Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-03-11
KNIaHrs OF IABoR.
she Number Of Assemblies and
Thcir Membership-Thes system of
Organization.

she Number of Assemblies nns
their Mernbership-The system O
Organization.
The knights of Labor, by the thorough
ness and rapidity with which they are or
ganizing and gaining members in this cit,
and State, are attracting the bulk Of
public attention at the present time. The
membership of the order in this cit,
alone is put at 10000 men. A prominent
worker in the order when asked the mum.
ber of members on the rolls said awe
have between 10000 and IL 900 men in
the city. It has been stated in the papers
that we had IL 900 sUme time ago. That
was not correct and l am sorry the state.
ment got out, because misrepresentation
never do any good. We have been taking
in new members just as fast as we could
organize them since that statement was
made, aud yet we have no IL 900 mem
bers. When | say 10000, though, | am
giving you the inside figures"
The order is composed of assemblies,
the equivalent of lodges. Each assembly
sends three delegates to a body which is
called district assembly, and the latter
bodies send the delegations which make
up the general assembly. The assemblies
of this city are attached to one of the
Philadelphia districts. The formation of
state assemblies has been authorized by
the general assembly, and the various
bodies of this State have the formation of
State assembly under consideration now.
1t is only waiting for the primary organi
zations to be completely formed and thor
oughly organized. The affairs of the
knights Of Labor in district are gov
erned by an executive committee of five
members. The Wilmington assemblies
are, as said above, part of one of the
Philadelphia districts, but by special ar
rangement are somewhat Independently
governed at present. The chief organizer
and head of the bureau of information in
this city is Matthew Colwell.
The assemblies that have been already
formed, and the tine of holding their
meetings, are given below. Two new
ones will be organized this week, and in
the course of two weeks from this date it
is expected that the total number will be
swelled to 81.
The assemblies which meet on Monday
evenings are the Morocco Shavers', $50
members, and the Car Drivers and Team
sters, 200 members.
Tuesday evening-Morocco fnishers,
400; stone masons, 100.
Wednesday evening Universal, ], 100;
800; boiler makers, 200.
Thursday eyening-Weavers 600 mem
bers.
Friday evening-Tanners and beams
men, $50; painters, 800; Kentmere, $50.
Saturday yeyening-Coachb builders, 100; |
iron workers, 300.
Sunday-Pulp workers, 100; Delaware
assembly.
The last named body comprises the en-
,iioyes OF the Delaware railroad and the |
membership il not known III present. In
addition to these, assemblies have already |
been organized al Newark, Newport, New |
JHstle and Rockford, and the organizer
IS preparing to make trip down the
state to organize various trades there. /
The workingmen seem to be ready to
come together whenever and wherever
the organizers appear, like ripe fruit
ready to be plucked.n as one of them said
70 GAZETTE representative.
Mr.. Colwell has been kept yery busy
Tor month past in attending to the
luties of his position. He has been kept
gong day and evening, and in some cases
.or several days without rest. A member
d the order was asked why he was not
given few assistants commissioned to
lct as organizers. The member replied
hat the higher authorities did not wish
he work rushed too fast. That it is going
'lmost too rapidly at the present time
10 fast that great many of the men who
ire being taken in are raw material, not
properly educated up to the principles of
he order. Were the work of organic
ng slower and the principles thoroughly
upon entering it would be
more satisfactory to the district authori-
les and the order would bemore solid from
he start in this State Ono of the car
linRl principles of the order, which
hould be understood best of ali, is that
is dead set against strikes. II dis
pproyes them and sets out to settle all
differences that may arise between en-
'loyers and workmen - capitalists and
the peRceable and reasonable
neans of arbitration. Violence is dis.
pproved by the platform as not effecting
he desired results, and the peaceful
Weapons of reason and Judgment, based
pon the manhood and self-respect of the
are TO be taken up in all
oming emergencies. This position
gainst strikes is one which, above all
Tiers, the district authorities wish to
ave thoroughly understood at the outset,
nd it can be better taught by moving
eliberately. They do not want the men
Dining to suppose that they are organic.
lg for grand strike"