The Labor enquirer., 1886-06-12
TO TRADES UNIONS.
The Address Promulgated by the Knigh Il
OF Labor to Kindred Orgah-
izations.

Brothers in the Cause of Labor:
We, the Knights of Labor in General
Assembly convened, extend our heartiest
greeting to all branches of honorable
toll, welcoming them to the most friendly
alliance in common work. This organ
ization embraces within its folds all
branches of honorable toll and condi-
tions of men, without respect to trade,
occupation, sex. creed, color, or nation
ality. We seek to raise the level of
wages and reduce the hours of labor, to
secure practical men and women in
their occupations, in their lives and
limbs, AID in their rights as citizens.
We seek also to secure such legislation
as shall tend to prevent the unjust accu-
mutation of wealth, 70 restrict the pow
ers of monopolies and corporations, and
to enact such wise and benehcent legis-
lation as shall promote equity and JUS
tlce, looking forward to the day when
cooperation shall supersede the wage
system, and the caste and classes that
now divide men shall be forever abol-
ished. We recogniza the service rem
dered to humanity and the cause of
labor by trade union organizations, but
believe that the time has come or is fast
approaching when all who earn their
nread by the sweat of their brow shall
be enrolled under one general head, as
we are controlled by one common law,
the law of our necessities. and we will
gladly welcome TO our ranks or to pro-
lection under our banner any organiza-
ton requesting ad mission, and to such
men are better protected under the pres
ent form of government we pledge our
selves as members of the great army of
labor to cooperate with them in every
honorable effort to achieve the success
which we are unitedIy organized to OBJ
tain, and 10 this end we have appointed
a special co nmittee to confer with like
committee of any national or inter
national trades union which shall desire
to confer with US on the settlement of
any difficulties that NAV occur between
the members of the several organiza-
tiohs
We have received communication
from committee of the national officers
of some of the national and inte:na-
tional trades unions requesting certain
specific legislation at our hands, but as
We believe that the object sought and
stated in the preamble to the communi-
cation above referred to can best be &C.
complished by conference between a
committee of this association and com
mittee OF any other organization, and as
the propositions contained therein are
inconsistent with our duty to our mem
bers, we therefore defer action upon
said propositions until conference Of
committees can be held.
The basis upon which we believe an
agreement can be reache1 ! would neces-
sarily include the adoption of some plan
bv which all labor organizations could
be protected from unfair men, men ex-
PEELED, suspended, under fine, or guilty.
of taking the places of union or Knights
of Labor men while on strike or while
locked out from work, and that, as far as
possible, uniform standard of hours of
labor and wages should be adopted so
that men of any trade enrolled in our
order and members of trades unions
may notcome in conflict because of the
difference in wages or hours of labor.
We also believe that q system of ex-
changing working cards should be
adopted SO that members of any craft
y f. al.