Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1886-10-07
A NEGRO IN TIE PIT.
RICHMOND PEOPLE STAND AGHAST
AT THE KNIGHTS ACTION.

Farrell. the Celored X. of L. Delegate,
Witnesses Theatrical Performance
from a Seat in the Orchestra Chairs of n
Richmond Theatre-Powderly's Annual
Address to the knights.
RICHMOND, Va, Oct when the com
mittee on credentials were ready to report to
the Knights of Labor convention Tuesday it
was 3 p m The report was read which con-
sumed the time until $50, and after some
discussion accepted, and it was decided that
those whose names had been read from the
roll prepared by the committee on credentials
Were entitled TO seats When this result was
reached others were requested to leave, and
quietly retired from the hall The discus
sion Of the contests was deferred
We have made little progress to-day,
said Mr Powderly to United Press repre-
tentative Immediately at the close OF
Wednesday mornings session. We are vet
on secret work and have not yet decided the
contests. Nothing can be made public at
this time
Tuesday evening the delegates from dis
trict 80, of New York, sixty i'll number with
twenty additional delegates from other dis
trlcts, marched to the Academy of Music,
where Bandmann is playing Hamlet In
the foremost ranks was Frank Farrell col
ored delegate to 10, who was refused admis-
ion at the hotel on account of color. One
OF the leaders bought eighty tickets for or
chestra seats and distributed them to his fell
low delegates. All marched toward the
doorkeeper with Farrell at the head
Farrell was admitted, took seat
in the front row of orcheS-
ira chairs, and remained undisturbed
throughout the performance It is the first
time a colored man or woman sat throughout
a performance in other than the sect ion re
served for colored people i'll thrcatre here.
One of the results, the citizens say, will h
| the election If George D. Wise, Democratic
| candidate for congress in this district. Wad-
dell is the Republican candidate and Mullen,
master workman Of the knights of this dis
trict, is the labor candidate. The Democrats
/ feared Mullen would draw enough Knights
OF Labor votes from them 10 defeat their
candidate. Now thtJ say no white man will
vote for him.
The following is an abstract Of General
Master Workman Pcwderly's address, which
has been made public.
After brief introduction, Mr. Powderlv
called attention TO the rapid increase in the
organization as evidenced by the fact that in
one year 4, 0tiS assemblies have been organized
The st. Louis car troubles. he said, were the
beginning of the tidal wave of strikes and
bOycutts which swept over the country
The southwest strike began when the time
and attention of the general officers were
taken up with other matters of vital import
ance, and they knew nothing whatever con-
corning il or the causes leading to it until 1t
had been in progress several days Il did not
approve of hat strike" Mr. Powderly saws,
and it is my firm belief that the railway
companies precipitated the fight themselves
at a time when it would appear to the world
that the strike was for an Insignificant cause
The eight-hour strike, which took place
May |, was not successful except in cases
where employers and employees were acting
in harmony, or where employers were willing
10 adopt the plan. In many cases the old
system of working long hours has been re
Vived. | have been accused ofopposing the
eight hour movement No statement was
ever further from the truth. | opposed the
strike of May because | knew that neither
workmen or employers were ready for it.
and because no definite business-like plan
for the Inauguration of the eight hour move
mcnt had been mapped out. \ reduction Of
the hours of labor is a necessity and sooner
or later 1t must be lad.
The question of child labor and education
Is the most important that can come before
us now or at any other time. Il should be a
part of the duty OF every assembly to ascer-
tain the number of children who do not at
tend school in its vicinity, learn what the
causes are and TAXI steps to have them at
tend chool, and | ask that a special commit
tee on education be appointed to prepare
and recommend to this general assembly a
plan for the better education of the Ameri-
can youth.
The trouble with trades unions in which
certain of our members and assemblies have
been engaged was greatly magnitind and dis
torted More trouble has been caused us by
men who profess to be members of the
Knights of Labor than by members OF trades
unions. ! respect the man who, being a MEM
Der of trades union, does everything honor
able in his power to defend and pei-petuate
his organization; but for the Knight of La
Dor who would even attempt to subordinate
our order to any other | have nothing but
contempt. In my estimation there is but one
place for such a man, and that Is on the out
side of our ORDER
The rest of Mr. Powderlys address was
mainly of personal nature He alluded to
instructed to vote for his reelection as gen
eral master workman. He released them
from that obligation, and preferred they
would vote for some other man He was
ready to serve the order IN any capacity,
either as general master workman or as
private in the ranks.