Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-05-19

OhiCAGO, ILL.,, May D. Lie lOAiOW :
secret circular has been received by the
knights of Labor of Chicago, and will
be read in the various assemblies dur
ing the coming week:
NOBLE ORDER OF THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR
OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Pa, May 3,
1SS6.-To the Order Everywhere, Greeting:
The response to the secret circular, Issued
IN March 13 has been so generous and the
endorsement of the sentiments contained In
it has been so unanimous that L feel en-
couraged and strengthened in the work.
Nearly 4, 600 assemblies have pledged them
selves to act on the advice contained IN the
circular of the 18th ult. feel that 1T only
requires the coming to the front OF the real
men of our order to set US right before 1he
world. We have been losing ground SO lar
as public opinion is concerned for Some
time. One of the causes is that we have al
lowed things to be done under the name OF
the Knights of Labor, for which the organ
ization WAS in no way responsible. L ask
of our members to keep Jealous eye upon
the doings of the labor men who never la
Dor, and when they charge anything to our
order in your locality, set the seal OF
your condemnation upon it at once by de-
nying 1T.
DO NOT BOYCOTT.
IL q paper criticises the knights of Labor
or it's officers do not boycott it, and If you
have any such boycotts on remove them.
A journal not long since made some uncom-
plimentary illusions to the general master
workman of the Knights OF Labor and at
the next meeting OF the nearest assembly a
motion was cast to boycott the paper; not
that alone, but every person who adver-
tised in the columns of the paper. l wrote
to the assembly asking them that they re-
move the boycott, and it was done. We
must bear in mind that our general master
workman is only man and Is not above
criticism. We demand for ourselves the
''right OF free speech" We cannot consist
emily deny it to others. We must tolerate
fair open criticism. Ii a reply is necessary
make it in gentlemanly and dignifed man.
ner. If we are criticised or abused by a.
blackguard sheet treat it as you would the
blackguard himself-in silence.
That our aims and objects are good is no
reason why our members should be regarded
as beings OF superior build or material. We
are no more the salt of the earth than the
millions of unknown toilers who do the
work of the world. In our dealings with
laborers and capitalists, we must deal
Justly and fairly by them. Ii we would
have equity done to us we in turn must do
equity TO others. This is the aim of the
knights of Labor and must not be lost
sight OF in future
SOME SAMPLE ABUSES.
Let me direct your attention to few
little abuses: [ find that wherever a strike
occurs appeals for aid are scattered broad
cast among the assemblies. Do not pay
one cent for such purposes in future, unless
the appeal comes from your own district
assembly or the general assembly. If boy
colt notices are sent to you burn them.
/ have in my possession over 400 boy
colt notices which were sent to Assem- blies
with a request that they be acted on.
Let me mention some of them: mem
Der is editing a paper. He fears a
rival and proceeds to get into alterca-
ton with him, boycotts him and then asks
the order to carry it out. A certain paper
is influential in one or the other of the
political parties. Members of the opposing
party conceive the idea of getting rid of the
paper and they invoke the aid of the
Knights of Labor, first taking the precau-
ton to have the paper IN question say
something uncomplimentary of the Knights
of Labor. In fact, our order has been
used as tail for q hundred different kites,
and in future it must soar aloft, free from
all OF them. / hate the word boycott.
was boycotted ten years ago and could not
get work at my trade for months. It is a
bad practice; it has been handed to US by
the capitalists. / have no use for it only
when everything else fails. Appeals for aid,
circulars. petitions, advertisements Of
every kind are scattered everywhere
through the order. I copy a letter which
comes to me on the subject:
large part of our time has been spent in read
ing boycott notices and appeals for aid, keeping
us until II o'clock. We were led to believe the
knigi hts OF Labor to be an educational institu-
ton, but this kind of education is not productive
of good. We have no time for instruction. What
do you advise us to do?
| advise them to either burn or table
these matters, and now ask the secretary
of each assembly to do the same. If your
journal were not boycotted by our members
it could be made the medium of commune
cation between the general officers and the
order, but the journal is not read in one
quarter OF the assemblies. Some assemblies
send out documents in envelopes addressed
to Secretary of Assembly No. - In
many places the secretaries have been dis
charged because of this practice" Nomem-
Der has the right to address another in that
way, and if it is ever practiced again the Of
fender viii be punished.
THE GENERAL BOARD MUST BE SUPREME.
In future the general executive board
must not be interfered with in the per.
Torrance of it's duty. If you have conf
dence in them sustain them and obey them;
If not, ask for their designations. While the
board was endeavoring to settle the South
western troubles, assemblies in some places,
with the best of intentions, no doubt, were
passing and publishing resolutions con,
demning Jay Gould. These things did no
good; on the contrary they were injurious.
In the settlement of troubles it becomes the
duty of the executive board to meet every
body and go everywhere. While they are
doing this they must not be hampered by
the action of those who do not know what
their task is.
DEEDS NOT RESOLUTIONS.
Keep quiet; let your officers do their best,
and if you cannot find q way to aid them
do not retard their progress. Resolutions
do not prevent land stealing, stock water
ing, or gambling in the necessaries of life.
II had my mind made up to rob bank
at midnight. a string of resolutions as long
as the moral law protesting against my
contemplated action would not influence
me particle, but if some interested party
would take the trouble to study up the
question and would inform himself as to
my right to rob the bank and would stand
guard at the door of the vault, would not
rob it at midnight il he did his duty What
we want from our members is not gush or
windy resolutions about our rights We
know we have rights without passing resolu-
tions. Men who think, study and act are
required.
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