St. Paul daily globe., 1886-07-21
WANTS OF THE K. OF L.
Legislative Reforms Demanded by the
Knights Of Labor of
Minnesota.
Convict Labor Must Go---Better Life
and Limb Law
Wanted.
The Reservation of Public Lands fol
Actual Settlers Earnestly
Urged.
Full Text of the Address Issued by
the Minnesota Protective
Association.
Address of the knights.

The meeting OF the dlStrlcI assembly OF
the Knights of Labor. better known as the
Minnesota Protective association, at Winona
ON Monday will be recognized as highly
significant and Important as outlining the
demands which organized labor make by
the way of legislation. About 100 dele
gates were present representing nearly
every county in the state, who reported
rapid growth in the order, especially IN
Minneapolis. st. Paul, Saltwater, Winona.
Duluth. Mankato and Faribault. Four
teen delegates with alternates were elected
to attend the general assembly at Rich
mond. Va. The offices OF secretary and
treasurer of the district were consolidated,
and it was decided that the office of dis
trict master workman should be transferred
from Minneapolis to st. Paul, so that the
correspondence and clerical work attached
to the office can be more rapidly expedited
by the secretary. The following is the ad-
dress prepared and adopted at the meeting:
Whereas, All political parties and aspirants
for Office have declared themselves favorable
TO legislative reforms in the interest OF the
producers of wealth, and have repeatedly re-
quested information as to the demands OF
the working people in our state; therefore,
be it
Resolved, That we, officers and delegates Of
the Minnesota Protective association, call
attention to the following preamble and fur-
ther resolutions:
The doctrine that the free and unalienable
right to life and liberty and happiness in-
cludes the equal and unalienabie right to the
use of the natural elements from which l1fe
must be supported; and system which COM
pels some citizens to buy from other citizens
the right to till the unoccupied soil of their
common country, and that permits individuals
and corporations to appropriate as their own
exclusive property the stores of Oil, gas and
minerals which the Creator has stored beneath
it for this common use, and the value which
the growth of population gives to the land
occupied by cities. is a violation OF natural
justice, the inevitable result of which is to
enable those who do not work to reap the
earnings of those who do. to impoverish the
farmer, mechanic and laborer, while enrich
ing the forestaller and monopolist and by
depriving those who possess only the power
of labor of any opportunity to make living
for themselves, to force them to deadly COM
petition with each other for the wages which
some employer is willing to pay.
AS preparing the way for the adoption Of
better system, we demand measures which
shall restore to the people certain rights and
privileges hereinafter named.
First-We demand the creation of system
that shall make future generations more than
mere tenants at will, so long as there is land
idle that is needed by American citizens to
live and work upon
Second-We demand the reservation of the
public lands for actual settlers only, and that
all lands owned. by individuals and corpora
tions in excess of $50 acres not under culti-
vation, shall be taxed to the full value OF
cultivated lands Of like character.
Third-We demand the Immediate forfeiture
of all lands now under grant to corporations
or individuals, the conditions of which have
not been complied with.
Fourth-We demand that all lands now
held by individuals or corporations upon
which patents have not been issued, aud
which are non-forfeitable, shall be patented
without delay and taxed to the full value OF
lands of like character under cultivation.
Fifth-We demand the immediate removal
of all fences upon public domain without au-
thority of law, and that equal protection be
secured to all citizens Of the United States IN
the use Of public lands for free. commonage.
SXth-We demand that on and after A. ID.
1890, the government shall obtain possession
by purchase at an appraised valuation or all
lands legally held by nonresident aliens; and
that from and after A. ID. 1886 aliens shall DE
prohibited from acquiring title to or owning
lands within the United States of America;
and that all deeds by the citizens OF the
United states after said last mentioned date.
shall be null and void, and land so decided
shall revert to the government.
Seventh-We demand the abolition OF all
property qualifications for voting similar to
those now existing IN the state of Rhode
Island. and the establishment of a graduated
income tax.
Eighth-We believe this labor bureau is
one of the most valuable means for the dis
semination of needed information, and we
demand for it the full appropriation asked
for that its efficiency he not impaired,
Ninth-We demand the passage of the sew
eral files indorsed by this body, and approved
by the committee ON labor of the house of
representatives.
The issues in Minnesota are made the SUBJ
ject of the latter part of the address. ''The
attention of all political parties is called to
the following demands at the hands of the
state legislature:
First-The establishments Of q state bureau
of labor statistics, that we may arrive at a
correct knowledge of the educational, moral
and financial condition of the labering people
of our state. Such bureaus are now operat-
ing in seventeen states of the United States.
Second-The adoption of measures provid-
ing for the health and safety of those en-
gagged in mining, manufacturing and build
ing industries, and for indemnification to
those engaged therein for injuries received
through lack of necessary safeguards.
Third-The enactment OF laws to compel in
dividuas and corporations to pay their en-
ployes in the lawful money Of the United
States tor all work performed, and give me-
cbauics and laborers first lien upon the pro-
duct of their labor to the extent of their full
wages.
Fourth-The enactment of law to provide
for arbitration between employers and en-
ployed, and to enforos the decision of the
arbitrators.
Fifth-The prohibition by law of the en-
ployment of children under 10 years of age in
workshops, mines or factories.
SiXth-To prohibit the hiring out of convict
labor. And he it further
Resolved, That we will hold responsible at
the ballot box all political parties, members