The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-11
THE KNIGHTS OF LEISURE.
Uncle Rufus Matching q Great Financial
| Scheme with Peculiar Ramiications.


Washingto Special.
Uncle Rufus Hatch has been hanging around
town lately. dining and winning Congressman.
lodging into the various departments and occa-
sionally dropping in upon the President BE
was apparently ubiquitous, for he was to be
found at almost any hour of the day in any part
of the city. When cornered at Welckers by
well known journalist be seemed to be in a very
communicative mood. He said that his first
object in coming to Washington to try to
save one of the geysers in the Yellowstone Park
for family use. Failing in that, he is trying to
get charter for a new organization to be known
!. as the "Knights of Leisure" He proposes TO
obtain national charter. and says that Grover
will sign it ii he can secure favorable considera-
ton from Congress.
The object of this orgaization, according to
Uncle Rufus, is to unite all the idle men in the
United States in a grand organization under
one knighthood. Out of the 60, 000 900 people
in this country one in every hve is estimated to
be an able-bo man. This makes IL O0O OOO
men possible candidates for membership. The
Knights of Labor absorb 500. 900 of this number
which leaves 1900 900 for Uncle Rufus's army
He has under consideration just at present the
selection OF officers for the new organizations
The field is narrowed to Mr.. Finck and Mr..
Gowen for chief high ruler, Rufus inclnfng to
the former because of his vast experience In
consultations. For vice presidents ne proposes
to appoint the entire Vanderbilt family For
secretary he expects an urgent application from
Mr.. J. Sharp. late of the Broadway railroad, the
Office of secretary being the only salaried one in
the organization The executive committee Is
to consist of the exoficers of all corporations,
private or public, who have never watered their
stock or bonds, and who can pass the civil-serv-
ice reform examination
Uncle Rufus says that since it has been noised
abroad that he is organizing this new society, ne
has had more applications for the attorneyship
than you could shake stick at. They are
pouring in upon him all the time from ex-mem-
bers OF Cabinets, ex Senators and congressman
The financial agents are to be a syndicate OF
foreign banking houses, with Flexible, More
Gain & Co. at their head that firm having acted
as wet nurse to all the bankrupt concerns lately
for per cent. cash down before the advertising
was begun.
Uncle Rufus places the initiation fee at 81 per
head, which will give him Sill, 900 to begin
business on, with extra fees for dudes. Ordi-
nary clergymen half price; extraordinary clergy
men free ladies fifty cents, semi-annualy
which will make an even thing of it at the end
of the year. There is to be a sub-organization
for Canada. where the dues will ha graduated
according TO the amount of Doodle the applicant
got away with. There will be no distinction
with regard TO color as the colored race are par
ticularly adapted by nature to support the dig
nifty of Knights of Leisure. The newspaper
fraternity, on the other hand. though not carry
ing out the ideal of leisure exactly. will be well
coined to the ranks of the new organization, pro-
viding they will advertise the society freely, and
gather in the fees for Uncle Rufus,
The journalist asked whether the members of
the society would be subject to assessment
Uncle Rufus looked volumes as he responded: "Of
course they will. That is our best hold. That is
why we start this society and elect our officers.
The initiation fees will net &ll, 500, 900 at the
outset and we expect enough In the way Of ex-
tras to pay the other officers for the use
of their names We are t,oing to entor
into bonds to pay the members at large $1,000
for every 100000 that we receive. The execu-
tive committee were sanguine enough to sug
gest paying over 10 per cent, but l am deter
mined to keep the organization on sound,
economical basis, after my experience with
Blackstone in Yellowstone Park. and say that
10 per cent dividend is more than any young
organization ought to pledge itself to.
1--WE have various other sources of revenue
which we propose to reach by legislation We
mean to make a law whereby every emigrant
shall be required to disgorge 81 900 on his ar
rival at Sandy Hook, as an initiation fee Tor en-
terng this country. Our pretext will be that
this will create a fund for supporting the pau
pers that we have already received from foreign
lands. and for keeping the statue of the God
dess of Liberty in repair Another law that We
shall put strong lobby has provision
| that every immigrant shall be required to live
here twenty one years. as had to- before he can
vote; he must be able to speak English. and to
know something of our laws, and why we came
over in the Mayfower. This applies to every
class of emierants but the Chinese. They
to be imported free and given every privilege,
and will tell you why. Every Chinaman can
earn SO per day, and every knight of Leisure
can hire a Chinaman for ST. per day, which will
give the Knights net profit of So per day no
each Chinaman. We shall require at the outset
as many Cinnamon as there are Knights of Lei
sure, which will keep the Pacific Mail steamers
busy for some years to come"
Uncle Rufus suddenly glanced at mis- chronom-
eter, and, catching up his hat, hastened to the
elevator, shouting: This is but prelude to the
details. which will be given hereafter"