The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-04-08
By What Methods Its Members Hope to
Solve the Labor Question.

The District Assembly is composed of three
delegates from each local assembly in its juris-
dictiOn, and ia the highest tribunal within it's
dominion. There are what are called trade
districts" and mixed distri IT'S The former, az
the nGma donates, arc composed of those OF
any one or affiliated trades. Thus n distr ct OF
printers contains sterootypers type-founders,
composites, prcsBmen and feeders, book
binders and sewers, photographers and rlate
printers. A district of.shoemakers has within
it every person working at that business in
any capacity. mixed district is formed Ct
assemblies of every trade having less than five
locals, which number is necessary before q
trade Gun be organized as distinct district.
There several trades in the order which
have national districts, and it is hoped by many
a knight that in time every national and in
ternational trade union will lie covered with
thu shield of the order. It is said that If such
was possible it would inure 20 the stn myth Of
the trade union, as it has been found that
every trade is dependent on all the others.
Local assemblies can be formed Of men and
women, or men or women respectively, Of any
one or more trades, or no trad whatever, except
ing lawyers, bankers. broker. aud rum-sellers,
who are cons dered TO be dronos in the human
hive, or seeking always their own prefei1nent
first, last. and all the time.
In every local assembly half-hour at each
meet ne must 10 devoted to tho discussion OF
labor in all its interests" It is during these
moments that the declaration of principles"
is tlken up and enlarged upon by some one
DESIGNATED for that purpose, In locals. newly
founded the declaration is taken up section by
section, beginning with the following para
graph
TT alarming development ana aggressfveness
Of great CAPITALISTS and corporations, unless
checked, will inevitably lead to the pauperi "a
ton and hopeless degradation Of the toing
masses. It is imperative, if we desire to enjoy
the full blessings Of life, that check be placed
upon unjust accumulation and the power for
evil of aggregated we alth. This much-desired
object can be accomplished only by the united
efforts of those who obey the divine injunction,
In the sweat Of thy face shalt thou eat bread
Therefore we have formed the order of Knights
Of Labor, for the purpose OF organizing and
directing the power ofthe Industrial masses.
She aims of the ordor are declared to be:
/. To make industrial and moral worth not
wealth, the true standard of individual and ma
tional greatness.
@ TO secure To the worker the full ENJOYMENT
Of the wealth they create, sufficient leisure In
social faculties; all of the benefits recreation.
and pleasures Of association; In word. to ena-
bic them To share in the gains and honors of al
vancing civilization.
To secure these results certain demands are
made upon the State and National Legislatures,
in addition TO which the Knights of Labor viii
endeavor TO associate their own labors. To
establish cooperative institutions such as VIII
tend 10 supersede the wage system by the In
PRODUCTION Of cooperative industrial system
To secure for both. sexes equal pay Dor equal
work TO shorten the hours Of labor by gem
oral refusal to work more than cight hours;
to persuade employers TO agree to arbitrate at
differences which may arise between them and
their employees. in order that ti @ liz nds Of svrn-
phthy between them may lie strengthened and
that strikes may be n ndered unnecessary
Ths Knights Of L AZ or have attem pted 10 In
troduce in the order dissributve cooperation
aud life insurance on the assessment plan, but
thus inr without any succese.
The ere lit OF founding this great order is due
to UrialSS. Stevens who died in Philadelphia I'm
1897 The idea Il the Bn gifts 81 Labor. n secret
bro hcrhood, was many years in do cop ng IT
self and did not take PRACTICAL form until 1860,
when Mr.. Stevens was working as acitt lin '-cut-
ter For years 10 vas n strictly secret society.