The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-05-27
DICTATE OR ARBITRATE.
TWO SYSTEMS HOBNOBBlNG AT THE
CLEVELAND CONVENTION.

An Alleged Ultimatum by the Trades
unions-The knights and the Church
Growth of the Order Too Rapid-Echoes
from the Convention Hau-A Plan Pro-
posed.
CLEVELAND, Ohio, May .7-The trades
unions committee completed its labors
Wednesday morning by laying before the
executive board of the Knights of Labor "A
written statement of the position of the
union. 1t is said to he the ultimatum of the
unions and must he accepted without
amendment or a split will ensue A dele
gate, in speaking OF this matter, said
''The policy of the trades unions is dic;a-
torial, while the Knights of Labor espouse
the principles Of arbitration, by which
method much more can be accomplished
than by dictation The working people are
beginning to realize this, and are rapidly
deserting the unions for the knights We
do not propose that these unions shall come
into our order as disorganiZed mob, but
as separate assemblies, each union retaining
its organization as to membership and gen
eral outlines, only requiring that when such
assemblies propose strikes, their grievances
shall be laid before the executive board of
the knights for approval before that final
expedient is resorted to-.
During the session of Tuesday afternoon
Mrs Mary Woodbridge, of Ravenna, Ohio,
addressed the delegates in favor of total alb
stinence, and Mr. Edwin North, Il manu-
facturer of Chicago read a paper on the
subject of formation of an employers asso-
citation, to be known as the American Manu-
facturers' union, to treat with labor unions
on all questions arising between employees
and employers
There is one female delegate here in the
person of Mrs. l.. b. Schute, of Massachu-
sets The knights say that the action of
Bishop Fabre, the Roman Catholic prslate
of Montreal, in denouncing the Knights Of
Labor was wholly because of some local in
| fraction, and does not reflect on the princi
| pies and motives of the order. Cardinal
| Gibbons of Baltimore, they say, has, after
| close study of the constitution OF the
knights, decided that so long as the order
pursues its present non -sectarian and law
abiding course there is nothing in it for the
| Catholic church to condemn. 1t is also as
serted that MIR. fowderly has forwarded n
declaration of the principles of the order to
the pope, AMI that some utterances of the
papal see in the premises may shortly he
expected
One of the most important matters to be
acted upon by the convention during this
special meeting will be the question con
corning organizers Mr.. Powderly thinks
the organi alton is growing too fast, and he
has decided thatNthe commissions of the 20O
organizers now holding them ought to be
| t.aealla6 nf flaTn ar
able and that hereafter candidates for
organizers commissions will be com
PEELED to submit to rigid
examination. William Lloyd, of the Anal
gamated. Association of Iron and Steel Work.
ers, it was stated by a prominent member
of the association, Wednesday forenoon
held conference with President Wehe, OF
the Amalgamated association, Tuesday
night, when he was given TO understand
that the threatened trouble between thai
body and the knights of Labor had beer
amicably settled.
The first business transacted in W Wednesday
| rfternoons session was the admission o
alternates representing absent delegates
Grand Master Workman Powderly then de
livered an extemporaneous address outlining
the purposes of the special session as set forth
| i'll the call, and advising harmony OF action
The loud and frequent cheers which greeted
his remarks resoundel through the corridor.
without the convention hall
Standing committees were then appointe,
as follows; On strikes; boy COTS lands tn,
relation OF the organization
to other organizations Special committee,
We're also appointed to consider the address
mahe to the convention Tuesday afternoon
by Mrs. Mary Woodbridge, secretary of The
Nomen's Christian temperance union, anC
by Edwin Norton, of Chicago, proposin!
the reorganization of manufacturers as
sociation. In order 10 give the committee
an opportunity TO sit during the afternoon
at y. III. a recess was taken for the day.