The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1886-05-18
GOOD ADVICE FROM POWDERLY,


GOOD ADVICE FROM P0WDERLY.
A Secret Circular to the *. Gf L.
BOycOtting Strongly Denounced.
CEIoAeo, May 3.-The following Sc
cret circular has been received by the
knights OF Labor OF Chicago, and will
he read in tue various Assem- blies dur.
ing the week:
NOBLE ORDER KNIGHTS OF LABOR OF
AMERICA.
PHILADELPHIA, May 3 1856.
To the Order Every where. Greeting:
Tae response 10 the secret circular is-
sued On March l3 has been go generous,
and the Endorsement of the sentiments
contained in it has been SO unanimou
that l feel encouraged and strengthened
in the work. Nearly four thousand as
semblits have pledged themselves TO act
on the advice con aimed in the circular
of the 18Th ut feel thst 1t only re-
quires the coming to the front Of the
real men OF our order TO set us right be.
fore the world. We bave been losine
ground go tar as public opinion is con-
cerned for some time. One of the causes
is that we have allowed things to be
done under the name of the knights Of
Labor for which the organization was 10
no way responsible. ! ask of our men
to keep Jealous eye upon the duings Of
labor men who never labor, and when
they charge anything to our order in
your locality, set the seal OF condemna-
ton upon it by denying it,
II paper criticies the Knights OF La
Dor or lis officers do not boycott it, and
if you have any such boycotls on re,
move them. A journal not long since
made some uncomplimentsry illusions
10 the General Master Workman OF the
knights OF Labor, and at the next meet
ing OF the nearest Assembly motion
was cast to boycott the paper; not that
alone, but every person who advertised
In the columns Of the paper. ] wrote
to the Assembly asking that they re-
move the boycott. and it was done. We
must bear In mind that our General Mas
ter Workman is only q man, and is not
above criticism. We demand ourselves
the right Of free speech. We cannot
consistently Geny it to others. We must
tolerate fair, open criticism. II reply
is necessary, make it In a gentlemanly.
dign6ei manner. II We are criticised
or abused by blaokguard sheet, treat t
aa you would the blackguard bimself-
in silence.
That our aims and objects are good 10
no reason Why our mem bers should be
regarded as heiug Of superior build or
material. We are no more the salt OF
the earth than the millions Of unknown
toilers who do the work Of the world.
Iu our dealings with laborers and capi-
talists we must deal justly and fairly by
them. IF we would have eqnaly done
to us, We in turn must do equity to 9TH
ers. This is the aim OF the Knights OF
Labor, and must not be lost sight Of in
future.
Let me direct your attention to few
little abuses. find that wherever o
strike occur appeals to aid ore scattered
broadcast among the assemblies. Do
not pay one cent for such purposes in
future unless the appeal rOmes from
your own district assembly or the Gen.
eral Assembly. II boycott. notices, are
sent TO you burn them. have In my
possession over four hundred boycott
notices which were sent out to assemble
with the request that they be acted on.
Let me mention Some OF them: A mem
Der is editing paper. He fears a rival,
and proceeds to get into an altercatiop
with him, boycotts him, and then asks
the order to carry it ont. A certain pa
per is influential in one or tho other po
litical parties. Members of tie oppo.
sing patty conceive the. idea of getting
rid Of the paper and they invoke the aid
Of the Knights of Labor, first taking the
precaution to have the paper in question
say sometbing uncomplimentary of the
knights OF Laber. 10 fact our order
has been used as a tail for a hundred
different kites. and in future it must soar
aloft, free from oil Of thep. ! hate the
word boycott. was boycotted ten years
ago, and could not get work at my trade
for months. 1t is bad practice: it has
been handed to US by the capitalists.
have no use for it only when everything
else fails. Appeals for aid, circulars
petitions, advertisements Of every kind.
are scattered everywhere through the
order. ! copy letter which comes to
noe on the subject: IA large part of our
time has been spent in reading boycott
notices and appeals for aid, keeping Us
until - O'Clock. We were led to believe
the Knights OF Labor 10 be an educa-
tional institution. but This kind Of edu.
cation is not productive OF good. We
have no time f r Instruction. Wbst do
you advise us to do 2" / advised them
to either burn or table these matters,
and now ask OF the secretary OF each
assembly to DO the same II your journ-
al we're not boycotted by our members
it could be made the medium ol com.
munica,ion between the general officers
and the order, but the journal is not
read in one quarter Of the assemblies.
Some semhlies send out documents In
envelopes addressed to "Secretsry OF
Assembly No. -" In many places
the secretaries have been discharged be-
cause OF this practice. No member has
the right 10 address another in that way.
and if it is ever practiced again the Of
fender will be punished.
We have had some trouble from drink
ing members and from men who talk
about buying guns and dynamite. II
the men who possess money enough to
buy guns and dynamite would invest it
in the purchase OF some we'll selected
work on labor, they would put the money
to good use. They will never need the
gun or dynamite in this country. 1t is
my opinion that the man who does not
study the politics of the Nation and the
wants OF our people would make but lit
tie use OF rife. The man who can
not vote in,eligsn,ly and who will not
watch the man be votes for after he 10
elected, can not be depended upon to
use either gun or dynamite.
Men who own capital are not our enc.