Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-07
KNIGHTS OF LABOR.
The Needs and Methods of the OrganizA-
tfon Discussed.


HAMILTON, ONT, Oct. 6.--The general
assembly of Rights of Labor met to-day.
Master Workman PowderlY in his address
denounced convict labor on national
work, and favored the eight hour law,
although he discountenanced the inaug-
uration Of strikes to establish the short
hour plan. The WORKING men on the con-
tinent of North America, he said, must
take some action looking to the preven-
tion Of Immigration during periods Of de-
preston. This country can no longer be
called the workshop of the world. Every
step to make 10 the poor house of the
world should be resisted. He deprecated
the speeches OF Minister Phelps at the
meetings of working men in England in
which he said: "There is employment in
America for all who desire It," He
touched on bOyc0tting aud said that
when theend sought for had been accom-
plished it should be discontinued.
FORMATION or ASSEMBLIES.
He recommended that organizers should
not form an assembly when there are
mutterings OF trouble. Speaking OF the
prevalence OF drunkenness during strikes,
he said that drunkenness should be made
an offense punishable by expulsion from
the order. Assistance was next taken
up. he recommended that 1t should be
abolished and that the plan Of assisting
oppressed members by means Of ASSESS
ment be substituted. A majority of the
members now thought the present fund
was for the support OF strikers, which the
founder OF the order never intended 1t TO
be. No strike should be ordered with
out the sanction Of the general executive
board, and then only after every other
effort had tailed.
RELATIONS WITH OTHER SOCIETIES.
In speaking OF the orders relation to
other societies of wOrkingmen. be said:
Eve have been very generous in the past
in championing the cause of other asso-
Citations when they were in trouble, so
much so that the name of the other society
is forgotten and that of the Knights Of
Labor Is allowed to bear all the Odium at
tached to the movement. We must dis
countenance this in the future. II any
organization gets into trouble by taking
such action as we could not approve if
taken by an assembly of the
Knights Of Labor, then we
must refuse any assistance. Our order
must not he made the scapegoat Of other
orders. We have been injured in this
way, and must guard against 1t in the fu-
ture.
"National trade assemblies" was the
next question dealt with. He discOur-
aged the establishment Of any more ma
tiOnal trade districts, which he looked
upon as a step backward in the direction
of the old form of trade unions with all its
uselessness.
STREET CAR EMPLOYEES STRIKE.
ST. LOUIS, Oct. 6.-The Executive Com
mittee of the Knights OF Labor this after
noon ordered general strike Of streetcar
men to begin at 3 O'clock. At the ap-
pointed time the men ON the Washington
avenue line turned in, and by O'Clock
the running Of cars was almost totally
suspended on all roads. The strike was
made in accordance with an order issued
by the executive board OF the Knights OF
Labor, into whose hands the street car
men had placed their affairs, and VINO
allege that the men were ordered
out, because the Presidents or other Off
cials of the car companies failed to meet
them or 10 even notice their invitation to
arbitrate the differences between the men
and the companies. The men demanded
that twelve hours should constitute q
days work; that conductors should re-
ceive s. per day wages, drivers S1.75, and
drivers Of b0O-tail cars the same pay as
conductors. Only one PresidentTGspOnded
to the call for arbitration, Mr.. Johnson,
Of the South st. Louis road, who acceded
to the demands OF the men, and his line
Was at once exempted, but on all other
roads, and In opposition TO the advice OF
leading merchants, whom the men had
called to their aid, the Executive Com
mittee ordered a strike The citizens are
not in sympathy with the strikers, owing
to the annual fair being now in progress
and the city filled with strangers.