Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-11-22
THE .OFL IN A DILEMMA.
An Investigation of the Off,
 cers' Methods Ordered.
WHO WILL BE INVESTIGATORS

MT. Powderly Refuses to Appoint Com-
 mittee to Investigate Himself and
 Compromise ScheDse Is Rejected-Yes-
 terday's Proceedings-Barry's Broadside.
 INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 22-The method of work in the general offices of Knights of Labor are to undergo 8 thorough investiga- tion, and the members of the order are to know, perhaps, just what is going on in the headquarters of their organization. The matter was brought as the result of Thomas Barry's exposures. A wrangle arose as to how the committee should be appointed. MT. Powderly stated positively that he would not appoint it. After several schemes had been spoken of the method of appointing the com mittee was laid over.
 The committee on law then reported a number of unimportant changes in the con- stltutlon. Everything went along swim mlngly until they reported resolution to the effect that wherever there was a trades union and trade local assembly in the same line of business in any one place that the members of the local should not work for less than the scale of wages of the trade union, with rec ommendation that it was .inexpedient to leg islate on the subject at present. The debate grew warm over the report of the committee, but it was finally decided that until some definite arrangement had been reached with the representatives of the trades unions that no action should be taken.
 A similar disposition was made of the proposition to refuse admission into the Knights of Labor of any suspended or ex- pelled member of a trades uniOn A resolu- t1on to provide for 8 central council, in which all the districts in various localities shall be represented, for the purpose of bringing about united action when needed and more fraternal feeling was referred to a special committee of which J. w. Ran dolph, colored delegate from Mississippi, was appointed chairman.
 At the afternoon session considerable time was devoted to the case of H. J. Skeffing- ton, master workman of the Boot and Shoe Workers National District 216 This district claimed jurisdiction over several local assem- plies in Cincinnati, and trouble arose be- tween Skeffington and Hugh Cavanagh, of District AS of that city, at the time of the shoemakers' difficulties. Both sides delivered long orations but the matter was not set tied
 The committee on state of the order re- ported a resolution offered by Delegate James to withdraw all national trade district char ters. This was said to- be presented for the purpose of securing a test vote. It was voted down at once. Delegate Lewis, of the miners offered a resolution providing for the ap pointment of committee to visit the Ameri can Federation of Labor, which meets ir December at St. Louis It was voted down
 On motion of Mr. Litchman Mr. Powderly's course ill the matter of trades unions was sustained and he was recommended to pur sue the same course in the future. Mrs Barry, the general investigator of women! work, presented a resolution favoring com pulsory education. It was adopted. T. B. Barry issued another blast against he states the following: By the action o1 the general assembly in conferring upon the general master workman the autocratit powers of a czar, the gaol of MT. Powderly' ambition has been reached. It remains to bt 1 seen whether the people who yet hold mem bership in the Knights of Labor will quietly submit to the action taken by their repre- sentatives in handing over to a car, of theil own creation, all the rights and privileges O. American manhood.
 Had 1 desired to become a member of tn, 1 mutual admiration party and be blind tc their unlawful doings, the farce and decep l tion could be continued on the masses to tn | end of time. Now that they are exposed ! there is every reason to believe that tn ] common sense of the working people vii soon prevail notwithstanding the action o l the convention here, that is absolutely unde l Powderly's control"