The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-05-24
THE CONVENTION
OF THE KNlaurs OF LABOR
At Cleveland, ohiO-ThS subIss.S to bo Con.
sidsFsd by the Ass mbly-E The Trades
UeIOn DIHieulty They have No Use
tOs Master Workman AlArtin Irons.

CLEVELAND, o., May 2S,-oficers Of the
General Assembly OF the Knights Of Labor
were up early this morning and at work.
The two tardy members Of the Executive
Board had not arrived and no session was
held. The headquarters work was several
days behind and Secretary Turner and his
stenographer, who arrived from Philadel.
phia early in the day, were kept busy an,
swering Ietters, During the afternoon the
General Master Workman perfected
method Of procedure and order Of business
for the convention and attended to other
duties. Tho following gentlemen arc
among the delegates already here: 7, v,
POHderly, General Master Workman;
Frederick Turner, General Secretary John
w, Hays, member oi the Executive Board,
A reporter asked Secretary Turner II
Mr., Irons would be here, and received
the reply, ~ think not" ff
"HRve you sent for himP
Mr., Turner seemed surprised at the
question and said ave don't want him;
he iH not delegate"
A number OF delegates f0el keenly the
fact that MT, PowdeTly Is oyerwOrked aud
think he should be assisted, Two plans
have bsen proposed and will probably be
presented ut the convention. One Is that
State Assemblies be organized to look
after affairs In the district that would come
under their supervision, they in turn being
auxiliary to and under the supervision
OF the General Assembly, Each State
would receive instructions and supplies
from the General Assembly, and distribute
supplies by district and local assemblies.
Ths organization OF new assemblies would
be part OF the work looked after and
guided by State organizations. The other
plan is to have an Executive Board in
each State, subject to the direction OF the
general board.
The subject Of most importance before
the Cleveland convention is the relation
Of the Knights Of Labor 10 the trades
unions, "This matter must be discussed
and acted upon with caution" said o
member of the Cleveland assembly. ~
think that the knights OF Labor should
be subordinate TO no organization. The
difficulty between trades unions and our
organization arose with the officers OF the
former, who are afraid there may be no
use for trades unions In the future, in
which case their fat salaries and oCcupG-
tlons will be gone. The knights OF Labor
are broader there than unions. For In
stance, II In a shop OF "a men 90 are
members OF the order and one Is not, as
long as the man who Is outside receives
the same pay as others, nothing 10 done to
coHrce him. He need not Join the order.
We invite members but do not force any
man to Join US, and although he Is not re.
eeived as brother no distinction Ia made.
On the other hand II the same condition
existed in union shop the union men
would force the non.unionist to join or
they would strike.
The most serious dissatisfaction is with
the National Cigar Union, which will in
sist that assembly labels be discontinued
and only the blue label Of the union used.
The patrons to great extent are members
OF the Knights Of Labor, and II II were
not for us the labelled cigars would never
have become 80 well known.