Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-10-15
WORK OF THE K. OF L
DELEGATES WHO TELL WHAT GOES on
INSIDRTHE CONVENTION
Causing Mr.. POwisrly Considerable TrOubls--0ppo-
SihOn 10 the Proposed Increase of Salary-A
Host Of Candidates for the 0ffceS-Ths
Executive Board Returns"

RICHMOND, VA, October 14.-Before
the appointed hour for assembling in con-
vention this morning, a majority of the
Knights of Labor delegates were in the
hall anxiously awaiting for the work. The
General Officers were on hand promptly at
nine O'Clock. The interest largely center
ed this morning on the election of the sew
en- members of the Executive Board and
the General Secretary of the Insurance De-
partment. Very little of positive, but
great deal of negative canvassing has been
in progress for these offices since the ad-
journment last evening. About one-third
Of the delegates aspire to one of these eight
positions, but their names are Sacredly Sc
cret.
The matter Of increasing the cOmpensa-
ton of the officers promises to excite heat
ed debate. 1t is probable that the salaries
will be doubled, but many bitterly oppose
it OIL the ground that they are all pre-
sumed to be laborers opposed to creating
monOpolies and salaries out of proportion
to honest incomes. There is no necessity,
they say, of making the creature greater
than the creator. 1t looks rs though the
move to increase the salaries is quite rs
well organized rs that to increase the Of
| fees, powers, etc.
Your correspondent is informed that the
matter of delegates acting rs newspaper
correspondents, or giving information to
press representatives not in convention,
has been prominent feature almost every
day in the past ten days. When it first
became known that delegates were eXer-
cising their own discretion i'll the matter
of giving out news, Mr.. Powderly called
! the q severely to task in the Convention
There was very warm discussion. Many
| thought there would he press committee,
rs Mt Cleveland, who should have full pow
er to give out for publication such int0r-
nation as it was believed the publicshoul
have. Others wanted Mr.. Powderly to
act; still others thought every delegate
should he his own press censor and do as
his conscience dictated.
| CHARGES AGAINST LEAKY DELEGATES.
A small percentage of representatives in
the convention demanded that nothing
should be sent to the world of the proceed
| ings. For three or four days these views
were put forward whenever the subject
was brOached, which was almost hourly.
Jealous and spitetul delegates carried tales
to Mr.. Powderly, claiming this and that
one was giving the whole thing away"
and this and that delegate WAS absolutely
sending verbatim reports direct TO the
newspapers. Mr.. POwderly, who was
then, as now, giving out official intorma-
ton, rs he had been requested to do, was
| in hot water. Finally charges were pre-
ferred against about n dozen delegates,
some for leaking" to correspondents, and
! the matter was referred TO committee.
| Reporters were then appointed TO shadow
| the suspected delegates to see with whom
| they communicated and whether they
wrote for the press. There were numerous
charges filed This was a week ago.
| About the same time charges of intOXi-
cation were preferred against four or five
delegates, one of whom, from Western
State, was about to be expelled and with
drew from the Convention. He insisted
on speaking whenever he wanted to in the
Convention, and being very shrewd and
well posted, and a fine parlimentarian,
made immense trouble by way Of calling
the chair to order, taking appeals from the
chair, and denouncing certain officers and
candidates for offices rs dead beats on
the order, " 'lOaierS," etc. This delegate
has not been in the Convention for three
days, although the charges have been with
drawn, and he is free to act. Three or
four of those who act rs newspaper CORE
spondcnts have had pretty hard road to
travel and came near being expelled. One
of them, representing u New England
newspaper, was proven guilty, and would
have been expelled had it not been for the
management of his wife. So for at least
week of the Convention there has been an
almost perpetual turmoil.
AID FOR LOCKED-OUT KNIGHTS.
The Executive Board of the Knights of
Labor held meeting at 8 o'clock this
morning to consider the question of send
ing aid to the lOcked-Out cotton workers
at Augusta, Ga, the curriers' and tanners
at PeObady, Mass, and the journeymen
plumbers at New York City. The Gener-
al Assembly had already voted that money
should be appropriated for their relief. 1t
was resolved that the sum of $4,000
should be devoted to this purpose; $1,000
in each of the cases, further sums to be
sent as needed. Mr.. POwdcrly held a
conference at FOrd's Hotel last night, with
10 or l6 colOred delegates 10 the Grand
Assembly.
| CONFERENCE WITH COLORED DELEGATES.
They represent the colOred assemblies of
Knights of Labor of Virginia, Georgia,
Florida, Mississippi, and other Southern
States. The object of the conference was
the formation of a bureau of cOlored
Knights throughout the Southern States
for the purpose OF procuring accurate sta
tistics relative to the condition of the col
ored people and their relation 10 white
labOrers, whenever they are employed
together. These statistics are % COM
prise everything in connection with the
hours of labor, the treatment they
receive from their employers, their wages,
cost of living, etc. 1t is proposed TO learn
whether they receive the full liberty and
rights to which they are legally entitled.
But Mr.. POwderly said, in speaking of the
conference and its object, the question OF
social equality is not one of the objects Of
this bureau. Its object is to stimulate the
cOlored people to work for their own eleya-
ton. The delegates he met were bright, in
tellectual men, who seemed well fitted TO
aid in improving the condition of their
race. Itwas decided to elect a chairman
and perfect the proposed organization.
BARRY, HAYES AND BAILEY CHOSEN
At the morning session Of the Knights
of Labor Convention il was decided TO
elect a Chairman and Secretary and have
assistants in each of the Southern States.
Immediately after the General Assembly
was called to order at nine o'clock this
morning the work of balloting for mem
bers of the Executive Board began. There
are six members Of the Board to be elected
the General Master Workman, the Gen
eral Secretary and General Treasures
are ex-officio members Of the Executive
Board
The entire morning session was cOnsum-
ed in balloting for members of the General
Executive Board. The vote stood as fol
lows: Thomas B. Barry, 30l; John W.
Hayes, pa Barry was elected on thai
ballot Gacoud hailnt Tohn W Hayes