The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-17
Growth of Autocracy and Aristocracy
Among Membership of the Order.
Progress of the Strike of Packers Business
About Suspended at the StOckyards,
Waiting the Outcome of the Struggle.
THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR.
The Organizations Strong and Weak Points
Dangers from Politics and Religion.

| many destroying features eliminated from
the organization of the Knights of Labor it will
not live five years. 1t will die of cancer. This
is plain; SO plain that anybody can see it who
/ is here where view from the original can be
had.
| Politics is gnawing at the very vitals of the
organization, while personal ambition in the d.
rection of leadership and general selfshness,
| including the mercenary form of holding the
Offices, ara creeping in. Then the religious
problem is coming up for it's share of conten-
ton, and if it will grow as rapidly during the
| next two years as within the last two months,
will alone be sufficient to crush the institution.
| The first argument used against the reelection
of General Master Workman Pow9erly was that
he is a Roman Catholic. This was circulated
| vigorously till the convention met here and
noses were counted. 1t then transpired that
almost two-thrds of the knights are members
of the Catholic Church. Within my own hear
ing delegate catechised Mr.. Powderly on this
subject till the General Master Workman had
to explain and then apologize for social visit
to the bishop of the church in this city.
To the Knights the fact thai the highest off
GERS encourage the intermingling of politics with
| the primary objects Of the organization is very
| serious fact. It means that the leaders are at
work to distract the organization-not by de-
| sign, but in fact. A New England member of
the executive board, discussing this feature of
the order now. observed to your correspondent:
Politics wrecked the Patrons Of Husbandry,
the prohibition and other temperance moves it
has ruined churches and schools, and it will
ruin us. We organized for the sole purpose of
presenting solid front Of labor against capital
when capital was wrongly employed. There was
tc be nothing but charity and cooperation to Sc
cure and maintain the highest prices for labor.
| Church, politics, religion and all collateral
| issues were to be excluded. Politics means
sel6shness; selfshness means the downfall of any
| body or corporation depending upon co-opera-
ton or contact with the people for support If
| other issues had entered into the determination
of the North slavery would not have been abol-
| ished, because the North would not have stood
together Already there are chickering's in every
assembly. What grows out of politics will come
from any of the other subjects which, like the
worm in the vine are sticking their horny heads
up. What we must have, and in the fullest
sense. Is harmony-perfect unity"
Then there is still another thing the Knights
must guard against. 1t is autocracy-aristoc
racy-in their own ranks During the past two
weeks I have heard more than hundred ex-
pressions tending to prove this They came
mostly from local knights, who had not
the carded right, but the vested right and iber-
ty, to associate with and speak to the general Of
| fcers. For many years | have observed that
there is an aristocracy growing up among classes
| that does not affect those outside of them. For
instance, lawyer, printer, carpenter, may
refuse to affiliate with of his own class on the
assumption that classes should not form society
of its own, and because he has diState for his
own fellows and business.
| There is a tendency in some of these streams
| to run higher than their source creature
must not get beyond it's creator, nor above it.
During the parade here on Monday the general
| officers were conveyed in carriages to the fair
grounds. They occupied the center of the pro-
| cession and drew very marked contrast when
compared with the poor fellows who plodded
| along the miles in the sun and dust There were
| bitter complaints.
| 'How does it come' heard dozen Knights
say, ''that these fine fellows whom we pay, and
| whom we have created in position, will suffer
| themselves to be elevated so far out of their
| proper placesP
There is tendency in the body of the mem
bership to complain at all real and imaginary
| sights and hardships. They probably had
| cause to observe the exclusiveness practiced by
the general master workman and to speak of it.
Very after he came here he not only
| fused to receive callers, but cards and persons
who had business with him. Mr.. Powderiy, the
people in the order say, is not only working
| man, but the servant of the laborer.
The single Hebrew delegate to the convention
| has attracted comment. but not much attention
personally. He is m Eastern manufacturer.
4 a nalaOafoa a
| pipes on the streets. Nine-terths of the dele
| gates wear derby hats. The others SLOUGH
hats, with a very few exceptions, and they are
! Of beavers.
Beaumont, of Emira, N. Y, is one of TIE
| characters of the convention. He is about
forty-eighr years old, medium size, with beard
on the lower part of his face. He is an orator,
and works in organizing assemblies, engineering
strikes, ETC., among the Pennsylvania coal
miners. He believes in radical measures to
further the ends of the cause. Beaumont
| thinks the capitalists are thieves, mostly, and
that they all stand together and corrupt those
! who are in their way. In illustrating this
point, he always repeats one of Tom Marshalps
stories
IA man rushed into Marshalls law Office day"
says Beaumont, land evinced SO much excite
| ment that he could scarcely speak.
| /" What is the matter!' inquired Marshall.
- i have stolen hog replied the man. and
| / want you to defend me-
" Are you guiltyF asked the lawyer.
/ "'Yes,' was the reply.
"'Well, how can l get you out of it if you are
guiltyq
"'Ohr replied the criminal. in great anguish,
| you can bring the tears TO the eyes of the jury
by one of your great speeches, and / will be
| acquitted. You must take the CASE
Marshall consented, and the man was proven
guilty. Witnesses testified that some of the
pork was found on defendants person. The case
was conclusive, and when the jury went out
Marshall remarked that the verdict would be de-
cisive and the sentence severe. But to the
amazement of the eminent lawyer, the jury re-
turned verdict of mot guilty
when Marshall had sufficiently recovered his
breath, he took his client aside and asked how it
came that verdict of not guilty was returned,
when the evidence was complete of guilt and the
courts charge was for finding
! az will tell you, said the criminal, Just how