Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-10-07
KNIGHTS OF LABOR.

The Knights of Labor have been hold
ing convention at Hamilton, Ontario.
! 1t was far more conservative than was TO
have been expected, considering some OF
the doings and expressions of various
branches of the organization throughout
the country. Master Workman Powderly
delivered an address that had more sense
and moderation in it than is usually found
in addresses delivered upon such occa-
sons. He said he had prepared the draft
OF bill TO submit to Congress, the object
of which was to prohibit the employment
Of convict labor upon Government build
ings. That is very good suggestion and
one that should be carried out. Convict
labor is not an honest competition because
contractors who hire it get it for almost
nothing, and can bid at such low
rates that the labor market cannot
compete because n price that to
! them would be loss to convict labor
would be q great gain. Ii the Govern
ment erects its own buildings, the employ
ment of Government convict labor is all
very well /; but ii it contracts for the erec-
ton Of its buildings, the employment Of
convict labor is wrong. 1t is serious
question, but the general sentiment of the
country is against contracting the labor of
convicts. The employment of convicts to
the extent of defraying the actual ex-
penses OF their keep is proper, but that
shoud be the limit.
Congress will hardly act upon the sug-
gestion that all labor and trade assoca-
tions throughout the Territories and
the District of Columbia be incorporated
by it. These associations can very read
| lily be incorporated under the existing
laws OF the various Territories if their
members so dasire. Master Workman
Powderly seemed to forget that the gem
eral sentiment of the country is hostile to
the special creation Of corporations, and
that is what he suggests. A general in
corporation act is far better and wiser
than special laws creating corporations.
Into special law many things may creep
which are prohibited by general law,
and when once these things have crept
in, they become sacred covenants, to
break which is to break the law.
The Master Workman is to be com.
mended for his discountenance of the
proposition to inaugurate strike for the
establishment OF a short hour plan on
May l 1856. As rule, strikes are more
productive OF evil than of good; and too
often they are but the expression OF blind
hatred guided by vicious men. The Mas
ter Workman spoke of drunkenness
during strikes, and said it was prevalent
ut such times, and he advocated the ex-
pulsion of all who indulged in it. This
was good idea and one that should be
acted upon mt once. AS everyone knows,
strikes when long continued degenerate
into saturnalias; and it is from this de-
generation that Master Workman Pow
derly would save them. The knights
have brought themselves into disrepute,
and this is the first healthy sign we have
seen that they desire redeem themselves
from the low estimation in which they
have been held. In the address there
was no allusion to the Chinese question,
n question that before all others is agitat-
ing the knights on the Coast At tSeattle,
w. t., on Saturday evening last, the
knights OF Labor held meeting in which
the most incendiary speeches were made
against the Chinese. 1t is said that the
organization could not control these frey
spirits, and ii such is the case, it is because
the great majority of the organization at
Seattle are in favor of expelling the Chin
ese at all hazards and by any means. So
dangerous has become the situation at
Seattle, that on the same evening the
Knights held their anti-Chinese meeting
another meeting was held by the citizens
OF the town, and many pledged them
selves TO aid in enforcing the law in case
OF riot. The signers were sworn
in by Il Justice of the Peace MS
special officers. In Washington Territory,
and in Montana and Wyoming, the
knights OF Labor have assumed to say
what shall be and what shall not, and in
those Territories they were fast approach
ing the line which separates legitimate
agitation from utter lawlessness It is to
be hoped that the Hamilton General
Assembly may have tendency to put u
stop to such things, The Knights have
their rights, and Others have theirs, but
the law alone is the proper power to de-
al; 4, n.