New-York tribune., 1886-05-17
TO REFORM LABOR METHODS.
Cu,vcps PROPOSED BY THE KNIGHTS.
SuyIR GOVERNMENT TO BE MoDiFiEp-ThE TRADES
UNION CONFERENCE.

$uv,, GOVERNMENT TO BE MoDiFiED-TIlE TRADES
UNION CONFERENCE.
Tho snecial assembly of the Knights of
Yabor TO be held fla Cleveland. beginning on May 20
viii be in many respects the most important meeting OF
the Ter which has ever been held aud II Is exectea
shat many radical changes will be made In the cohs''u
,,n and general government OF the order The recent
strikes in the Southwest New.York City ana ess"he''
which are directly attributable to the knsh'S oi h"o'
have caused a se-ere strain to tho orSahn''lo"' ga"
this has been added the strain OF the many o'"0'
aud fling boycots with which the knights oil Laoo
have had nothing to do. but for when 'h'y gov '",
credit or discreiit IN tho eyes OF th' pl"ic' A''
together tho order has lost much grouhu 1" P, -
pathy during the past six month"; anu !" ia, ,
annarent to the thinking men among 'he io"''' '"''
unless radical changes are naue ~ O"00
orser Will fall TO pieces Under the present Sys'e"'
a., r,,.r,c, Assemblies are ABSOLUTE IN their own
~1,ion and have the powertO order strikes an" o'S
colts whenever they see III. Inc 1eue'" HNo0"
Toare has no power 10 Interfere with the VI
,h stics taan the National Government has toiutcr-
lere with state antlrs
-, tina nower OF the Districts hai been used wisely
,n would be no reason Interference. but II Is the
oolnion OF many OF the leading inen Ia tho oreau"o"
that there has been in many instances recNeSS """
of mower whic has tended to bring the entre or|c o
dtsrepute and one of the principal reforms when II
Is desired to bring about IS to take ava! ii'
the Dis ricts power to order strikes or 10 np ~
co-s and 10 vest it IN the. entire organizations just
Ao Y this : be done has not been oeNc4op'" Z" -
batit is tnousat that proposition based on tue to-
erendum" OF Cgarmakers' international U"'" ~ ~
1a,d h,ore III, Assembly. With the cigarmakerS II any
I col uuion has grievance which iey th'A Ju''"0'
.ro all the acs In the case must De submitted 10 inc
CncrI Executive Committee. ana ny tuo'n "
every local union in the Organizhton UhIess '"o-'"
of the local unions favor The strike II cannot DC
- vv ha.ty ana uucOnsllered strikes are aNoldeu'
Iue holds good IN the matter OF ho{eott.
Incre appears he nte doubt that some sum i,s
fln l..ansr Al A
Of Iabor al hougn many of the hoi-heae district ea
ers prefer present system ana VIII nsn' "s''''' ""'
legt.tation will abrdse thelF powers. ,,o
Auotner matter OF grave import, winch VIII feceNetc
Ano'a'v ~ H. mara, Assembly Is the growing break
%" ,T m KHtg ts OF Labor and trades unions
Tnrourn the foolish action of some oI he ul'.rSt u
ers Inc sympathy OF the LARGEST anu mos in.usn i
trade, unons IA the country has been alehat q, anu
IN has gone some instances as tar ns open
nis - esnecialy the ease New Ork CIy, "erc IL IL
aier~i that Dislrct Assembly No 40 lnterfered III
Tght Of the International CgarmakerS win cersmn n
Manufacturers anu caused mem 10 o ioSo d & o,ner
Toe Broth, rbooi of Locomotive Engineers ana other
Ian and powerful Lut conservative trades unions are
al olIs win tho knights, and the minds OF
tic leaders of the Knisn,s are occupied IN
u nrconciiiatfon so t,t orgarlzed labor NAV work
harmoniousiy together loward the acoomP"snii'"' o
the euds for which they are all striNlhG 49,, 4. s-,..
II viii also be the object OF the assembly 70 oevlse
erncm nav be kept out of order in the future aud
It's mf lrnce luccd 10 minimum where IL mas ale"y
r.ined 4 loothold. The complaint has been made also
Ia The General Executive Board has TO devote 80 much
OF It's rne petty quarres aud comli"'h's "n'u" ,
might just as well be adj I'ted by lower nio mio
Sunals that it has not the time TO- to devote s''
10 more important work IN which the Oeheh' ana we, We
fnre ~ the entfe ORGANIZATION are cOncernrd some
change VIII be ade which will relieve the B'aru OF
ro01 share burdens. Several propo ons 10 'is
cUJ hive already been formulated The most ieas bie
one ana The one winch meets WIN the most genera
faVor IL the establishment OF State Executive Oaiu',
which will have jurisdiction IN all Gases that uHectS
afrct the order in each particular state.
"1srne Genrral Assembly is composed at pres
eut at about 800 members. each repre-
srr,jng ]. 600 knights. This representation IS on
lie ss of the OF the order taken pefoe the last
(; neral Assembly which was heid at Hamiiton oh. -
In IJ-rem er last The delegates VINO were e!eclei 70
iIa assembly Will be the same as those VINO meet ID
Cleveland next week. ,... 90 am har
ne trades union people are also anxious 10 see nal
mory their ORGANIZATIONS aud the hhisuts oi
ah0r. some weeks clrcuiar was NcnV
ont signed by number OF prominent TRADES
uutoul,ts asking for conference OF representa-
,,ves ~ an the National and International ORGANIZATIONS
10 decide hat done IN the matter NJ e
States and they have membership OF hoout ooo,Voo
were received IRON twenty
nne oreauizat,ops membership co mprises more
than III tnat number. Arrangements nave pe9u coI
nlete for the and IL VIII De helu on lues"aS
In Philadelphia The result OF this conference VIII III a.
probabilty form the basis OF action ior tno ooHoi"
or he @