The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-23
THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR.
The Proposed Observation-Disclosures Depart
mAEts Instead of District Assemblies.

The Proposed ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Depart
maEts Instead of District Assemblies.
New York Herald.
The most important labor meeting ever held
In this country will be that of the General AS
sembly of the Knights of Labor to be held at
Richmond Va, next month. Probably the most
important work that will come before that body
is that of reorganizng the order.
prominent knight of Labor, who does not
care to have his name mentioned, in a recent con-
versation with Herald reporter, said:
'"The order must be reconstructed or it will be
seriously injured"
"Will the matter be considered in Rich
monds"
Certainly"
'sHow do you propose to reorganizeg"
''In the first place, the district assemblies
must be done away with and State departments
organized in their stead. It is proposed that the
State department shsll be organized by dele
gates from local assemblies and that the State
Department shall meet twice year and have
entire jurisdiction over the State, the State
master workman and secretary to be saiaried
officers"
"How about executive boards?"
1.-THE executive board will consist Of one mem
Der from each congressional district Each mem
Der will have control in his district"
Every representative OF a congressional dis
trict will, if the proposed scheme is carried ap-
point persons to assist him, who will be known
as inspectors. Their duties will be to see that
each local assembly is working according to the
constitution. No strikes are to take place until
the trouble is first investigated by the member
of the executive board. If he cannot settle it he
will call together the members OF the State ex-
ecutive board from the four nearest COMPRESSION
al districts and if they cannot settle it the entire
State executive board is to be called together.
With their consent only can strike be ordered.
The national executive board, which is to take
the place of the present general board, will
consist of one member from each State and Ter
ritory. It will select a chairman and secretary.
who will be salared and provided with head
quarters. The national executive board will be d.
vided into four sections-North East, South and
West Each section will manage it's own bust
ness. The board will he called together once in
every three months. Each member Of the ma
tional executive board will act in con- JUNCTION
with the executive board of his State and the
State master workman. The State master work
man must report to the national executive board
every three months the condition OF the ord er in
his State, the number Of Strikes boycotts. etc,
and their causes. In case OF general strike in
3 State support will be furnished from another
State. II that support is not adequate other
States will join in until the assessments are
enough to support the strike This will prevent
a general assessment and will keep enough
States in reserve for future action.
'"The inspectors in the congressional districts
will report the condition of the order in the local
assemblies under his control to tho State execu-
tive board once month. The board will report
to the State master workman, and he to the
member of the national executive board. BY
this system the general officers will have better
control of the order. subject to the decisions of
the national executive board. 1t will prevent
reckless strikes and boycotts, and insure the sue
cess OF those undertaken
"A number of well-nformed men will be kept
in the field by the general master workman, as
we'll as a lecturer and his assistants The sys-
tenn is good one. Arkansas Illinois, Michigan,
Georgia and Alabama are now organized under
State departments, and they are working with
better satisfaction and with less trouble than
those not so organized
81 had almost forgotten to add that all sup.
plies which are now furnished by the general
secretary-treasurer will, under the new system,
come through the State departments. This will
relieve the general secretary treasurer of a vast
amount of work, as he will only have to furnish
supplies to thirty eight States and Territories,
instead of TO 5000 local assemblies, as at present
The above plan is good one, and / expect to see
it adopted at Richmond"