The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-01

Il
| ufactories, architects, clergymen, physicians,
newspaper men, and, more than might be
pected, Congressional and State legislators and
members of State and municipal governments
| which are debarred from admission are those of
| the banker, stock-broker, lawyer and liquor
dealer. With regard to the last business, the ex-
| clusion is so wide as TO keep out ali persons who
derive any profit or income from the sale OF in
toxicating drinks Many women are mei1s. s aS.s
| or the organization, and one of its fundamental
| principles is equal pay for equal work" In
| ferentially the right of suffrage is conceded to
| women, and the Michigan branch Of the order
| recently adopted resolutions specifically favoring
| the extension OF the ballot to female citizens
! Philadelphia was the birthplace of ''The Noble
1 Order of the Knights of Labor" and its founder
was Uriah 5. Stevens, tailor, who was born in
! Cape May county, New Jersey, on Aug. 3. 1921.
In 1869 he collected together the first body of
laborlng men under the above given title, though
| the first properly organized local assembly was
| not created until 1873 1t was largely composed
| of clothing cutters. The order spread rapidly,
for as soon as its general objects were made
known to wage-earners their sympathies were
| inevitably enlisted and they saw in the plans
contemplated by the founders the means of eff
fecting what probably could not be achieved by
| separate trade ORGANIZATIONS. Well enough In
| their way as they WERE they were far behind the
scheme Of the Knights which was to knit in one
common brotherhood all bodies of wage-e arners
| from the Atlantic to the Pacific, so that if
necessary the power OF the union could be
brought to bear, through indirect influence, with
| it's whole weight upon the capitalist against
whom his employees were struggling even were
| he in the most remote corner of the land.
Whether right wrong, this is the logical result
of the principles of the order. Its present lead
| ers declare that their methods are conservative.
| They believe that arbitration can settle most
| disputes between capital and labor and they per-
nit or order strike only when negotiations fail
| Along with the weapon Of the strike goes the
- Ia IF all have
of the order from buying the goods manu-
| featured or sold by the person who may be
| placed under the boycott The last resort of the
order is the extreme form of the boycott-that
| IS, to put under the ban not only the goods of
| the capitalists originally boycotted, but the
| goods or business Of any firm, company or per.
son mot connected with the Knights) using the
| goods or helping in any way the business Of the
object of the original boycott. The knights say
| that this measure of coercion is not applied I'M
til every other attempt to settle the dispute fails
Its effect was seen when this city, at the word
OF the executive committee of the car drivers
organization, was stripped of all means of sur
face railway communication in order to enforce
the surrender of the cross-town railways which
had not yielded to the car-drivers demands
when the lines running north and south did So
1t is the cause of the blockade on the Southwest
ern railway system, where the sins of the Texas
x Pacific are being visited upon all its connect
ing lines From Philadelphia the order Of the
knights of Labor spread TO Pittshurg, and then
it seized firm hold on the coal and iron regions
OF Pennsylvania. In 1878 a convention was held
for the formation of general assembly of
North America, and Mr.. Stevens, who had pre-
sided over Local Assembly No. /, was chosen as
general master workman the head OF the order
He served second term. From this time
the progress made by the Knights was more
rapid, probably, than that which has ever at
tended any similar association.
The declaration of principles Of the order
contains many demands which the larger body
of fha In I'd iuck ond
Its aims stated to be: First to make in
dustrial and moral worth, not wealth, the true
standard Of Individual and national greatness:
second to secure to the workers the full enjoy
ment of the wealth they create, sufficient
leisure in which to develop their intellectual
moral and social faculties; all of the benefits
recreation and pleasures of association; in
word, to enable them to share in the gains and
honors of advancing civilization" In order to
secure these results the following demands are
made sat the hands of the State" The estab-
lishment of bureaus Of labor statistics: the
preservation of public lands to actual settlers;
the abrogation of all laws that do not bear
equally upon capital and labor, and the improve
ment OF the administration of justice; legisla-
ton to protect the health and lives of those en-
gagged in Industries, and for proper indemniica-
ton in case Of injury; the recognition of unions
of laboring men; the compelling of corporations
to pay employees weekly, in lawful money, for
| the labor of the preceding week, and securing to
| mechanics and laborers first lien upon the
products of their labor to the extent Of their
full wages the total abolition of the contract
system; the establishment of compulsory arbi-
tration between employers and the employed;
the prohibition of the hiring out of contract
labor, and that a graduated income tax be
levied"
manded are the adoption of the fat money sys
tenn. the wiping out of national banks, the con-
troll Of railroads. telegraphs and telephones by
the government, and the creation of postal saw
lngs banks. This part of the platform is ap
pended in full:
''The establishment of national monetary sys
tenn in which circulating medium in necessary
quantity shall issue direct to the people, without
the intervention of banks; that all the national
issues shall be full legal tender in payment of
all debts public and private; and that the gov
eminent shall not guarantee recognize any
private bank, or create any banking corpora
tons.
"That interest bearing bonds. bills of credit
or notes shall never be issued by the govern
ment, but that, when need arises the emer-
gencies shall be met by issue Of legal-tender,
| non-interest- bearing money.
THAT the importation of foreign labor under
contract be prohibited
THAT in connection with the postoffice, the
government shall organize financial exchanges
safe deposits and facilities for deposit of the
savings of the people in small sums.
THAT the government shall obtain possession
by purchase under the right of eminent domain
of all telegraphs telephones and railroads, and
that hereafter no charter or license be issued
to any corporation for construction or operation
Of any means of transporting intelligence, pas
sengers or freight
''And while making the foregoing demands
upon the State and national government, we will
endeavor to associate our own labors.
ITO establish cooperative institutions. such
as will tend to supersede the wage system by the
introduction of cooperative industrial system
ITO secure for both sexes equal pay for equal
work.
ITO shorten the hours of labor by general
refusal to work for more than eight hours.
ITO persuade employers to agree to arbitrate
all differences which may arise between them
and their employees. in order that the bonds of
sympathy between them may be strengthened
and that strikes may be rendered unnecessary"
The order is composed of local assemblies