The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1886-05-22
THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR.
Mr.. POwtlerly'> Circular on Abuses in
the Order.

received by the Knights Of Labor, OF
Chicago, and will be read in the various
assemblies. 1t is dated Philadelphia. Nav
;, and thus opens:
The response to the secret circular issuc,
on March J., has been so generous, and
the endorsements 0t the sentiments con.
tanned in it has been sc, unanimous, that |
feel encouraged and strengthened in the
work. Nearly 1000 assemblies have
pledged themselves to act on the advice
contained i'll the circular of the 18th ult.
feel thai it only requires the coming to the
front Of the real men of our order to set
us right before the world. We have been
losing ground, SO far as public opinion is
concerned, for some time. One of tine.
causes is that we have allowed things to be
done under the Knights of Labor, for
which the organization was il no way re-.
sponsiblc. ask Of our members to keep
ajealons eve upon thc.doings Of the labor
men who never labor. and when they
charge anything to our Order in your 10.
calitv, set tha seal OF Your condemnation
uponit at once by denying it. If paper
criticiscs the knights Of Labor or its Off
GERS, do not boycott it, and if YOU have
any such boycott ON, remove them. \
journal not long since made some uncom-
plinentarv illusions to the General Mas
ter Workman OF the Knights OF Labor,
and at the next meeting OF the nearest
Assembly a motion was passed to boycot,
the paper; not that alone, but every person
who advertised in the colo,nns Of the paper.
| wrote to the Assembly that they remove
the boycott, and it was done. We must
bear in mind that the General Master
Workman is only a man, and is not above
criticism. We demand ourselves the right
OF free speech. We cannot consistently
deny it to others. We must tolerate fair.
open criticism. # Il reply is necessary
make it in gentlcmanty, ,dign;iied manner.
II we are criticised or abused bv Il black.
guard sheet, treat it as you would th,
blackguard himself--in silence That our
aims and objects arc good is no reason
why our members should be regarded is
beings Of superior build or material We
arc no more the salt of the earth than the
millions of unknown toiler> who do the
work of the world. In our dealings with
laborers and capitalists we must deal Just
ly and tairl, with them. we woulu
have it equally done to US we in turn mus
do equally to Others. This is tn, aim OF
the Knights OF Labor, and must not be los,
sight of in the future
Let me direct your attention to a few
little abuses: | find that whenever strike
occurs appeals for aid are scattered broad
cast among the Assemblies. DO no, pa>
one cent for sucl, purposes in future, un-
less the appeal comes from your own Dis
trict Assembly or the General Assembly
Ii hovCott notices are sent to YOU b,,r,l
them. have III my possession 100 boy
colt notices which were sent to Assemblies
with a request that they be acted upon.
Let mc mention some Of them:
!
rival and proceeds to get into an ;ltcrc:,-
ton with him, bovcott> him, and then asks
the order 70 carry i. out \ certain paper
is influential in one or the other of Il,
political parties. Members Of the opy,,iu"
party conceive the idea ol getting rid O,
the Knights OF Labor, first takin. the pre-.
caution to have the paper in question say
something uncomplimenIarv to ,h,.
Knights OF Labor. In fact, our Order, has
been used is tail for !. hundred different
kites and in future it must soar alott trc>
from all of them.
:. hate the wore: boycott. WAS boy
cottctl ten wears ago, and could no, get
work ut my trade tor months. 1t is IL bad
practice: it has hcen handed to us bv th.
capitalist. have no use for it only when
every thingelse tails. Appeals for aid, cir.
culars, petitions. advertisements OF every
kind are scattered cveryw where through tn,
order ! copy Il letter which. comes to-
me on the subject:
"A large part Of our time has been >|en,
in reading boycott notices and appeals tot
aid, keeping lis until !, O'Clock. We werc
led to believe the Knights o.: Labor to be
an educational institution. but this kind of
education is not productive of good. We
have NJ time for instruction. What do
Won advise lis to do:"
| advised them to either burn or table
OF each Assembly to do the same. lfyour
Journals were not boycotted by our mem,