St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-28
POWDERLY HAS APLAN
For the Disposal of Irregular Strikes
and BoycOtts Among the Knights
of Labor.
lie Proposes to Elect State Assemblies,
to Whom Must be Referred Such
Questions,
Ihus Depriving Any seIf-Constt-
tuted Leader of the Power of Gre
at1ng Trouble.
Proceedings of the Great Convention
of Wage Workers at Cleve-
land, Ohio.
POWDERLY HAS APLAN
The knights of Labor.

The knights of Labor.
CLEVELAND, O.. May 27.-The general
assembly of the Knights of Labor began its
session at $50 o'clock this morning. The
committee on laws presented partial re-
port, embodying number of propositions-
only one of which was taken up. The first
proposition was in effect that the executive
board should be increased from five to
eleven members. The great growth of the
ORDER since the original executive committee
was decided on, demands that the work be
distributed among more committeeman.
Inc morning was spent in discussing the
proposition. There was a general senti-
ment IN favor of increasing membership in
lhe board. but the question as to whether
IL would be proper for special convention
| 10 take action III the matter met with some
| dlIIerence OF opinion. A number of the
uelegateS wanted the board constructed of
one delegate from each state and territory.
Whlle others favored a large board made
up IN different ways. Nothing was said
ABOUT reInunerating members of the board,
and 1t is thought that they will be paid. as
at present, only for the time actually
spent in the work of the committee After
three hours discussion the report was re-
! ferred back to the committee on laws without
! instruction. A committee on legislation was
| then appointed. At 2 o'clock q recess was
taken until tomorrow morning at s. at which
time the committee on the state of the order
| is expected to report
THE FARMERS INTO 1T.
A large number of local oranges and in
| some states the body of farmers have gone
into the k. of |. as district assemblies. The
farmers orders largely assisted the knights
in the late strike in the south
west, and to show an apprecia-
ton of brotherly aid. the general
assembly appointed a committee to prepare
an address to the oranges. to be pre-
sented at its national convention. A COM
nlttee upon legislation was also ap-
pointed, which will have charge of all
matters which members would like to
bring before congress. A lawyer nameda
Lawrence Hartman of Peori, ILL.,, presented
an elaborate plan to the general assembly
this morning, looking toward the settle
ment of all the labor troubles by
a special branch Of the United
States courts. Tonight it is said that Mr..
Powdery's plan for the future governments
of the order is the establishment of statei
assembly. There will be then fonr assem-
blies-local assemblies will be subordinate
to districts, districts to state, and state to
national. The plan is reported to be very
popular among those Of the delegates who
have heard of it. Powderly's plan, at it is
called, will do away with many unnecessary
strikes 1t provides among other things,
that no assembly but the state and ma
tional shall have power to order either a
strike or a boycott. If a local assembly
WANTS TO ORDER STRIKE
it must first get the consent of the district
and then the state assemblies. Several
months ago the carpet-weayers liz the vicin-
ity of Yonkers, n. Y, organized local as
semblies of the K. of T., and became at
tached to District Assembly No. 81. This
district, already very large, made vigor-
Gus protest against the additional local as
semblies, as the work of the district was
very great. hence the carpet weavers organ
lied District Assembly No. 126. While
organizing the district the weavers were
preparing for strike, and at the
present time are striking. Three delegates
were elected and sent to the Cleveland con-
vention, the head of the delegation being
Mr.. Morrison of Yonkers. There is an old
rule Of the order that does not admit new
districts to representation in special coz
ventions of the general assembly. and
knowing this, the delegates from No. 126
prepared printed appeal for distribution
among the members of the general assem-
| bly, asking that they be admitted to the con-
vention. Morrison and his delegation were
denied admission as they expected,
and then made an appeal to the executive
board. All Wednesday afternoon the dele
gates from No. 126 were closeted with the
board, and at the conference
TRUCE WAS AGREED UPON.
The executive board promised the dele
gates that their district should be repre-
scented at the Richmond convention in Octo-
Der. and that upon the adjournment of the
| special convention the board would go to
Yonkers and investigate the troubles exist
| ing between the weavers and their en-
ployers and try to fix up the difficulty by
arbitration.
One of the most important subjects under
consideration by the assembly is the BREACH
between the knights and trades unions.
The joint committee of the trades unions,
as has been published, conferred with the
executive board of the Knights of Labor
before the assembly convened, and it was
stated by. the trades unionists
themselves that very little disagreement ex-
listed. The subject was mentioned in the
call for the assembly and early in the ses-
sion was referred to the proper standing
committee, that on the state of the order.
To-day members of the trades union COM
mittee, prominent among whom were P. j,
Mcclure, secretary of the Brotherhood of
Carpenters and Joiners, DIP. Boyer. chief
organizer of the International Typograph-
ical association, and A. Strasser, presi-
dent of the International Cigarmakers'
| union, met that committee. The
session of the committee was for
for the purpose of hearing the views and
the suggestions Of the trades union repre-
sentatives, and the details of cases where
trouble had arisen between knights Of
Labor and members of unions. Mr.. Boyer
had but little to offer, the Typographical
Union,
HAVING FEW GRIEVANCES.
This organization also contains fewer
Knights of Labor, in proportion to the size
of its membership, than any of the other
unions. Mr.. Boyer reported the greatest
harmony between his order and the
Knights. Most of the grievances of other
unions were of a personal nature.
The chief trouble between the cigar
makers and the knights Of Labor arose
through disagreement among the men,
bers of the latter order in New York and
the unionist concerning minor points of re-
| tationship and precedence and the recent
lockout of the manufacturers. The carpen-
lerS had grievances to present, owing to
the indscretion of individuals on both
sides in different localities. The hearing
of facts and suggestions ended to-day's
committee meeting and no legislative action
was taken. The committee will
| probably again convene tomorrow
morning with the members of the trades
union committee to try to reach an agree
ment concerning jurisdiction. An agree.
ment or treaty may be formulated whereby
each side will lose nothing of its principles
and enable each other to work in harmony.
The members of the committee on the state
of the order say that nothing antagonistic
has been discovered and that their only task
is to make minor dsagreements impossible
| in tho Moor fpturo Tho onmmittna