Smyrna times., 1886-04-07
History Of Knights Of Labor.
WHEN THE ORDER WAS ORGANIZED
WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO MEMBER
SHIP

Among the great branches of mail
which reach the Journal office every
day there are scores of letters of in
quiry from mechanics, laborers, work
ing girls, and in some cases EMPLOYERS,
who want to know something about
the Knights of Labor and how to gain
membership.
The organization was started on
Thanksgiving-Day, 1869, in Philadel-
phia by Uriah S. Stephens, a garment
cutter, who had six other cutters as
| sociated with him. They formed what
was afterwards known as Local Assem-
bly, No. Of the knights of Labor.
The order was confined to garment
cutters, but eventually other branches
of industry were organized under the
| shield of the order.
The organization grew slowly until
January 1st, 1878. 1t was all that time
without a recognized head. Through
the efforts of few energetic members
| a general convention was held in Read
ing, Pa, on January 1st, 1878, when
the general assembly was formed with
Mr.. Stephens as Grand Master Work
man and Charles H. Litchman, of Mar
blehead, Mass, as Grand Secretary.
There were about 200 branches of
the order formed up to that time. They
worked secretly until January 1st,
1882, when the existence of the order
was publicly proclaimed.
Since that time the growth of the
Knights of Labor has been wonderful
and enormous. So great has been the
increase that the CHIEF officers have
decided not to allow any more branches
to be started until April 18th.
To gain admission a person must be
engaged at some honorable branch of
industry. Both sexes are admitted to
membership. AS a rule it is useless to
apply for admission, because it is a rule
of the order to select members. Thus
a person may be proposed and rejected
without ever knowing it. Men are
usually proposed by friends who Judge
them worthy of fellowship.
Business men can join. In an as
sembly 100 strong, IS members must be
employees.
Meetings as a rule are held once a
week, but some assemblies do not meet
so often. 1t is mistake to suppose
that the order favOrs strikes, as one of
the orders fundamental rules is that
labor difficulties must be settled by ar
bitratiOn. If a trade orders a strike
without first trying arbitration it will
not get any financial support from the
order.
The order is not Oath-bOund. Each
member takes a solemn pledge and if
he violates it he is expelled and black
listed all over the country. Violation
of the rule renders a member liable to
suspension ranging from one month to
five years.
There are two kinds of assemblies
trade and mixed assemblies. A trade
assembly is composed of men engaged
at one special branch of industry. A
mixed assembly is composed of me-
chanics, labOrers, clerks, professional
men and so on.
If a printer is willing to Join, ,'and if
the printers have an assembly conven-
lent to his home, he mnst Join the
printers assembly. If not he is at
liberty to join a mixed assembly. The
same rule applies to all branches of in
dustry.
Local assemblies are governed by a
district assembly which may include
five or 600 local assemblies. The dis
trict assembly is in turn governed by
the general assembly.
The order is benevolent, protective
and educational. The expenses of
members are very light A man may
admit that he is a member, but he is
not allowed to give the names of other
members without their cOnsent.-NeaV
York Morning journal.