Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1886-10-13
Yew Yaren @ailg s4gorning gonrnal and Gunrier,
Rad BLOOD At R1oHmoNp.
The Knights yyrangling Over Changes
OF the -POwderIy Stirs
Up the Reporters.

1
The knights Wrangling Over Change,
OF the COnslitut1on-POWde Stirt
Up the Reporters.
| RICHMOND, Oct. 12.-To the amazement Of
| the representatives of the press Mr. Powder
| ly failed to meet them at the conclusion oil
the session at o'clock this afternoon. A
short time afterward he was found seated at
| table in the dining room of the hotel, hav-
ing evaded the twelve or fifteen newspaper
men who were in wait for him. When he
left the room he did so by a side door, but
was approached by couple of reporters sta
toned there. Finally those of the news
gatherers who had remained about the hotel
6ecked around him and asked why they had
been abandoned. 1t was then after o'clock.
Mr.. Powderly stated that he did not intend
to give out any more news; that the CORE
spondents of the New York papers studious-
ly misrepresented and he did not propose to
be held responsible for reports sent out as
coming from him. This was startling an
nouncement and the press representatives
began a cross-examination of Mr.. Powderly,
resulting in his saying if he had assurance
that his actual statements were correctly
made that he would continue to tell what he
thought should be given to the public. But
when it came to fixing an hour for receiving
news from him he could not conveniently
meet the reporters and would delegate some
body to look after the matter later on.
Work upon the revision of the constitu-
ton of the Knights of Labor organization
was begun at the session of the convention
to-day This is the most important business
before the body with the exception of the
election of officers and will embrace the
questions relative to consolidating districts
into State assemblies, recognizing trades
unions, increasing the membership of the
executive board and the salaries of officers
and all matters relating to strikes, Doycotts,
etc. The committee appointed at the Cleve-
land convention to consider the revision of
the constitution reported when the delegates
met in convention this morning. The report
was printed and a copy placed in the hands
of each one present A motion to proceed to
the consideration of the report prevailed and
the discussion began. Some of the other
questions submitted, and there are several
hundred of them, will come up amend
ments to the report at various stages of its
The debate was lively at
times and bitter personalities were INDUCED
in, 80 much so that a controversy was re-
newed at one of the hotels this afternoon and
came near resulting in encounter between
delegates. Nearly every district represented
has several propositions of local interest and
are being held by them to agree
upon a plan of procedure in the convention
District RI of Massachusetts, tho firstf o
meet and having reached no conclusion is in
session tonight. 1t is stated that the con-
tention which cropped out this morning and
the feeling which is being engendered has
led the cool heads to hope for an early adj
journment. With this in view an effort will
be made to clear up all the work except the
election of officers and some minor affairs by
This will make it easy to adjourn
by one week from tonight.
1t was stated by one of his official asso-
eiates tonight that Mr.. Powderly had con-
Guided to reconsider his determination not
to supply the press with statements of the
work of the convention and that he would
designate delegate tomorrow to furnish
the proper information.
This evenings State says: whatever Mr..
Powderly himself may think his friends must
confess that he has made a mis-
take Cd the social equality question"
This is in reference to Mr.. Powderly's pub
ished letter. The Wing will say in lengthy
and carefully written editorial on the letter:
Whereas he Mr.. Powderly] had before only
put his foot in, he now thrusts in whole
leg. Realizing that he made mistake he
commits the additional blunder of allowing
that knowledge to put him in a bad humor,
as the tone of his letter clearly indicates. So
far as any intelligent purpose is accomplish
ed by it Mr.. Powderly's letter might well
have been unwritten. If he is working on
the negro question i'll the interest of polit
ical movement, which there is no reason to
doubt, he has gone about it any other
politician who courted the negro vote would
Lave done. If it is his purpose to wean the
negro votes from their fealty to the Republi
can party and attach them to the labor party
we can assure him his course is calculated to
have that effect"