Daily Republican., 1886-04-22
EDITION.
OrIrIn of the KnIghts of LAbor.


Mr.. Powderly being recalled before
the House of Representatives Commit
tee on labor troubles ON Wednesday, at
Washington, gave the following accF unt
of the origin OF the knights OF Labor:
About eight months after the close OF
the war the garment cutters of ehiladol'
phia organic sd as the Garment CutterA'
Soctety of Philadelphia. The intention
was to pay the sick member weekly al
lowanos and TO bury the dead. In fact.
1t was benevolent organization. They
continued to hold meetings for four
years At the end of that time, one
night in October, 1869, they we're dis
GUESSING some measure, when uem Der
eaid: I'VE have been coming here nov
70 II or i've years; we have our copstitu-
ton, our laws, our officers, and, 30 tar
ms that Is concerned, that Ii ali right
If am taken sick will receive q
weekly allowance, and II die / will be
red for BY our brothers, But the con
ditions surrounding me In the work
shop have not grown better, but worse.
1t seems 10 me that an organization
that will go into the Workshop and err
deavor 70 effect reform there IL what
10 needed, in addition TO the association
we now have"
That line OF argument was taken up
and continued some weeks Finally q
motion WAS made that that society Be
disbAnded. aud 1t WAS disbanded. The
founder OF the X nights of Labor was q
member OF IL He was UriAh 8.
Stephens. As the men were leaving the
room that night. be asked those present
20 rem Ain anu hear what he had 70 say
He said thai II they would form such ~
association s. had been suggested, one
that would tndeaver to effect . reform
In the management of workshops
mines and foundries, they would en-
deavor 10 perfect it. SIX of the men re
mainSd, talked the matter over viii
him and agreed TO meet again. III,
seven men aad two others met to per
feet tee orgAniI alton on Thanksgiving
evening in 1889, and the nine men
drafted the fret crude form Of . consJi
tuition and = manual for the government
Of the association of the Knights oi
Labor.
No maE Was tc know anything Abou
il IL was 10 be secret In all its work
ings TIE man who Joined it was no
permitted TO mention the name OF tn
association outside OF the meeting room
nor was il spoken inside. When wrirtel
about II wAs 70 be referred ID by stArs
LUG AGca N1c 70 u1luS lubo TIC 11oOCAA
fion every depAr fment Of prodnctiv
industry. The intention was that n
statutes OF the organ izAtion towards tn
beTtering or change of the condition
surrounsing employer and employ
would BE made until everything cor
nseted with the condition of thihRs hA
been discussed AID thoroughly under
stood. TIE reason for that was that
strike OF miners affected not only th
miners themselves, but affected the ms
chinists, the engineers, the merchants
the clerks and verybody conhecte
with industry in that region.
l was asked one evening If ! woui
not come with q man and become
mem Der of q club or association, tn
name OF which he did not mention.
went with him and was initiated int
the order of the Knights of Labor. q
to that time l knew nothing of it, be
when I saw in that meeting room
locomotive engineer, q stationary eDgi
neer, q miner, q laborer. q truckmar
members Of my own craft and others,
made up my mind that that was q
association which, of all others, W,
calculated to do good to the laborir
man.