Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-02-05
KNIGHTS OF LABOR.
Tho History Of a Powerful Organization
Of workmen Uriali y. stevens
Its Founder.
BeEinnins In Mystery ana secrecy, Ending
in Publicity western Ysrnors
swelling the RANTS.

I Stevens, clothing cutter tn Philadelphia,
aud a iuan OF uncommon Intelligence and
! mastery over his fcllow-workmeu, estab
( llshed The present order, with an ambition
even gfandor than the realization has
been, though Ia a most humble way
I stevens was a born refVrmer and philoso-
/ phcr, given over to the study Of the con-
/ Aictng ambitions OF mankind, aud to tn
effect to elevate and strengthen the work.
ing people. lie vas born in Cape May
county, New Jersey, on August 3, 1921, OF
well-to-do parents, aud Is said TO have
/ been carefully educated. His parents de-
sired to make a minister out Of him, but
he became tailor, and 10 lsi5 was work
ing at Ills trade in Philadelphia.
The remainder OF his long life was
spent In the Quaker City, excepting five
years in California, and the time con-
sumed in short trip 10 Europe and an
other hasty journey through Central
America. He was an original Republican
and an original Greenbacker. Tho ideas
he developed and impressed upon his
companions in the clothing and other
trades led them with him, TO conceive the
1 idea Of national labor association for
the protection Of workinglncn against
combinations OF capital. He was chosen
TO preside over this first organization,
which was not properly organized as Lo-
cal assembly No l until 1873. This was
in phlladelphia--an organization largely
composed Of clothing cutters at first.
The order spread from one body of
workmen to another In Philadelphia
until II combined nearly all the trades
aud great proportion Of the working
men there.
Is, A.. r..
a general assembly OF North America,
and Mr.. Stevens was chosen general
master workman. Afterwards he was re-
elected 10 this post--thc supreme one in
the order. lie was twice candidate for
congress. He died in lss2, and his mem.
DRY is ldollzed In the organization
James l.. Virginia tailor and Frederick
Turner, a gold-beater, bota In Philadel-
phia, were associated with the founder in
establishing the first lodge, or local
assembly, as the smaller component parts
OF the aggregation OF lodges are called
Those two, with others, drew up q ritual
and attended the birth OF the order as an
absolutely secret society. The society
was then known as the Noble Order OF
knights Of Labor, just as 1t is now, but
on pain OF dismissal oven that name was
kept secret, and all public communities
lions In It's name or In reference TO IL bore
the sign,
''rnE FIVE AsIEIusKs,n
Or "The Five stars were the names ii
went by in the every day talk and secret
work of its members. The name knights
of Labor was not made public until 1881.
Stevens WAS a great believer In mystery.
When the fact became noised about IN
Philadelphia that few queer chalk marks
on the sidewalk 10 front OF the old indie
pendence hall would bring 1000 or 5000
men together In u few hours it created
excitement, alarm, and so much opposi-
lion that the clergy assaulted the new order
from the pulpit. Nothing hiudered its
wonderful growth,
Now ~ Is more difficult TO say where the
order has not found lodgmont or what
workmen are not IN Its secrets and under
us protection thanitis TO say, in phrase,
that IL has spread from Europe to Cali
fornia and from Hudson Bay to Mexico.
It's membership has been here set down
as In che nelghborhood of 500, 900, but the
truth about its membership Is the secret
most jealousy guarded among the van
lshlng mysteries OF the growing order.
The Western farmers have swelled the
ranks more than any others. The West.
ern farmers used to be afraid there was
something anarchistic about the order,
but the shrewd leaders caught them with
those planks III the declaration which OPP
pose monopolles and land grabbing. and
with that which seems TO lean toward
greenbackism. Now they arc tumhllng
by the thousand into the new local nd.
semblies that are forming MI over The
territories and Western states, and and
themselves warmly welcomed, because
as the chiefs OF the order say, thew are N,
tolligont voters, deep thinkers and stub
born claimants for their rights.
The "K. OF tn as its members call Il
includes among It's members congress.
men, senator's, assomblymen, MAYORS.
and In some cities entire municipal nov.
ernments, clergvmen, PHYSICIANS, ionr-
nallsts, capitalists, and EMPLOYERS In
many lines of trade and manufacture. n
first made use OF the Centennial exposl.
tion to disseminate news OF its exlstence
and to scatter It's Influence through Tho
membership OF the many mechanics who.
came from every part OF the world TO TINT
great bazaar. One OF Its rules Is 20 EN-.
pillow no missionaries ana IN al M ,,,,,,s,,
iyting whatever bcyoni the wide dis,r;hn.
ton OF what IA called its
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