Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-12-01
ASSISTANCE WANTED
GENERAL OFFICERS OF KNIGHTS OF
LABOR ISSUE A SECRET ADDRESS.
More Funds Needed to Aid Locked.0ut
nembers-Earnest Appeal for Gen.
eral Cooperation sympathy
Alone Will Not Suffice.
lBy ,clegrap h to the Dispatch. !

'o'morrow Will publish the following I'm
rortant secret circular issued by the general
officers OF the knights OF Labor, with
photo-lithographic reproductions OF the
signatures and seal OF the order:
NOBLE OgDRR or KNIGHTS or LABOR OF
ANEmcA-oFFICIAL CIRCULAR, 40. 2.
OFFICE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, Nov. -, 1885.
To al Subordinate Assemblies Of Me
Order Greet,ng:
Previous TO the session Of the General
Assembly ut Richmond an appeal was
issued 10 the order for funds to assist VIC.
ilmized and locked.out members in yarion,
parts OF the country. The response 10
that appeal was not such rs IL should have
been, aud only about $4,000 were received
thereon. This, II Is manifest TO every
member, was entirely insufficient to. rem
der the assistance needed and desired.
Many thousand members were thrown
upon our hands by the lOck-Outs OF the EN-.
pioyers, who acted In concert With the
ayowed purpose Of driving their employees
out OF the order, thereby crIpphng 1t, II
not destroying its mower and usefulness.
The order of Knights OF Labor has reached
ihe most critical period III its history. IL
But your general officers, while they
make no special claim 10 superiority
IN purity OF motive, have sworn
that The order shall be made u
power for right, and right only;
ltal the laws shall be rigidly enforced, ana
members shall receive the fullest protection
Of their rights under the laws of our coun.
try and our order. without any provoca-
ton. except the exercise Of the inherent
right Of every freeman TO belong to an7 or
canizatlOn he pleases not in conflict with
the laws OF the country, thousands OF
our memb,r,, men and women, with
out warning, have been thrown
out Of employment. They. have gone
TO TIE door OF the mill and the
factory and TO the mouth Of the mine,
where but yesterday they were employed,
only 10 find staring them in the face this
urchrisiian and unamerlcan mandate:
you cannot return TO work here until OH
sign a contract to leave the knights Of La
bor, and that you will never become mem
Ter Of that or any other labor 0rglnlza'
ton" Every man who has Joined the
KNIGHTS OF Labor bas pledged himself to do
his duty in tue cause OF mankind. No oath
binds him to any act contrary TO the duty
be owes TO Goa or his country. But
something more sacred even than
an oath-his pledge OF honOr-blndS
HIM to loyalty defend the principles
Of truth, honor, justice, and citizenship.
Two alternatives present them-elYes-un-
conditional surrender or manly defence.
Which shall it be! LOcked-Out members
in their enforced idleness turn from suffer-
ing wives and starving children i'm pathetic
appeal to your general Executive Board to
AID them in maintaining their manhood ard
their fidelity TO the order. The General
Assembly instructed your general EXecu-
tive Board TO give them all assistance IN it,
power. We can render that assistance only
IN enc way, and that through the co0pera-
ton Of earnest and loyal members
Of our order. Words OF sympathy, how.
ever kind and grateful, viii not supply the
needs Of these locked.out members. We
must have that which i more substantial
We cannot supply it ourselves Therefore
frankly come 10 you. Having all these err
cumslanccs in mind, and deeply moved BY
sympathy for these suffering members and
those dependant upon them, Your Gen
dal Executive Board has unanimously re-
solved TO levy an assessment OF twenty-five
cents per member upon all local assemblies
Of the order, the same to be paid under the
following regulations:
All local assemblies that responded to
the appeal mentioned above will be credited
on this assessment with the amount do
mated All local assemblies who can are
requested to remit in iullth amount OF the
assessment not later than December %.
1886. TIE assessment in this case viii be
% cents for each member rs shown by the re-
ports to the general secrctary-tTeasurcr for
~. 4 gf..l.
prcforring to pay the amount in lnslaments
may pay ten cont, for each member n
shown bv thn reports 10 October /, 1856, |
to be paid not later tnan December ~. |
1856: ten cents not later than January ~. |
1851: and five cents not larer than Febru- |
ary e. lSs7, for each member a, shown by |
the reports Tor the quarter ending January |
1, 1857. This assessment will be known |
a, q special deficiency assessment and |
must be paid to the general secretary, |
CLarlC II. Litcbman, Lock-Boy SSj. Phila
dclphia, Penn, not later than the dates /
namcd.
when The appeal was issued IN aid OF tn, !
Southwest strike It received most prompt |
and generous response. The need for that
appeal and the crisis to be met, great |
though they were. did not equal the grave |
which COupelS this assessment.
W iih the termination OF that struggle be-
Fan the combination OF capitalists every |
where throughout the country. The OBJ
iect OF that combination j. now
made apparent. The lines are sharp !,
" drawn; the contest = upon VI,
and must he wagod 10 a successful issue.
You know 10, what purpose we require
morcy. All we a-k Is that before paying II
each member put himself in IL place o!
one locked Oui, remembering thit sic
gives twice who gives quickly" and acting
upon The golden rule. "Do unto others rs
yOu would have them do unto YOU"
Spccidi A0iicc.-The above assessment
must be sent TO the general secretary,
Charles II. Litchman, Lock-BoX SSj, PhiiG-
leiphia, Pa.
ISignedl 7. V.PowDERLY, i
General Master Workman.
Dy order Of Tie General Executive !
DoaId-Attc-t:
ChQiies II. LUcimQn, General Secretary.