The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-05-12
noble ORDER oFTHE KNIGH rs OF
OF AMERICA, PHILADEI PHIA. Ma

10 tle OlQer Everywhere Nreetng:
The response TO the secret circular issued on
March l3 has been so generous and the iudorSe
meut OF the sentiment contained therein has been
So unanimous, that / feel encouraged and
have pledged themselves to at on the advice con.
Iaintd in the circular OF the 18th ult.
feel that it only required the coming to the front
of the real men of our order to set right before
The world. We bate been losing ground so far as
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 organization was in no wise RESPONSE
bic. ask Of our members to keep jealous eye
upon the dolngs OF the labor men NV, who never Ia
in your locality, set the seal OF your condemna-
tion upon them at once by denying it.
If q paper criticises the Knights of Labor or its
officers, do not boycott it, and II you have entered
on such boyeotts, stop them. We must bear in
mind that our General Master Workman is only a
man and is not aeove criticism, We demand for
ourselves The right OF free speech. We can not
consistently deny il to others. We must tolerate
male SI open % in anS dgpdS Fe u @snneF
If We are criticised or abused by blackguard
sheet, treat it as you would the blacdguard him
self-in silence. That our aims and objects are
good is no reason why our members should be re-
garded as beings of superior build or material.
We are no more the salt of the earth than the
the world. IN our dealings with laborers and
capitalists must deal justly and fairly by them.
If we would have equity done to us, we must in
the Knights of Labor, and must not be
lost sight of in the future. Let me call your at
tention TO a lew little abuses: / find that where
ever strike occurs appeals for aid are scattered
broadcast among the assemblies. Do not pay one
cent for such purposes in future unless the appeal
comes from your own District Assembly or the
General Assembly. III boycott notices are sent you,
burn them. have in my possession over four
hundred boycott notices which were sent to as
semblies with request that they be acted on,
Let me mention some of them:
A certain paper is Influential in one or the
other political parties. Members OF tne opPoslng
and they invoke the aid of the Knights OF Labor
first taking the precaution to have the paper in
question say something uncomplimentary of the
the Knights of LABOR. In fact, our Order has
been used as a tail for hundred different kites.
and in return 1t must soar aloft from all OF them
ask the Secretary of each Assem- ,ly to either
burn of table all appeal for help or boycott no.
tices, and waste no more time In reading or con-
sidering them. Some assemblies send out docu.
ments in envelopes addressed to Secretary OF
Assembly No. -" In many places the Secre-
taries have been discharged for this practice. No
member has right TO address another in that
way and IL II is ever prs ctced epain the 0fender
In future the General Exe eeaeI7e board mus. not
be inlerferred with in the performance ef its
duty. If you have confidence in them slow
them and obey them: if not. ask for their res
ignations While the Board was endeavoring to
settle the Southwest troubles assemblies in some
places with the best of intentions, no doubt,
we're passing and publishing resolutions con
demnlng jay Gould. These things did no good
on the contrary. they were injurious. In the set
tlement OF troubles il becomes the duty OF the
Executive Board to meet everybody and go
everywhere. While they doing this they must
not be hampered by the actions of those who do
not know what their task is. Keep quiet; let
your officers do their best aud il you can not find
Il way to aid them. do not retsrd their progress.
Resolutions do not prevent land stealing, STOCK
watering or gambling in the necessaries OF life.
If 1 had my mind made up to rob bank at
midnight string of resolutions long
a. The moral law would not influence me par
ticle but if some interested party would lake the
trouble to study up the question AMI wouin IN,
ioim blmself as TO my right to rob the bank aud
would stand guard at the door of the vault, /
would not rob il at midnight il be did his duty.
What We want from every member is not gush
or WINDY resolutions about our rights. We
know We have rights without passing res
olu.ions. Men VINO think. study and act
are required. The General Assembly will meet
in 81 ecis session the 25th of May in the city of
Cleveland. From the receipt of this letter you
must lot address any communication to me, nor
need you expect an answer If you do. have
thousands Of letters piled up around me now and
they never can be read, much less answered, by