Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-19

The Richmond Labor Convention.
Grand Master Workman Powderly has
furnished very interesting talk in the
/ columns OF the New York Herald about
the aims and purposes Of the tenth annual
convention ofthe knights of Labor, which
meets al Richmond on Oct. I. The con-
vention will contain more tnan thousand
delegates. who will represent a million
and hall of workingmen and working
women.
Mr.. Powderly says that he mas no doubt
that the convention will be very harmo-
Nous, and that whatever action is taken
will be for the best interests OF all inter-
ested. In the convention he says the
scavenger who cleans the street,
the mar who paves the street,
the man who drives the car, the
clerk, the merchant, the machinist, the
blacksmith, the carpenter-in fact every
grade OF Industry and many OF the pro-
fessions will be represented.' The plat
form upon which the representatives OF
all these trades, occupations, profess
sions. etc, can stand will have to be
very broad one. Mr.. Powderly's scheme
is a grand one to think about, and it may
be rendered practicable in the course Of
time, but it is questionable whether it
can be made successful at once.
There are too many conflicting in
terests to be harmonized for any
organization TO accomplish at once what
Mr.. Powderly is aiming at. Already
there have been evidences that the
knights Of Labor organization has be-
come unwieldy, and that other methods,
broader and more comprehensive. will
have to be adopted for its government.
However, it is only just that it should be
given fair chance, and that it should be
encouraged long enough 10 see whether
it can work out the problem which it has
undertaken to solve. MIR. Powderly is
certainly very hopeful, and speaks in the
most confident tone respecting the sue
cess Of the organization.
II is true that those who are employed
in the different branches oflabor are more
or less dependent upon each other, and
there Is some reason, therefore. why they
should all be members OF one great labor
organization. At the first glance it does
not seem as If the man employed in ma
chine shop has anything in common with
the man who mines coal. and vet without
coal the machine shop cannot be ope-
rated. If the coal miner and the machin-
ist are out Of work there is less demand
for operatives in factories, because there
is less demand for the productions of fac
tories.
Mr. Powderly, in his talk, says that
there is no hostility between the Knights
of Labor and trades unions. There GER
tainly ought not to be. There are some
indications, however, of disposition on
the part Of the Knights TO crush out
trades unions and force their members 10
necOme X nights OF Labor. For instance,
in New York city the Knights OF Labor
made war on the Cigarmakers' Progress
sive Union because it refused to give
up its union. In fact, they deprived its
members of work until they consented to
do as the knights desired. While this
instance In New York may not have had
the sanction OF the leaders of the Knights,
il nevertheless indicates that where the
Knights have the power, and they think it
is for their interest to do so, they are liza
bic to make war on trades unions.
There will hemany things discussed in
the Richmond convention, the proceed
ings of which will be watched with deep
interest by all classes Of people in all
parts Of the country. 1t will probably be
the greatest labor convention OF this or
any other age,