San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-10-16
THE K. OF /. COLOR LINE.

THE K. OF L. COLOR LINE
The unfriendly critics will not find
very much to comfort themselves with
in reviewing the action OF the hnIghts
of Labor on the question Of negro
eouaIity." The howl which went up
from the satanic press, which hates IN
Dor and the labOrers in proportion to the
effort these put forth to raise themselves
from the mire Of the old serf-conditioh'
WAS immense; and these sweet critics
rolled the act 10 the Academy OF Music
AT Richmond as sweet morsel uhuer
their aristOCratic tongues. The Ole was
cast it was said. That settled II. Inc
people Of the south were done with the
Knights of Labor. No decent men
would have more to do with them. Inc
order might spread in the north where
there were few negroes but as LOT the
south. the order was dead there. The
F. f. VS.. ana the very first iools OF
other states as well, went of on hlgh
pressure tangent because the hhlghlS
had destroyed the color line, ana were
in favor OF complete social and personal
eOuaIity. All this without waiting
to see what could, would or
should be dlne in the matter
bv the knights of Labor rs
body. The act was in no sense An act
OF the assembly; only the foolish braV"do
of q few unstrung men not competent 10
understand the real nature OF their acl
and 50 acting sensclessly out OF mere
wantOnness Of feeling. The act OF teatihg
tbemseIves u hite and culOred together
in a conspicuous place in the theatre,
WAS merely dumb protest against tue
UNEQUAL political and industrial rating
NJ white and black labor in the states
lately in rebellion 1t was protest
against the action of the Richmond no
| tells in not allowing the cOlored dele
gates to get rooms there, and was 0hlE
possible to men who did not grasp the
meaning of their act. 1t was very evil
dent to those who watched the case
| that il in no sense represented or ex-
nressed the sense of the knights OF La
bor, and this fact is rendered certain by
the recent action of the General Assem-
bly of the order itself, In which it places
the matter beyond the power OF a future
misunderstanding. The action re-
ferred to is as follows:
"Whereas. reports have been circulated and
| imnressions have been created by the press Oh
| the cnuutry regarding the position OF inc
Knight Of Labor upon the question OF social
| equality, and, a., ,ir,ro of tha mr.
| der in the south requires that this general as
| spmbly take such action as VIII ulsPcl '""S'
| wrong impressions, therefore -, ,bo
| Resolved, That the organization on t tmI
| knights of Labor promises civil and pulitlchl
| ouuaIity to all men, and in the broad ncld OF
| ubor recognizes no distinction on account VI
color but has no purpose 10 interfere VIZ" VI
disrupt social relations when may cAIst pc
| tween different races in various portions OF
| the country.
Equality at the ballot box, equality in
the opportunity to labor and in the wa
yes paid for that labor, these are the
only capabilities for which the Knights OF
Labor contend in the case OF the
despised and unjustly treated colored
man of the south. 1t is to the everlast L
| ing credit and honor Of the X. of l., that
| southern cnlnrad A..,~-;--- '"e
prived of his political rights in nearly
every state of the south, by triCkery,
knavery of the worst sort, or by actual
intimidation and force. AS labOrer, he
is driven to the wall in his competition
with white labor and only accepted as a
workman in the very mire and serfdom
OF toll. The more desirable and better
paid kinds OF labor are largely withheld
from him even in cases where he is com
petent to perform them, ard this very
fact operates to discourage him from
any attempt to improve himself in man
ual art or in mental power. The X OF
L. stand broadly for political equality,
that is the equality guaranteed him I'M
der the amendment to the United States
constitution. 1t stands broadly for such
industrial equality rs will give the com
petent cOlOred workman the same work
and the same pay. the same pay that is
| for the same work equally well per-
formed. With this demand no honest
thinking, fair play loving mind will find
fault. In demanding and rs far rs posi-
bic enforcing this demand, the knights
| of Labor have done a deed that will
more help the colored American citizen
than any other that has ever been done.
1t merely means no discrimination
against a mans ballot or his wages be-
cause of his color.
WACO has one street. its principal
street. too, In condition to reflect
credit upon the municipality. If San
Antonio could take up Avenue ID" and
"Goliad" street, and lay them down be-
| tween Alamo plaza and Main plaza: and