Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-05-13
powpHnLY,s WISE oouNsg1
Absut Roycotts, Resolutions, In'
founperance and Violence.

ceived by the knights of Labor of Chi
cago and will be read in the various
assemblies during the coming week:
NOBLE ORDER THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR OF
AMERIoA-PHmADELPH May 8, 1885,
To the Order eUe1ytctefe, greeting. The
response to the secret circular issued On
March 18th has been SO generous and the
endorsement of the sentiments contained
in il have been SO unanimous that feel
encouraged and strengthened in the
work. Nearly 1900 assemblies have
pledged themselves to act on the advice
contained in the circular of the 18th ult.
feel that IL only requires the coming to
the front of the real men of our order to
set us right before the world. We have
been losing ground, SO far MS public
opinion is concerned, for some time. One
of the causes is that we have allowed
things to be done under the ZANE of the
Knights of Labor for which the organi-
cation was in no way responsible. l ask
| of our members to keep a Jealous eye
| upon the doings of the labor men who
never labor, and when they charge any
thing to our order in your locality, set
the seal of your condemnation upon it at
once by denying II.
OPPOSED TO BoYooTrs.
If a paper criticises the Knights of
Labor or its officers, do not boycott it,
and if you have any such boycotts on
remove them. A journal not long since
made some uncomplimentary illusions TO
the general master workman of the
| Knights of Labor, and at the next meet
| ing of the nearest assembly n motion was
cast TO boycott the paper; not that alone,
Il lee -. 4
| columns of the paper. l wrote to the
assembly asking that they remove the
| boycott and il was done. We must bear
in mind that the general master workman
| is only man, and is not above criticism.
| We demand for ourselves the right of
| free speech" We cannot consistently
| deny it to others. We must tolerate fair,
open criticism. If reply is necessary
make it in n gentlemanly, dignifed man
ner. If we are criticised or abused by
blackguard sheet, treat it as you would
the blackguard himself, in silence.
That our aims and objects are good,
| is no reason why our members should
be regarded as beings of superior build
| or material. We are no more the salt of
the earth than the millions of unknown
| toilers who do the work of the world. In
I
lists we must deal justly and fairly by
them. If we would have ii equally done
| to us, we in turn must do equally to
others. This is the aim of the Knights
| of Labor, and must not be lost sight of
in future. Let me direct your attention
to few little abuses find that wher-
ever strike occurs, appeals for aid are
scattered broadcast among the assemblies.
/ No 60.
in future unless the appeal comes from
your own district assembly or the general
assembly. If boycott notices are sent to
you burn them. | have in my possession
400 boycott notices which were sent to
assemblies with request that they be
acted upon. Let Inc mention some OF
them. member is editing a
paper he fears rival and proceeds to
get into an alteration with him, boycotts
him, and then asks the order to carry it
ont. A certain paper isinhuential in one
or the other of the political parties.
Members of the opposing party conceive
the idea of getting rid of the paper and
they invoke the aid of the knights of
Labor, first taking the precaution to have
the paper in question say something I'M
complimentary of the Knights of Labor.
l
for hundred different kites and in future
it must soar aloft free from all of them.
hate the word boycott. l was boycotted
10 years ago and could not get work al
my trade for months. 1t is bad prac
tice; it has been handed to us by tn,
capitalists. have no use for it only
when everything else fails, appeals fo
aid, circulars, petitions, advertisement
I.NG rt,,l
through the order. copy letter which
comes to me on the subject: "a larg
part of our time has been spent in read
! ing boycott notices and appeals for aid
,, keeping us until IL o'clock. We wer
led to believe the Knights of Labor to b
!, an educational institution but this kin,
! Of education is not productive of good
We have no time for instruction. VIVA
= do you advise us to do ?"
? advised them to either burn or tabl
q these matters and now ask of the secrt
tary of each assembly to do the same.
, your journals were not boycotted by GU
members, it could be made ths medium
: of communication between the genera
= officers and the order, but the journal j
. not read in one quarter of the assemblies
Some assemblies send out documents i
envelopes addressed to secretary of as
sembly No. =" In many places til
~ secretaries have been discharged becaus
], of this practice. No members have th
y right to address another in that way, IN
r if it is ever practiced again, the offende
y will be punished. .
"a NOT RESOLUTIONS, BUT THOUGHT, STUD
AND ACTION.
In future the general executive boar
must not be interfered with in the pc
formance of Its duty. If you have conf
Of dence in them, sustain them an
Is obey them; if not ask for the
20 resignation. While the board WI
" endeavoring to settle the soutl
er western trouble, assemblies in son
III places, with the best intentions, I
es doubt, were passing and publishing res
IN buttons condemning Jay Gould. The
n things did no good on the contrary til,
n. were injurious. In the settlement of Il
Of troubles, it becomes the duty of b
rs executive board to meet everybody al
IT. go everywhere. While they are doh
ss this they must not be hampered by d
n, actions of those who do lot know VIII
OF their task is. Keep quiet, let your office
nd do their best, and if you cannot find a wa
tn do not retard their progress. Resolutio
Of, donot prevent land stealing, stock wateril
te- or gambling in the necessaries of life. l
ng had my mind made up to rob bank
mt midnight, string of resolutions as lo
rs. as the moral law protesting against L
's' contemplated action would not infuen
lie me particle, but if some interested pal
he would take the trouble to study up I
question and would inform himself as
my right to rob the bank and wouldst
guard at the door of the vault, Won
III. not rob it at midnight, if he did his du
DIT What we want from our members is /
let gush or windy resolutions about {
u rights. We know we have rights witht
tbss passing resolutions. Men who think, stu
in and act are required.
md THE GENERAL AssFStBLY's SPECIAL sEssI
-ers The general assembly will meet
ms special session on the 25th Of May in
am city of Cleveland. From the receipt
this letter you must not address any CO
munication to me nor need you expect
answer if you do. have thousands
18th letters piled up around me now and Il
100, can never be read, much less answered,
N one man. During aud since my illnt
fter the mail delivered ut my house has
'ad- ceeded 400 letters day. They &C
lie, from everybody and everywhere. IN
t in play the part of wheel horse instead
lty- leader in great movement, and our {
ark, members are responsible for it. /
and through the journal that no one send
'hin ters to me. l am told by some to get III
not If had so assistants il would do
the good, for it takes my whole time to r