Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1886-10-05
EASTERN NEWS.
The Tenth Annual Convention Of the
Knights Of Labor.
THE CAUSE EspoUsED BY THE IN
DUsTHIAL MASSES.
Conservative and Intelligent Remarks
Of Master Workman Powderly.
sALVATI0NIsTs ARRESTED AS
A NUISANCE.
Terrible Railroad Accident on the
Canada Pacific.
A CATHOLIC CEREMONY IN
WASHINGTON.
Terrible Railroad Accident on tt
Canada Pacific.
A CATHOLIC CEREMONY II
WASHINGTON.
ESPECIAL TO THE sENT1NEt.l

RICHMOND, Va, Oct. 4.-The tapping Oh
Master Workman Powderly's gavel at l0:l5
O'Clock this morning gave the signaffor
the opening of the first session of the
Tenth Annual Convention of the knights
of Labor in the armory of the First Vir-
| GINA Regiment in this city. He stood
alone upon a plain pine platform at the
farther end of the spacious room, and
looked out upon the faces of the thousand
delegates assembled from every part of
the country. White and black faces, the
faces of men and women bound together
by a common object. met his view. The
session opened at 1 O'Clock.
In addition to the large body Of dele
gates there were as many others not of the
order as could find seats.
Governor Fitzhugh Lee was introduced
by the Richmond delegate, and made an
address of welcome, in which he cited that
II had been claimed that there was an ire
pressible conflict pending between capital
and labor. He said that all good men
would support the present movement if it
fought against incorporated rascality and
combatted the great money corporations
that sought TO control legislature by bri-
berry and corruption. He declared that
all capital was not employed for such
vicious uses, and that any difference be-
tween workmen and employer would be
settled, as the great Constitution had been
drafted by Cancellation and a fair COM
promise.
Mr.. Powderly, in response to the re-
marks of Governor Lee, expressed his graf
ifcation at the welcome which had been
given tho knights by the people of Vir-
ginia. and more especially the people of
Richmond. Powderly, continuing, said:
i" No one who owes alliance to the Knights
Of Labor are engaged in a conflict, but it
is the wal of truth against error. 1t is not
az many honestly believe, and many more
dishonesty assert, a var OF labor against
capital. The war is one in which the man
hood of American labor is fighting for q
recognition. In this war it must be de-
termined which shall rule-monopoly or
the American people, gold or manhood.
Our battles are not fought for the purpose
of determining whether an individual
shall rule a State or an Empire, but to
decide whether the people who are entitled
to life, liberty and happiness shall live in
the full enjoyment of their rights n
liberty, as becomes citizens of q Republic.
The monopolists of to-day are more
| dangerous than the slave owner OF the
past. Monopoly takes land from tho peo-
pie in million acre plots. Ii sends its
agents abroad, and brings herds of I'M
educated men to this country. IL imports
ignorance and ~seatters it broadcast
throughout the land. 1t and it alone is
responsible for every manifestation CT
anarchy that ever the country has wit
messed. All men may not be willing TO
admit that this statement ia true, but
when monopoly tries no other Anarchists
| will be born in this country, for anarchy
is the legitimate child Of monopoly.
| While 1 condemn and denounce deeds of
| violence committed in the name of labor
during the present year, l am proud to say
that the knights of Labor, as an organ
~izstion, is not in anyway responsible for
such conduct"
Mr.. Powderly, General Master Work.
man, then addressed the assembly review
ing the work of the year, and declared
it was the most eventful and trying one in
the existence of the order. "If we
are guided by the experience Of the past"
said the speaker, "and act accordingly we
can place the order upon a footing 80 safe
and sound that no assault from its enc
mics can injure It,. II we are not guided
by that experience-if we fail TO read right
the signs of the times we fail to properly |
represent those who sent US here" He
cited that in one year more than 1000 new
assemblies had been organized. He said
quite a few had entered the order and at
once plunged into rash strikes contrary to
the policy of the order. He spoke OF the
Southwestern railroad strike at great
length. He said he did not approve of
that strike, but is WAS only when a threat
was made to stop every wheel in the United
States that he raised his voice against it.
He did that in defense of the order and
the country. That the Southwestern strik-
ers had suffered great wrongs was true
and il was his firm belief that the railroad
company, with a full knowledge Of what
those grievances were, precipitated the
fight themselves at the time to make ii ap.
pear to the world that the strike was for
an insignificant cause. The eight-hour
strike was not successful because neither
workmen nor employers were ready
for it. A reduction OF the hours
Of labor was a necessity, and sooner or
later must be had, but the knights should
not forget that in many places the ten
hour plan ,vao not yet adopted. The
speaker bAiu tne Uruposeu REDUCTION OF
working hours caused millions OF dollars
worth Of work to b. left unfinished and
undone because of ihe uncertainty in re-
gard to taking contracts. Never was 1t
more clearly demonstrated that an injury
to one was the concern of all; that in the
movement he mentions the move was in
the right direction, but the time and cir
cumstances were not suitable. A plan
should be adopted the same as was sug-
gested at the Cleveland meeting. which BY
the cooperation of workinemens' organi-
zations and manufacturer associations,
could DO put into practice without q strike
or unsettling business. He declared be.
fore the short hour system would be of any
benefit. the relation which workmen bore
to the labor-saving machine must undergo