The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-03-25
WHY THGY STICK.
The Reason for tho Singular Unity Of the
KniEhta Of Labor,

1
Kpighta Of Labor,
KANsAs CRY, March 94.-It has been
considerable OF conundrum among those
outside Of the organization, as to how the
Knights OF Labor are 50 firmly united. No
ordinary oath would bind men SO firmly
that they would make material changes in
their business arrangements in order to
observe their promise, The knights oI
Labor are bound together by tiEmer bonds
than promises form and the purse string
is the binding cord. There are three var
leties Of assemblies: the primary assembly,
OF which there are ten or dozen in this
city; the district assembly, which is COM
posed Of delegates from the primary as
sembliss, and the general assembly, which
is composed OF delegates from the district
assemblies. The general assembly has en-
tire control OF all the work done by the
order, and 1t has delegated an executive
committee, Of which I. V, Powderly is
chairman to do most Of this work.
A disaffeCted knight was met by q re-
porter and induced 70 tell how the organi-
zAtion is so firmly bound together. II
seems besides the initiation fee and Ales
for various otfenses that there Ia hue ot
ten cents whenever member fails to at
tend a meeting, This induCement alone
is sufficient to keep up 3 members In,
leresE and cause him to attend the meet
ings, A regular set OF books 10 kept iD
each assembly, and each member has al
account, The greatest induCement which
is held out Is the fact that any Of tht
members who, at any time become hnan'
cially embarrassed, may borrow money
rom the assembly.
This is a loan, not q gift, and the mem
0ers have 1t charged to their account, anO
are supposed to pay it back at some time
The consequence is that the members art
apt to be continually in debt TO the assem-
oily. They have paid a number OF hnes
and they hope TO get their fines returned,
and they propose TO stand by their assem-
oily for financial reasons which are evident
BY using such means, the Knights OF La
Dor Of North America have obtained b
mold upon their members which will keep
hem together as long as they have dol'
lar In the treasury
1t would seem ss II member could bt
able to borrow Rs much as he paid In
under such organization; but 1t 10 safe to
say no member ever gets more out Of tht
association than he has put In, No mai
can borrow more than he has paid into
the treasury, for accounts are kept to pre-.
vent such accidents. The whole concern
is a sort Of gigantic savings bank which
pays no interest, and whose sole object 10
the aggrandizement OF its board Gf d.
reCtors. All the moneys Of the primary
assemblies, over certain amounts, art
turned over 10 the district assemblies, and
In turn 1t goes to the grand treasurer,
who, 1t is said, is under $40, or $50. .0OU
bonds.
Inc funds are kept in the L lst and mont
Of the knights know how long strlkt
IAN last, for they do not know whaI
amount Of funds are in the central treas
uEy. Nearly all the orders for striker
come from the East, though the district
assemblies or even primary assemble
have the power to order strike over thu
members Of their portion OF the orgRnizR.
tion, and the knights may not know whal
they strike ior They blindly obey or
ders.
The strike OF year ago was entirely
controlled by men who met in Pittsburgh
but the strike In progress at present was
ordered by the district assembly at seds