The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-06-02
THE GREAT LABOR COUNCIL.
Organization of Business in the Cleveland Coz
yput:cu..-The Proceedings

Organization oi BUSINESS III the cleveland Soil-
vent:on-.-The Proceedings.
The Knights of Labor met in Cleve-
land, o., last Wednesday. 1t was 9.2O
o'clock when Powderly left the hotel,
and it was 1910 o'clock before the Gen
eral Assembly was raped to order by
the chief executive In the meantime
the delegates congregated in groups in
the hall and corridors, discussing labor
topics.
When the call for the Convention was
issued by Powderly he only enumerated
five causes of complaint that were to be
adjusted. These were boycotts, strikes,
the Southwest troubles, the relation Of
the Knights Of Labor to other organiza-
tions and the instituting of new assem-
blies. Since the delegates have arrived
many of them have plans that they
would like to spring upon the special
session. Whether these will be dis
cussed or laid upon the table cannot be
determined as yet. One Of these plans
is to agitate the subject Of Government
regulation of railroads A member Of
the Order from Allegheny, Pa, has pre-
pared long address upon this subject,
and a delegate from his district will try
to secure hearing for him. The gen
tleman's address also deals with the
project of the national arbitration board.
Another matter has been made public.
For some time past the executive board
has not been satisfied with some Of the
organizers of the Order, and several
have had charges preferred against them
and had their commissions recalled.
The first business of the morning ses-
sion was the acceptance Of the report Of
the committee on credentials. The new
delegates were then admitted to the hall
and the obligations administered. Pow
derly's address was then delivered ex-
temporaneously. He referred the dele
gates to the call to learn what business
was to be brought forward, and taking
up the five subjects of strikes, boycotts,
labor troubles, difficulties with trades
unions and increasing membership one
by one, he advised most careful thought
and full discussions upon all questions.
He asked that harmony, prudence and
discretion should predominant in all
matters, and that the affairs Of the Con-
vention should be acted upon with con-
sideration and dispatch. The best part
of the address, treating of matters entire
ly within the province Of the Order,
cannot be made public. Powderly re-
srlmed his seat amid prolonged applause
and upon motion appointed standing
committees OF five upon each of the fol
lowing subjects: Laws, strikes, boycotts
ana relation of Knights to other organi-
cations.
The usual committees were then ap-
pointed.
Delegates to the General Assembly ex-
pressed themselves as highly pleased at
the action of the Cleveland Typographi-
cal Union in instructing its delegate to
the annual convention to vote that the
Union go over to the Knights Of Labor
ina body. The Convention will meet in
Pittsburg June l, and it is confidently
asserted that it will adjourn as a district
assembly of the Knights of Labor.
About thirty five thousand members will
be added to the Knights of Labor by
this action, and it is claimed that COM
positors in small towns where there are
no unions will swell the numbers to fifty
thousand.
The Assembly met at $50 o'clock
Thursday morning. The committee on
laws presented proposition that the
executive board should be increased from
five to eleven members. There was a
general sentiment in favor of increasing
the membership in the board, but the
question as to whether it would be prop
er for special convention to take action
in the matter met with some difference
of opinion. The report was referred
back to the committee on laws without
instructions.
A large number of local Oranges, and
in some States the body Of the farmers
have gone into the Knights of Labor as
district assemblies. Farmers Orders
largely assisted the Knights in the late
strikes in the Southwest, and to show an
appreciation of the brotherly aid the
General Assembly appointed commit
tee to prepare an address to the Oranges
to be presented at its national conven-
ton.
Powderly plan, as it is called, OF State
Assemblies will do away with many un-
necessary strikes. 1t provides, among
other things, that no assembly but State
and national shall have power to order
either a strike or boycott. Ii a local
assembly wants to order a strike it must
first get the consent of the district and
then of the State assemblies.
One of the most important subjects
under consideration by the Assembly is
the breach between the Knights and the
trades union. An agreement or treaty
may be formulated, whereby each side
will lose nothing of its principles and
enable each other to work in harmony.
Blunt Hagins, colored, was drowned al
Rocky Mount Ferry, Lancaster, last Sun
day.