Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-10-05
OF LABOR.
The Tenth Annual Assembly In Session
in Richmond.

by Telegraph
RICHMOND (Va.). October 4th.-To-day
the tenth annual Assembly of the knights
of Labor met in this city. The members
were welcomed by Governor Fitz-Hugh
Lee. who said that all good men would
o the present movement if it fought
against incorporated rascalitv and COM
batted the great money corporations that
sought to control the legislature by bribery
and corruption. He declared that all cap
ital was not employed for such vicious
uses, and that any differences between
workmen and employer would be settled
as the great Constitution had been drafted
by Cancellation and fair compromise.
P~owDERLY's ADDRESS.
Mr.. Powderly, the General Master
Workman, then addressed the Assembly,
reviewing the work of the year, and de-
clared it was the most e~ventful and trying
one in the existence of the order. IF we
are guided by the experience of the past"
said the speaker, "and act accordingly, we
can place the order upon a footing safe and
sound that no assault from its enemies can
iniure it. If we are not guided by that ex-
p~erience, if we fail to read right the signs
of the times, we fail to properly represent
those who sent us here" He cited that in
one year mere than 1000 new Assemblies
had been organized. He said that quite a
few had entered the order and at once
plunged into rash strikes, contrary to the
policy of the order. He spoke of the
Southwestern railway strike at great
length. He said that he did not approve
of that strike, but ii was only when the
threat was made TO stop every wheel in
the United States that he raised his voice
against it. He did that in defense of the
order and the country. That the South
western strikers had suffered great wrongs
was true, and it was his belief that the
railway companies, with a full knowledge
of what these grievances were, precipitated
the fight themselve6at a time TO make it
appear TO the world that the strike was for
an Insignificant cause. The eight-hour
strike was not successful, because neither
the workmen nor employers were ready
for it. The reduction of hours of labor
was a necessity, and, ooner or later, must
be had. The speaker said the proposed
reduction of working hours caused millions
of dollars worth of work to be left untin-
ished and undone because of the uncer-
tainty of taking contracts. Never was it
more clearly demonstrated that the injury
OF one was the concern Of all, than in the
movement he mentions. The move was
in the right direction, but the time and
tlICuIlSldilCGS htIG ~ SulldDi6- LIZ z
clared hat before a short-hour system
would be of any benefit the relation which
the workmen bore to the labor-saving ma
chine must undergo a radical change. The
machine must become the slave of men in
stead of man subordinate to the ma
chine. The plan of cooperation through
which the workmen may control the ma
chine must supersede the present system.
Referring to child labor, he said it would be
the duty of every Assembly to see that all
children should attend school. He asked
that q special Committee on Education be
appointed to prepare and recommend a
plan for the better education of the
American youth. The men who owe
allegiance TO the Knights of Labor
are engaged in the conflict, but it is in a
wal of truth against error. 1t is not, as
many honestly believe and many more
dishonesty assert, a war of labor against
capital. The war in which the manhood
of the American laborer is fighting for is
recognition. In this war it must be de-
termined which shall rule-monopoly or
the American people, gold or manhood?
Our battles are not fought for the purpose
OF determining whether an individual shall
rule a State or an Empire, but to decide
Whistler the people who are entitled to
life, liberty and happiness, shall live in the
full enjoyment Of their rights and liberties,
as becomes citizens of the republic. The
monopolist of to-day is more dangerous
than the slave-owner of the past. Monop-
oily takes land from the people in million
acre plots, it sends its agents abroad and
brings herds of uneducated, desperate men
to this country it imports ignorance and
scatters it broadcast throughout the land.
1t, and it alone, is responsible for every
manifestation of anarchy that ever the
country has witnessed. An men may not
be willing to admit hat this statement is
true, but when monopoly dies no more
Anarchists will be born in this country,
for anarchy is the legitimate child of mo-
nopoly. While l condemn and denounce
the deeds of violence committed in the
name of labor during the present year, l
am proud to say that the knights of Labor,
as an organization, is not in any way re-
sponsib!e for such conduct.