Omaha daily bee., 1886-10-06
BRAWNY MEN AT BRAIN WORK.
Second Days Proceedings of the Knights
of Labor Convention.
eEAuMoNT's ANNEX CONGRESS.
lie Wants Each state Represented
By knight Mt Washington For
One Hundred Days to
Study Legislation.
Richmond Assembly.

nan Griflth called the second session of
the Knights of Labor convention to order,
in the absence of Powderly, who was de-
tanned at the hotel by business. 1t was an
nounced that the committee on credentials
was not ready to report and nothing could
be done until their report was re-
ccivcd. While waiting sew cral speeches
were made by delegates to aid in Willing the
time away. Shortly after 10 o'clock Powderly
arrived and was presented by Brother ODon-
nell with gavel made from wood of the Or
ange tree that grew on the spot where Cen
eral Packcnham was killed at the battle or
New Orleans, The presentation was made
1t was leaned that the committee on
credentials would not be ready to report until
2o,clock. The convention then adjourned
until that hour. Before the delegates left
hall Powderlv strongly urged them to avoid
the use of strong drink While in Richmond.
AS individuals, he said he had no right to die Z
not here as individuals but as representa- /,
tives of vast constituency. The eyes of the J
world were upon them while here, and that
constituency would be judged by their con-
Will be occupied by consideration of the re-
port of the committee ON credentials. I
!, The convention went into session, again
this afternoon at . o'clock. The report of thet
committee on credentials was then ready. lBa
was very long, and Secretary Turner said ics
would take four hours to read it.. 1t was.
could be completed and action on it takenN
this afternoon.
At length the report was accepted. it was
decided that those whose names had been
read from the roll prepared by the committeej
on credentials were entitled to seats. Whcu1
this result was reached the others were re-
quested to leave, and quietly retired from the !
hall. The work of assigning seats to the re-
naming delegates then began and was COM /
pleted at 7:3o, when an adjournment was
taken to 9to.morrow. Before adjourning iti
lni.I Ing 40 hil
ton be from 9 to II and to p. III. daily un- I
til linal adjournment.
At the special session of the general assem-
bly, held at Cleveland, Mcssrs. Beaumonl
Mccarthy and Campbell were appointed u
committee on legislation to 20 to Washington
to watch legislation in the interest of labor.
ton during the session of congress ,andS
shortly after adjournment prepared ~
report which was =, printed and cir.
e1nlaied, e1l i through nf the as assemblies Of
which was made public through the press. !
Ralph Beaumont, chairman OF the committee,
has prepared supplementary report, which
will be presented at the present convention,
and on which action will be taken. 1t says
in substance.
Your committee realize that the day is not
at hand when we may safely rely upon mem
bcrs of our order in sufficient numbers to
WELD any great and useful power as a body
atythe polls to sustain only such candidates
as asr may be Fs'd That po" object ts faySf ss%
only he accomplished by system of edu-
cation that will develop the highest knowl-
edge upon measures that are constantly being
brought to the front in the legislative halls OF
the nation. Your committee found that the
most difficult task it had to perform
was, to get at the true. ifiwardness
They found that among hundreds of bills
now pending before the senate and house on
three great questions of the day, viz: land,
t'"'pea0" Of ahe wee aea da%n Sn'' with HH' ff% fhs
view of accomplishing the most good
in the interest of the people. But Oh the
contrary it was the common usage Of the
enemies of the people to introduce bill that
on the face OF 1t would seem a good and
wholesome measure in the interest of justice
and equity; while IN between lines it would
attorney could invent. Your committee also
find that the members of this order and other
woikingmen n general are under conditions
often led to ndorsing measures decidedly in
SS, isIssts; again thsrs IS possible
chance hSse fpaud a e6TucshE 6H the people
congress, as those who have charge of this
class of legis slation are as a rule the most
skillful tactcians in parliamentary debate in
Your committee is of opinion that in order
to combat corporate interest aided as it is, by
n subsidized press, that something more than
n committee must take char-e of the matter.
In view of this opinion your committee sug-
gests that this body establish a con
gress of Its own at Washington during
United states congress, perIod of 100 days,
commencing December /, 1885. This con-
gress to consist ola delegate from each of the
fhyfhEhth fhs hos; states they to be elected
the order ann to be allowed a compensation
of IS per day, and be allowed actaal travelling
expenses to. and from their, homes. They
shall organize in body by electing speaker
point the same number of commit
eeI 1ini,o1 as St,,ol nov Tou.d appointed by tie
and they shall be designated by the same
titles his body shall be in session daily
eight hours per cay, from 80; m. to y. M,
with one honr. for dinner. This body shall
as soon as II is organized procure a COPY of
every bill that is introduced into either branch
OF the national legislature, and it shall ut
once be referred to an appropriate commit
tee, and such committee, Shall at once report
that bill TO the body, with such recommended
tions as 1t, in its Judgment, may deem
best, when il shall debate the same,
and ii amended by the body committee
shall Mt once be appointed to take the bill in
its amended form and present the same to
the committee OF either branch of the ma
tional legislature that has il under considera-
ton, and request that the amendment be in
serted in the bill. This body shall nave
a clerk, assistant clerk and stenOgrapber,
also sergeant-at-arms, and an assistant SER
geant-at-arms, one door keeper and assistant
door Keeper, all OF whom shall be members
of the order. The general execbliye
board shall levy an assessment pro
70 defny the expenses, of this body.
| There shall also be published by this body q
| daily record OF the proceedings including de-
bates, and a copy of the same shall be fur
nished to each labor assembly, and shall he
| sOld-to each member Of the order and others
at cost. This, in brief, Is submitted TO You
as the supplementary report of the committee.
Your committee Is of opinion that the cost
| OF maintaining such body for one hundred