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

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-
sions. He said he had prepared the draft
Of a 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
laboris 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 a price that to
them would be loss to convict labor
would be great gain. Ii the Govern
ment erects its own buildings, the employ
ment OF Government convict labor is all
very well but if it contracts for the erec-
ton of its buildings, the employment of
convict labor is wrong. 1t is a 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
should be the limit.
Congress will hardly act upon the sug-
gestion that all labor and trade associa-
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 desire. 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 a strike for the
establishment of short hour plan on
May l, 1886. 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
at such times, and he advocated the ex-
pulsion Of all who INDUCED in it. This
was a good idea and one that should be
acted upon at once. As everyone knows,
strikes when long continued degenerate
into saturnalias; and it is from this de-
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 toredeem themselves
from the low estimation in which they
have been held. In the address there
was no allusion to the Chinese question,
a question that before all others is agitat-
ng the Knights on the Coast. AtSeattle,
w. t., on Saturday evening last, the
Knights of Labor held meeting in which
he most incendiary speeches were made
against the Chinese. 1t is said that the
could not control these frey
spirits, andif such is the case, it is because
he great majority of the organization at
Seattle are in favor of expelling the Chin
'se 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
mother meeting was held by the citizens
# the town, and many pledged them
elves to aid in enforcing the law in case
f a riot. The signers were sworn
by Justice of the Peace as
pecial officers. In Washington Territory,
nd in Montana and Wyoming, the
Knights of Labor have assumed to say
that shall be and what shall not, and in
hose Territories they were fast approach
ng the line which separates legitimate
citation from utter lawlessness. 1t is to
e hoped that the Hamilton General
ssembly may have a tendency to put
rop to such things. The Knights have
heir rights, and others have theirs, but
he law alone is the proper power to de-
de them.
THURMAN ON SHERMAN.