Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-12-02
A SECRET CIRCULAR.
An Important Document Sent Out by
the General 0illceTs Of the
Knights Of Labor.
An Appeal for Ala Tor the Wen ana women
Rofoed into Idiebsss ~ The Com
binstion ~ Capitalists,

TINS morning puDlHnGd inc follONlng inn
poriant secret circular iasned w tho gen.
eral officers u the Knightsof Labor, With
Photographic reproductions Of the signs
tufos and the seal u the order
NOBLE OaDEu ~ kSfenrs Or LABon ~ d
hhthioAt iVRlQfAL ncpiAu No ~,
OrfiCE a. 8HNRR4L AssnMBLf,
fntLtb Lrn 4, "a, Nov ~ issD.
70 AL Tho Subordinate Assemblies u lhe order.
Greeting
Previous 10 The session Of tho general
assembly ut Richmond, an appeal was
made ~ the order 70 assist vietlmzed
and l0Cked-0ut members In w iOps parts
Of the country Tne response 70 that ~.
peal WAS not such ~ u should have been,
and only about $4,000 was received
thereon. This, u "a manifest 70 every
member, was entirely insufficient to rem
der tho assistance needed and desired,
Many thousand members we're thrown
upon our hands by lock outs u the
employers who acted ia concert with the
avowed purpose Of dnyIug their employees
out Of the order, thereby crippllnR, II
not destroying, lts power aud usefulness.
The order Of knights oi Labor has reached
a most critical period IN US history. II
stands as n power for good or for evil,
but your general officers, while they make
no special claim 10 superiority Ia purity
OF motive, have sworn that tho order
shall DO made power for right, and
right only; that The Avs shalt DO rlRidly
infOrCed, and the members shall receive
the fullest protection st their rights an.
der the laws Of our country and our
order without any pfOy0OatlOn except the
exercise Of the Inherent right Of every
FREQ man 70 belong 70 any organization he
plenses nOt IN conflict with tho laws OF
the country, Thousands OF our mem.
befH, men and women, without |
warning, have poen thrown ont OF |
employment. They have gone 20 the door |
OF tho mill and factory and 20 the mouth |
Of the nine where but yesterday they |
were employed, only TO find staring them !
In tho face this unchflstIau and un.Amori |
can mandate "You cannot return 10 |
work here until you sign a contract 20
leave The Knights Of LABOR, aud That you |
Will mover become member " that or |
any other labor organization"
Every man who has iJinpd the Knights
OF Labor has pledged himself 20 do bis
duty Ia tho cause oi mankind. No oath
binds him 30 any ACT CONTRARY u the duty
he owes 20 hls God or HE country; but |
something more enCred than an oath, his |
pledge OF n0nOr, binds hin 70 loyalty dc.
iand the primo pies OF truth, honor, ins
tlcG and cltlz Dshlp, Two alternatives
present Themselves, unconditional sur
render OF mnuly defense Which ahali II
boz The lOckodjOut mlmbofa lu
their Enforced idrnoss turn from
their suffering wives aud AtaTv.
Ing children 20 mbkg pathetic
appeal to your general executive board 10
aid Them IN maintaining tholr manhood
aud their ildgllty 70 the order, Tho gen.
eral assembly Instructed Your general *.
ecutiye board 20 give them oil assistance
In VS. y wer. We can render that aAsis.
thDr" only IN one way, ana that through |
She cooperation OF the earnest and loyal
metub0rs Of our order Words Of sym
patty, however Kind aud grateful WIN
not supply tho needs Of those locked.Out
members, We have that which is more
substantial We cannot supply II our.
solves, therefore wa frankly turn to you.
Having OIL ibcs0 circumstances In mind,
and deeply moved by sYnpathY for those
suffering mOnbers and thuaH dependant
upon them, your general executive board
has unanimously resolved 10 logy an as.
sessmont of 20 cents per member upon
OH tho local assemblies VI tho order, the
same to be- paid under tGs following
regulations. All local assemblies that re-.
spond 10 the appeal montlogod above viii
be credited IN this assessment with the
amount donated, All local assemblies
VINO can nrO requested 10 remit the fun
amount OF assessment not later than De.
cembor 20 The assessment la this case
VIII be 20 cents for each member as
Hhown by reports to the general Aecreiary
aud treasury for the quarter ending OctO-
Der ! 1896, Local assemblies preiotring
10 pny The amount In lnslaIlmenta may
pay o cents Tor each member hs shown
by the reports 10 October 1886, TO be-
paid not later than December 20, and 10
cents NOT later than January 20, 1897, and
cents not later than February 20 for
each member ~ shown by the reports Tor
tho quarter ending January l., 1887. This
assessment will be known as special de.
lonso assessment, and must be paid to
Genoral Secretary Charles II. Itch.
man, lock'h0x 8s5, Philadelphia, not
Ater Than the dates named
when an appeal was issued IN
aiu OF tho Southwtat strike II received
most prompt aud generous response. The
notd Tor that appeal and the CRISIS To DO
met, great though they were, ana not
equal The grave emergency which com
pels thie assessment, win the termina.
ton ot that struggle began tho comblna
llon Uf capitalists everywhere Throughout
lhe country The object OF that com.
bination is now made apparent The
lines are sharply. drawn, Tie contest Ia
unon US and must be wRgOd TO n success
iul issue You know for what purpose
we require the money. An we ask n that
before paying y each member put hlmsoll
70 the place ~ one locked out, rempm.
herring that che gives twice who glyoal
quick "" ana acts upon Tho golden fulo,
10 unto others ~ you would have them
do unto you,n 4. Y, PowpRnt,Y.
Grand Master Workman.
NY order OF the general executive
board
Attest, CnARLna II IIrpuuAN.