St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-06-02
The knights of Labor.


CLEVELAND, June 1.-The Knights of
Labor convention was opened at o'clock
this morning, the first business being the
adoption of the amended report of the
committee on strikes and boycotts. The
executive board must approve all future
strikes, and except in certain grevious cases
where immediate action is necessary,
strike or boycott will not be allowed with
out their approval. An address to the
Woman's Christian union was adopted
after which TIE committee ON legislation
presented the following report, which was
adopted:
RESOLVED, That the following petition be
presented to Congress: The members OF the
order OF knights of Labor of America res
pectfully represent that your petitioners are
mostly citizens of the United States and
members of the laboring class. That while
lapor produces all wealth those who have
performed no labor have amassed the most
"ealtn' and those who have performed the
laDor nave the least TO enjoy. That we feel
inns state of things to be largely due to VIC
lous legislation and want of proper legislation
py congress. The money in the United States
is OF uncertain value, differing widely in Diff
ferent parts of the county at all times and in
every part at various times, whereas. being
the measure of commercial value, il should
be fixed and invariable in value.
That the uncertainty in the
value Of money causes distrust
in all commercial transactions in so much
That capital is timid and labor unemployed,
and periodical. That the supply of a large
portion of the money of the country is in the
control of private corporations, called national
banking associations. creatures of Congress
sional legislation, with whom private gain liz
the only motive for supplying money to the
people. That the right to issue or coin money
is q high sovereign prerogatiye which ought
not 10 be exercised by any but the highest
power in the nation; and we view with alarm
the exercise of such prerogatives by private
persons or corporations; and as remedy for
the evils of which complain and for re-
dress of the grievance we suffer- as herein
set forth, we pray that your honorable body
will fulfil the duties imposed on you by the con-
stituton which provides that congress shall
have power to coin money and regulate the
value thereof and of foreign coin. and fix the
standard OF weights and measures. That you
fix the measure Of value by establishing q
just, uniform, invariable rate of interest for
money loaned. That in order to maintain
such rate of interest as the normal rate you
repeal ali laws authorizing private persons or
corporations to issue money, and in their
stead, establish public loan offices throughout
the country wherever needed. At least one
in every county. with proper officers to per-
form the duties of said offices. That the ma
uonal government lend money TO the people
at said Offices on good and sufficient security
and at said fixed rate OF interest, on demand.
and that the profits arising from the business
OF lending said money be covered into the
public treasury for public uses; and that said
loan Offices be also made repositories for the
savings of the people.
After the adoption of the above report
the committee on the state of the order read
its report and the General Assembly took a
recess.
The entire afternoon was taken up in
discussing the report of the committee on
the state of the order to whom were re-
ferred the troubles with the trades unions.
The report and discussion were not given
the press. but it was learned that action
had been taken in the matter