Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-10-16
A "knisht's' OpiEion ofi,is Order.
The Richmond Whig says.

During the past thirty-six hours not less
than forty delegates have left the CITY in a
huff Most of them have long been mem.
bers Of trades unions. and have served as
delegates in other conventions of the Knights
OF Labor, and therefore are not the sort Of
men who run off after hobbies, pet fancies.
and the ignis fatuns which leads so many
new men in societies to go wild. One of the
Oldest OF these-a delegate who has been in
trades unions for nearly forty years, who has
been member of the Knights of Labor for
eight years, and three times a delegate in
other general conventions-spoke his mind
like the statesman, philosopher, and level.
headed man that he is before departing from
Richmond. 1.-THE convention" said he.
will linger long in the minds of all who
have attended it for the acrimony. selfish
ness, and political scheming which has char
acserlzed lts proceedings. | will give the
organization just three more years, by the
watch, in which to live. And | will tell
you why say three years more. The pro.
ceedngs here leading to and growing from the
election OF officers conVinces NE, and has
convinced majority oil the honest delegates
here that it will not take more than year
to dissolve the organization after the next
general election of officers. That will occur
TWO years hence. In all the officers elected
up to noon to day, there is not single man
who has worked lick as q laborer within
ten years. And all Of them are professional
organizers for what money there is in the
organization. They are Knights of Labor
for the money there is in it, and the day
they lose their grip and that cannot he at a
later day than two years hence, they will
leave the order, or put it in such shane that
it will fall of its own weight. There is moth
ing OF self sacrifice in the management, and
nolhlng Tor the general welfare in the aims
OF the management. The organization of
knights of Labor grew out Of trades unions.
II the first place its foundation is in trades
unions. IL began by amalgamsting them.
aud as soon as it grew strong enough com
menced to strangIe them. Although owing
its strength to trades unions, it is more
violent enemy to them at this moment than
combined capital and heoppression of mon.
opoly. Whenever it fails to force q trade
union into it's organization it sets about to
break 1t down. 1t is pirate on the great
sea of labor and individual rights. Now.
mind you, l have paid dues to and worked
in this thing from its ncipiency, and am
under the ban Of its solemn oath at this
time"
"Tbep, why do you speak thus of it,
was asked.
Because replied the delegate, bringing
his fist down upon table, this organization
has during the past two years become the
bane of the laborer in being transformed in
to an asylum for dead beats and paupers
and the scheming school for politicians.
Every man who belongs 10 it now and does
not make money out it is a worse slave to
intriguers than he ever was to capital, and
is his own worst enemy. He is tool and
a dupe. his Interests are pooled for gamb
ling purposes and are cast upon the mart
where only bride givers bid. The conspr-
acy OF tho 'Forty-NiEers' to capture the
saiaried offices was not half so base rs the
duplici'y Of some Of the officers. Mr. Pow
derby is moral coward. made so through
fear OF certain factions and combinations
which he knows should be suppressed, ard
which be sees running the organization.
The committee to revise the constitution,
appointed at Cleveland year ago, was
packed for the execution of the act of dia-
bolism here Wednesday and Yesterday.
1t was framed 10 re-elect the old officers, in
crease their salaries and extend their
terms to two years at least, and four
if possible. Mr.. Litchman, who fought
for, and secured the division OF the
office of Secretary Treasurer. and
who log-rolled the extension of the
term of Office (he worked to have il
three instead of two years., was chairman
of the committee, and gets the secretarvship
of the General Assembly as his part of the
spols. Now, when tlis committee, with
this thing in view, was Matched at Cleve-
land. 1t was provided, so as to cut Off the
avalanche Of popular opinion that might
sWoop down, that proposed amendments to
the constitution must be submitted to the
committee on revision of the constitution
not later thaa sixty days prior to this con.
ventlon, so that printed copies could be sent
to the local assemblies for the purpose of
having them instruct their delegates how to
vote. Now, | know a delegate who called
the committees attention to this matter.
aud asked that the work OF the committee
as 1t would be reported to this convention
be submitted 70 the local assem-.
blies at the same time, so that instruc.
ton could be made on that also. Mr..
PoWderly approved of it, but il was not
done, and why? Because the work Of the
committee would have disclosed a conspir.
acy and defeated it. 1t would have shown
the division of Offices. the increase OF sal.
aries, and the extension Of the tenures of
offices. Mr.. Powderly came here in fear
and trembling. What he should have done
was to overthrow the plotters and declare
every man on the floor of the convention q
peer. This order was not designed to or.
lglnate and foster autocracy and aristocracy
and make creatures greater than their
creators These delegates, as a BODY, are
as incapable as children of controlling their
action, and are handled like clay in the
hands of the potter. They follow the leader
like sheep, With their ears and eyes closed.
Why, time and time again | have seen the
Chair rule on the vote on question
taken via voce, and the convention sustained
the ruling, when upon appeal and 4 roll call, the
majority the other way would be twice as large
as that originally declared For instance. a viva
voce vote lost a question the other day by forty
majority, and roll call gave it sevent7-six ma.
JOY. The great bulk of the delegates are sin.
cere men. They come to honestly represent their
constituents but there are enough plotters to
defeat the purpose of and wreck the organization.
SFoils, politics, religion and sefshness will do it.
Tom McGuire has his scalping knife drawn, and
AZ will lead the fight. The dead beats must 90
and mind you, when tho leeches are withdrawn
there will DO such gaping wound exposed that
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