The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-05
THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR.
Who Are Members, Methods of Work and
Relations to Trades-Unions.

Relations to Trades Unions.
New York star
The order of the Knights Of Labor was never
so active and well organized as at present 1t
must be remembered in considering its charac-
ter and Importance that it is the first systematic
attempt in this or any other country to organize
the daily wage-earners a whole 1t may be
said that the original International Working
mems Association, which was first formed in
London, during the year 1863 by George Odger
Lucraft Dreamer NOW a member of the British
House of Commons) aud few others, aimed at
the same purpose That movement, however,
under the inspiration of Karl Marx, became a
revolutionary propaganda, whose avowed pur-
pose was radical reconstruction of the social
economic order of life. The two organizations
new assuming to be the Internationale. known
respectively as the Black and Red bodies. while
majority of their members are wage -earners
are not to DE iistinctively cassed as labor bodies
They follow she extreme socialist and anarchist
Dor is distinctively conservative in
methods and aims, when put in
comparison with the Internationale. The order,
it is true is secret but only so far as its bust
ness and decisions are concerned. Its declara-
ton OF purposes and principles are common prop
erty. And it has none, however, than those it
has given to the world. 1t is a matter Of local
and district choice, to be determined by labor's
necessity. whether or not the existence Of the
order in any special locality shall be made pub
are four districts, three of them made up of dis
tinct trades and affiliates. and one of the class
known as mixed, no publicity even of the orders
name is permitted. In other localities the same
rule exists, but nowhere is it so fully carried out
as in this city and Brooklyn. The object of such
reticence is security against the anger of employ
ers, who may take action similar to that recently
taken in Gloucester, N. j., In certain wagon fac
tories in central New York, Until recently in New
England cotton-mill towns, in the Trenton, N.
j. ka tha ohocb
tenn, and In the pottery shops of Ohio, as we'll as
elsewhere. But take the great body of the local
assemblies of this order throughout the country,
and their mem bership and places of meeting are
public matter for all who may seek to know.
:, The form OF organization is very simple one.
Few persons are required to obtain charter.
They may be of one trade or occupation Of
several, men or women, and must not be under
sixteen years of age. majority must be daily
weekly wage-earners. No one is excluded ex-
cept lawyers whisky-selers and dealers, persons
keeping bad houses or those known to be profess
slonal spectators. Employers of labor are not
excluded by the constitution, although seldom
admitted The character and variety of the oc
equations of its membership may be seen by the
following statement:
The ninth regular annual session of the Gen
eral Assembly of ''the Most Noble Order of the
Knights OF Labor'-to give its full title-met at
remained in session eight days. It's membership
consisted OF 15l persons, of whom two were pres
emit as general officers and as delegates for dis
trict. or for local attached to the General AS
sembly. The occupations of these Isl persons
were as follows: Shoemakers and curriers', Is;
coal miners, II; carpenters s; printers, Z machin-
lists. 5; glass-workers, 4; cigar-makers, A. paint
ers. 3; farmers B. blacksmiths, 3; molders, 3; en-
glneers, Stonemasons. morocco finisners, railway
employees, coopers and book-keepers by each
Inc following wage-earners were represented
each by one delegate: Ax-maker, machinist help.
er, Drcklayer, saleswomar lawyer, bar
Der, brick maker, upholsterer conduct
or (street carr, stove mounter, hat
maker. laborer, gas filter, mechanic. cloth
weaver book binder clothing cutter, trunk
maker. railway clerk, metal-worker, watch-case
engraver, plumber and engraver OF occupa-
tons not classed usually with the daily wage
earners. or employing labor themselves, there
were the following delegates: Editors and Jour
nailsts b; cigar manufacturers, 2; merchants
z, and an architect, contractor, notary public
teacher, boot and shoe manufacturer, cotton GIN
maker, inventor. grocer, dealer in books, book
agent, insurance agent, county examiner of ii
ties and store-keeper. In all fifty -four differ
emit trades and occupations were represented.
1t is estimated that nearly two hundred vary
ing employments are within the compass of
this order. 1t is this fact which marks the
Knights of Labor. as a body, more distinctive
and representative of all wage earning interests
In this country, than any other that now or has
heretofore existed Its organization has as
spmed distinctively federative form The local
assembly is at the base. 1t may be, as said, COM
posed Of different trades or of one. Usually the
assembly, when first formed, is mixed" As
soon as sufficient number of one trade or pur-
suit is admitted. they are. as rule. set off into
trade local" These 'locals" are organized
into districts some of which are extensive and
others are comparatively small Where the Off
Gals are OF one occupation or general line of trades
the design is to unite them in one district as
sembly. Thus the window glass workers in this
country and Europe are all within one district
1t is reported that the other two branches of the
glass trade, one having 10, 900 workmen and the
other 5000, are to be organized in the same
fashion. The shop, yard and other employees
of the Gould roads in the Wabash valley, Mis-.
souri,, Arkansas, Indian Territory and Texas
are all united in one district, whose member
ship is reported by the newspapers as 90 0OO
That is simply reporters guess. There are
several other important occupations formed in
the same way. The last General Assembly at
Hamilton ordered or permitted the formation of
State and provincial delegate assemblies. The
latter was for the Dominion of Canada. The
States of Illinois and Michigan have organized
State bodies, and Massachusetts has taken steps
in the same direction. This gives the order a
distinctive federatve character.
1t is often stated in the press that this and
that great trade are acting as Knights of Labor,
when, as rule there is no utilization whatever
For instance, the coal miners, the locomotive
engineers, firemen, brakeman, conductors, iron
and steel workers. machinists, molders, print
ers, shoemakers. factory operatives, nailers,
brick and stonemasons, granite and marble cut
ters, cigar-makers, whether of the In
ternational Progressive unions and
others that might be named are not connected
as bodies in any way with the Rights of Labor
AS matter of fact, some of those named are
hostile thereto as organizations. But leading
members of every trade, labor and most of the
Socialist associations and unions are active mem
bers of the order, and gradually the network of
combination which is being formed in all the
minor trades and among employers is bringing
to bear steady pressure upon the more skilled
occupations An example of what is meant by
the sustaining power of this network is now seen
in Massachusetts.
The cotton aud wooden factory operatives
there became so discouraged as not even to be
willing to organize. The Knights of Labor Dis
trict 30, have surrounded them in every
mill town with other trades until at last the
district met at Lowell, and in Fall River the
operatives are already organizing. There is no
autocracy in this body The local" is the Judge
81 ,Nn~'