The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-07-18

The picnic of the Knights Of Labor, unde'
the auspices of the Fox River Assembly, NO
/, which was held at Hoes grove, in this city
I, .sday, was very largely attended. Int
Thu train from Streator consisted OF seven
specia and two freight cars, and brough
coaches eople, while the train from Auror
about sop, 4gation that filed six cars.
brought dei> delegation was accompanied
The Streator s band Of that city, an or
by the St. Patrick ed itself well up in tn
ganizaton that pro, IDS band was also en-
art of music Fitzger. nd both these band
gagged for the Occasion,l during the earl
filled the city with musit ort time befor
hours of the forenoon. A sh> state organ
noon, A. H. Shank, of Aurora, ade brie
izer and president Of the day. n. for til
address, outlining the programme ed TO
day, after which the visitors dispers re
dinner, some to the city, while Others
manned on the grounds, having provi1>
themselves with lunch baskets. The exer- !,
cises in the afternoon began with singing by \
the Streator Knights of Labor Gee Club, and
then Rev. j. H. Shay, pastor OF the Strtator
Congregational church, was introduced, and
delivered very lengthy and able speech on
the relations of the laboring man to the
capitalists of the day. He was frequently
applauded. On the stand were T. V. Powder
", Of Scranton, Pa, Grand Master Workman
of the Order; John McLauchlan, Of La Sale,
and Richard Griffith, of Chicago, Grand
Worthy Foreman After enjoying themselves
in these beautiful picnic grounds until night
fall, the younger folks spent the hours after
supper in walking about the city, and about
O'Clock again repaired to the grounds, where
q platform had been improvised, and dancing |
was kept up until ne ar train time.
At 8 O'Clock, in Turn Hall, T. V. Powderly |
addressed the gathering there assembled, his
speech having been preceded by that OF |
Richard Griffith, who told the audience in |
brief outline that which Mr.. Powderly would |
treat upon. On account of the great heat of
the evening there was not large audienc e |
present as would otherwise have been the !
case when such noted labor orator had been |
announced to give an address. Mr.. Powdcrly |
is not rank agitator, neither are his views of |
a communistic tendency, He is an advanced |
thinker on the great subject of the relations |
of labor to capital and nice rerSa. His views |
are extremely moderate, reasonable, and well |
worthy of a dispassionate hearing His lee
ture was an attempt to explain the origin of
the Knights of Labor, and to show the neces-
sity Of the laboring men uniting in one or
gauization. He thought the different Trades
Unions ought all to be united in one body,
which would include all men who work for
living He invited all to join, except bank
ers, lawyers and saloon keepers. The rules
of the order do not permit any in these occu-
pations to become members. About ii
O'Clock the Knights of Labor, their wives,
sweethearts and babies, left for StreatOr and
Aurora after having spent, as many OF them
asserted, most enjoyable time. The best Of
order prevailed, and it is highly credtable to
the society that so many of them came to-
gether and enjoyed themselves so heartily, |
and preserved such good order. 1t speaks
volumes for the organization, and there are
very few societies in which about 700 people |
could meet, mingle and be merry without
number of disturbances of the peace being |
made.