Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1886-05-22

nr. Powderly's Circular en- Abuses In the
Order.

Order.
CHICAGO, May 16.-Mr. Powderly's secret
circular has been received by the knights
OF Labor, OF Chicago, and will be read in tho
various assemblies during the coming week.
It is dated Philadelphia, May 3, and thus
opens:
The response to the secret circular issued
on March 13 has been 80 generous. and the
endorsements OF the sentiments contained
in it has been so unanimous, that feel en-.
couraged aid strengthened in the work.
Nearly 1000 assemblies ha We pledged them
selves to act on the advice contained in
the circular OF the 18th ult. I feel that e
only requires the coming to the front OF
the real men OF our order to set US right be.
fore the world. Whhave been losing ground.
SO far a public opinion is concerned, 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 orRaniza-
tion was in no way responsible. l ask OF
our members to keep a jealous eye upon
the doings OF the labor men who never
labor, and when they charge any thing to
our Order in your locality, set the seal OF
Your condemnation upon it at once by
denying it. II q paper criticises the Knights
OF Labor or its officers, do not boycott it,
and YOU have any anoh boycott on,
remove them. A ioarnal not long since.
made some uncomplimentBry illusions to
the General Master Workman OF the
knights OF Labor, and ut the next meet
ing OF the nearest Assembly motion was
passed to boycott the paper; not that
alone, but every person who advertised in
the columns Of the paper. Iwrote to the
Assembly that they remove the boycott.
and it was done. We must bear in mind
that the General Master Workman is
only q man, and is not above criti-
cism. We demand for ourselves the
right of free speech. We cannot consist.
emily deny it to others. We must tolerate
fair, open criticism. Ii reply ia necessary
make it in gentlemanly, dignified manner.
II We are criticised or abused by q black.
guard sheet, treat it as you would the
oiacksuard himselt-in silence. That our
aims and objects are good is no reason
why our members should be regarded as
beings 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. In our dealings With
laborers and capitalists we must deal
Justly and fairly by them. II we would
pave 1t equally done to us we in turn must
do equally to others. This Is the aim of
the knights OF Labor, and must not be lest
sight OF in the future.
n
little abuses: find that wherever a strike
occurs appeals for aid are scattered broad
cast among the Assemblies. Do not nav
one cent for such purposes in future, un-
less the appeal comes from your own Dis.
trict Assembly or the General Assembly
II boycott notices are sent to YOU burn
them. have in nay possession 400 boz.
cott notices which were sent to Assemblies
y T,th a request that they be acted upon.
A member is editing paper: lie fears a
rival and proceeds to get into an alterc..
lion with him, boycotts him. and then asks
the order to carry it out. certain paper
10 influential IN one or the other OF the
political parties. Members OF the opoosinp
party conceive the idea If getting rid al
he paper, end they invoke the aid OF the
knights OF Labor. first taking the pre-
;autlon TO have the paper in question say
'ometiilng uncomplimentary to the knights
u LABOR. IN TACT, our Order has been
'sed as tail for hundred different kites,
md in future it must soar aloit free from
Ill OF them.
hate the word boycott. l was bow.
otted ten years ago, and could not get
work at my trade for months It ia bad
it has been handed to us bv the
apltaiist. have no use for it only when
'verything else fails. Appeals for aid, cir.
u'ars, pettions, advertisements OF every
IND are scattered everywhere through the
'rder. copy letter which comes to me
N the subject:
"A large part Of our time has been spent in
eaoing boycott notices and appeals for aid.
eeping qs until II o'clock. We were led to be.
eve me knights Of Labor to be an educational
Institution. but this kind Of education is not nro.
actiVe os OF good. We have no time for instruc.
on What do you advise us to do %
, l ADVISED them to either burn or table
hese matters, and now ask OF the secretary
! each Assembly to do the same. II your
ournais were not boycotted by our mem
ers II could De made the medium OF COM
between thegeneraI officers and
ne order, but the journal is not read in
ne-quarter OF the assemblies.
Some Assemblies sent out documents In
1veiops addressed to Secretary OF Assem-.
~ No" In many places the secretaries
ave 1een discharged because OF this prac-
zee: No members have the right to ad-
ress another in that way. and ii it is ever
had. W. p""'