance Fund was ordered to
be set aside from the monthly dues Of
the local assemblies, that fund to be
kept intact by the grand officers un-
less otherwiGe provided by the execu-
tive board, to assist brothers in need
against the aggressons of employers.
Every member Of the Order contrib
utes five cents to this fund every
month not more tEan ten per cent.
can never be taken from the fund at
one time for any purpose whatever
At the first session of the General
Assembly, it was resolved to issue
charters to the local resembles then
in existence, and to all other locals to
be organized thereafter, and zeal
was adopted bearing the word, "That
is themost perfectgovernment in which
an injury to one is the concern ofal'
A Constitution was adopted at Read
ing, which has been virtually un-
changed up to this day. Ga the 10th
of May, 1878, Grand Master Work
man Stephens issued call for spe-
cial session Of the General Assembly
to be held on June 9th at Philadel-
phia, to consider the expectancy OF
making the name Of the Order pub
lie tor the purp Sc Of defending it, in
the Language Of the call, from "the
fierce assaults and defamation made
upon 1t by the press, clergy, and COR
porate capital" Tha G. neral Assem-
bly met and a motion to make the
name public was voted down, but all
locals were directed to discuss the
propriety of making the name public
in 1879, Of expunging from the ritu-
al all scriptural passages and oaths,
and of making such modification in
the iuitiatory exercises as would tend
to remove the opposition coming from
the church. Locals were directed to
take an informal vote upon each OF
the above proposals, and to send the
result to the Grand Secretary.
The next session CT the Grand AS