National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-10-16

10 GRAND MASTER WORKMAN L. "
PowDERLY AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
KNIGHTS OF LABOR; Your petitioner, Char
lotte Smith, respectfully represents that
she is president of the Woman's National
Industrial League OF the United States OF
America, headquarters, Washington city,
ID. c.; that said organization is recognized
by the prominent labor assemblies through
out the country and by the public press OF
the United States as authority on all ques-
lions affecting the rights Of the female In
dustrians Of the country, and the organ
thereof at the national capital; rs having
successfully advocated before the commit
tees Of both houses of Congress many
measures for the ameloratlon Of the wage
carriers and bread winners Of her sex; that
the furlough with pay and the increase Of
salary OF the charwomen Of the several
executive departments was due to the
persistent efforts OF the said Woman's
National League. She further represents
that as president OF said League she is com
PEELED TO hear many n sad story OF domestic
life-of the relations existing in private
families, the police authorities OF Washing
ton sometimes sending the sad wife TO your
petitioner with the story Of her wrongs. In
view OF the premises your petitioner would
respectfully call your attention and ask
consideration Of the convention now being
held by the Knights Of Labor In the city OF
Richmond TO the following statement and
the suggestion offered as remedy:
Within the past year more than fifteen
wives have come to your petitioner with
charges against their husbands--charges so
unmanly and beinous In themselves, aud
aHect 30 vitality the peace and happiness OF
eociety, that your petitioner is forced to
bring 1t TO the attention Of your convention.
These wives charge that they have been
deserted by. their husbands, who are
knights OF Labor, and earning, some of
them, as high as So per dlem-leavlng them
ard their children on the cold charity Of an
nnfeeling world. Your petitioner will not
stop to inquire whether these knights have
Just cause for the course they pursue or
not, or whether any Of them are intern
perate or not. But the very fact that
Knight Of Labor has profitable employment
ana receives the wages he works for, and
then falls for any cause to provide for his
family, should demand an Investigation by
the body to which he belongs, and, II found
guilty, should be expelled from the order.
Your petitioner, In behalf ofthe Woman's
National Industrial League, in view OF the
subject, and to better protect the wives
and children Of such recreant knights, num-
bly, petitions that the convention now In
session will take immediate action In the
premises, and adopt the following clause
as part OF the constitution and laws of
said Knights OF Labor, or some enactment
to stop the evil complained Of:
Whenever any Knight of Labor shall be
charged with leaving his wife or wife and
children, or falling to provide for those natu.
rally dependent on him for support the said
knight being then employed in his trade, aud
receiving pay regularly therefor, he shall be
tried by the assembly to which he belongs,
ana and. II found guilty shall be expelled by ma.
the support Of those dependent on him, at the
discretion of the assembly.
The adoption Of this resolution would
either force these men to do right or rid
your organization OF persons who are no
credit to 1t. The Knights Of Labor aud
their actions are eagerly watched and
closely scrutinized by the people OF the
whole country, and they cannot afford to
tolerate the fellowship Of deserters Of wives
and children In their ranks.
BY taking such action, as In the opinion
81 your convention shall be deemed right
and just, you will prevent the continuance
of great evil and confer benefit on those
who look to you for protection against
their wrongs.
There is one other matter which seriously
demands the attention Of your convention,
and have been specially instructed to call
your attention thereto. / allude to the
United States labor ,ureau and the man
ner in which II is conducted. II is matter
of public notoriety that In the formation OF
said bureau women were ignored by the
commissioner, one Carroll ID. Wright al
though 1t was tacitly understood by the
trainers of the bill organizing the bureau
that woman should have department and
q woman as its chief
But this is not the only cause OF the
solemn protest which the Woman's National
Industrial League now makes to the coun-
try at large and the Knights Of Labor In
particular. IL the bureau, Notwithstanding
this unrighteous discrimination against the
female industrians Of the country, had
shown any disposition or talent to benefit
the real industrians Of the country, male
and female, In its more than eighteen
months continuance, all might have been
compromised but In the first declaration
made by Carroll d. Wright to the public he
fatty denies his intention of doing anything
useful for our industrians, and that no prac-
tical questions would be solved by his
bureau, and that 1t would be conducted
from scientific standpoint He has
made good his declaration. The annual re-
ports submitted by Mr.. Wright to the Sec
rotary of the Interior were studlously
copied from other writer's on the
subject Of labor-copying almost YER
batim the consular reports sub
mitted to the State Department by these
officials of the government and boldly
them as his own production or
that Of bis agents. / venture to say that
such literary theft was never before per-
petrated by an official in the history OF this
country. l boldly challenge the said COM
missioner to point out any benefit which
the industrial element of the United States
has received from or chrough the work of
his bureau. As an instance to show how
this Carroll Wright bureau of Labor is re-
garded by the public at large, beg leave
to quote from the New York Sun of the 22d
of August last, when reviewing letter of
mine on the subject Of this very bureau. /
give the words Of the SIN, as follows,
When asked what good result this labor
bureau achieved, what benefit has It conferred
on the Industrial elemenH We unhesitatln5ly
answer, none.
In any other country public opinion
would have put an end to this useless
bureau months ago.
The labor bureau was created for the men,
women, and children of our Countrywide
mechanics, artisans, and labo 'ers; was Gre
ated to dignity labor; TO encourage the In
austrian To seek out new avenues OF en-
ployment-for the people'who have to labor
for their bread. A practical bureau, teach
ing useful lessons for great public benefit,
10 nhuV We SApSCteu uuu Wnub VIC lmpoT-
atively demand. We wish to educate the
laborer; render him more intelligent, and
the proper way to do this is by having o
national labor bureau in conjunction with
industrial schools. Congress gave us one
In good faith. The Blair bill offers the
other. The industrlan favors both, the
first to be practically conducted, and the
other to become the law Of the land. We
should agitate the one, and Q 'uc ito Il Q peo-
pie to an industrial standard OF excellence
as well as a literary. Both are grand
OF people; the other to dispel the cloud
OF ignorance go long hanging over many
sections OF our country.
We demand that men and women from
the ranks Of labor be appointed TO I'LL the
places In the labor bureau. The bureau