The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-10-07
Knights of Labor Convention.

On the 4th inst. the 10th Annual Convention
of the knights OF Labor of the United states as
sembled in Richmond. Va. 1t WAS called to or
der by Master Workman, T. v. Powderly.-
There is a very large attendance of delegates.
Soon after the Convention had been called to
order, Gov Fitz. Leo. escorted by W. H. Mullen
and Tom O'Relley, walked up the aialc, and
wac greeted with cheers Mr.. Powderiy In
troduced the Governor to the members wto
proceeded To make the address Of welcome =
After its conclusion, and the Governor had t,.-
ken his seat on the platform, Frank J. Farrell
the colored member Of district 40, whose associ-
ates refused to stop at the quarters where
he was refused admission on an equal footing
assembled the platform, and taking his stand by
the presiding officers table, introduced Mr..
Powderly, who spoke as follows:
Mr.. T.V. Powderly began by returning thanks
for the reception they had met with, and pleas
antly alluded to the fame Of Southern hospital.
ity. The fight In which the Knights OF Labor
are engaged, he said. is not q war OF labor
against capital. but a war in which the man
hood OF the American laborer is fighting for re-
cognition. In this war it must be- determined
which shall rule, monopoly or the American
peOple,gold OF manhood:
Popular disregard of political duty and tolar.
ated continued political corruption will weak
en- our government and destroy our liberties
which storm or tempest could not bend and
political dishonesty will strike where the light
nlQpS cOulQ never foaCQ. II Cl1S land VIZ
thy that brave men should die for it, it is at
least worthy that unselflsh, thoughtful men
should live and work in grand devotion to the
ideas of q real, a true democracy. We come
here not alone to settle the question OF div
pute in regard to wages or hours of labor hut
we come here partly to study and learn sons
lessons of the head and heart in practical ciff
zenship.
TO rescue the toiler from the grasp of the sell
fish is q work worthy of the nOblest and hest
of our race. 1t Is to the accomplishment OF
that grand object that every Knight of Labor
OF encouragement must not dishearten. eefecs
ton in friends. OF fanc1ed friends, must not
turn him aside from his purpose, love OF ease
must not prevent him from working.
The question IL asked, why have you such
an Organization as the knights of Labor p We
are Knights of Labor because we believe that
| the declaration of independence means some
| thing more than mere words and beautiful SEN
tenoes. We are Knights OF Labor because we
believe that it is wrong for an alien king to or
| press people and rob them it Is also wrong
| Tor any other man to Cypress or rob his fellow
we believe ITO whom belongs the soil, 1t ia his.
| even unto heaven" We Nre Knights OF Labor
| because we believe that the rights Of the poor
est, humblest man or woman OF toll should
| stand forth more clearly and be treated with
| more respect than the privileges conferred up
We are knights OF Labor because politicians
| and political parties have deceived, degraded
aa 1as
fraud, and In return for the confidence reposed
| in them they have basely deserted the common
people and kne1t at the shrine OF gold.
! We are knights Of Labor because we believe
that law and order should prevail, and that
both should be founded in equity. We are
knights of Labar because we believe that the
| thief who steals q dollar Is no worse than the
thief who steals a railroad; that the burglar
| who breaks open house or q vault is no worse
than the criminal who destroys or orders the
destruction OF the property OF a railroad or tel
egraph company, and we believe that the same
law should reach out with firm. mistaken
hand and punish both criminals according to
magnitude e. Of thss guilt We nleye that
wrong to steal the land whereon the grain was
raised from which the bread was made, and II
a dishonest. time-serving politician, we believe
that the law. should be repealed and the land
the art Of
tured by the hand of the American laborer ia
worthy of protection from foreign competition
that the hand whose skill lends value to the
article should be projected, and We have deter.
mined to protect our labor, Independent of mol
iticians or political parties.
The slavery that died twenty years ago was
terrible, but DAD "a IT was, 1t never developed q
millionaire, while the new slavery which now
reaches out with a far stronger hand than the
old, has developed hundreds Of them.
The power OF the new slave owner does not end
1t reaches out still farther and controls the me-.
chan1c the farmer, the merchant and the man.
II dictates tat not alone what tho price
ney as we'll. This new eslavery counts among
its victims servants of the state who have been
Not alone does it control the legislator at ti,e
state capitol, but In the halls OF our national
slave. 1t reaches ont even farther, and holds
in Its iron grasp the judge upon the bench NOT
that alone; I put 1t has the power and does con.
creatures. Do overestimate its power Have
made single misstatement? my word il
Of the day-the public press-and you will And
the testimony to prove that what have said il
true.
The lash was stricken from the hand of The
slave owner of q years ago. and 1t must be
we'll, The monopolist OF to-day is more dan
gerous than the slave owner of the past Mo.
nopoly takes the land from the people in mill
brings hords Of uneducated. desperate men to
this country it imports Ignorance and scatters
it broadcast throughou the land.
festation of anarchy that our country has wit.
messed. All men may not be willing to admit
dies no more anarchists win be born unto this
country, for anarchy Is the legitimate child OF
the deeds OF Violence committed IN the nama d
labor during the present year, am proud to say
that the Knights Of Labor; as an Organization
He is the true Knight of Labor who, with one
hand clutches anarchy by the throat, and with
We are told that it is because of the importa.
ton of SO many ignorant foreigners that anar
Ss
eign airs, manners and graces by the wealthy
we have forgotten what 1t is that constitutes
still believes in the siittle red school house or
the hill" should take one holiday and visit the
mine, the factory, the coal breaker aud the
mill. There, doing the work Of men. will he
find the future citizen of the republic, breath
ing an atmosphere Of dust, ignorance and vice
The little red school house must fail to do 1T
work properly since the children of the poor
must passit by on the road TO the workshop.
1t is the duty Of every Knight OF Labor to as
sist in creating healthy public opinion on the
subject OF labor and the justice OF Its receiving
a full and just share of the values or capital II
has h6lnad TO create. In this work seek fhe
active cooperation of all right minded honest
men. We work not selfshly. for ourselves
alone, but extend the hand of aid and fellowship
| to all mankind. The lower down in the scale
Of poverty and oppression the greater the need
for our extended hand. The sentiment which
prompts men to proclaim to the world that 1--WE
amalgamate with none" finds no response In
the heart of the man who properly tnterpretf
his obligation as a member of our order. Every
true Knight of Labor believes with the divine
teacher that "all mankind of every description
| is his neighbour
In concluding his speech Mr.. Powdsrly said
| that some OF the members OF the visiting dele
cations who were of darker hue than theil
brothers. could not find place in some Of the hO-
tells, This was in accordance with what had
long been tho custom here, and old customs and
prejudtces do not readily vanish. There had
been particular mention made of one instance
where delegation numbering sixty members
He was refused admission to the hotel where
| tn ey intended to go. and the delegation stand
ing by the principles OF the order, which re-
cogn1zes no distinction of creed, nationality or
color, went with their colored brother. That
he said. was why he made the selection of that
might go forth that they practiced what they
| preached.