The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-11-13
SURVIVE OR PERISH.


to BE In the Balance.
Chicago Tribune.
The eleventh annual session Of the General
Assembly OF the Knights OF Labor will meet at
Indianapolis. Tuesday. Nov l3 The meeting
gromisss to be the most interesting in the bisto-
~ OF this remarkable organization. The dele
gates will be confronted with questions upon the
satisfactory solution OF which depends the fate
OF the order. The greatest interest centers in
the biennial election Of a general master work
man, an executive committee of eight Nom bers.
aud full set OF general officers.
As head officer OF the Knights Of Labor. Mr..
Powderly DO longer denies that the order IL in
q critical position. While he has not officially
announced his intention of stepping down and
out. it is generally understood that he will re-
fuse to stand for reelection. There is little
doubt that he could be easily reelected, and
strong pressure will be brought to bear that he
undertake the task OF rebuilding the partially
wrecked order. Powderys most influential
from the Knights Of Labor, and are not in po-
stion to materially injure him. They are con-
Quoting . vigorous campaign from the outside.
and will be at Indianapolis in force The
'kiekersr or 'rebels." as they are called, will be
marshsled by Thomas Barry and w. Carlton,
late OF the general executive board. and j. X.
Bssnapan, now OF New York city, and until re-
Gently editor OF the dsfunct Chicago Labor
Enquirer.
The fight which has resulted in the division
started two years ago at the Richmond session
of the General Assembly. There were then
rolled, In round numbers, 500. 600 men under the
banner Of the Knights of Labor. The defeat Of
the Southwest railroad stIikers created the first
serious dissension, and started a fight which
eventually involved the entire membership OF
the organization. Powderly held the whip and
did not hesitate TO use 10. The rebellious knights
were forced into line and submitted sullenly TO
bis dictation. The failure of the great Stock
yards strike spread the revolt The defeat Was
taken hold Of by the rebels a. weapon with
which the administration could be de-
posed from power A year ago
delegation to Minneapolis. j. R. Buchanan was
elected delegate from Denver. but the COM
mittee on credentials refused TO admit him,
holding that his residence in Chicago disqual-
flied him from representing Denver Buchanan
withdrew, after making a dramatic speech, in
in which he ewore vengesnce and predicted the
absolute aunihilatioL of the order. Before quit
tinc Minneapolis, Buchanan organized q pro-
visional committee. and issued a circular charg-
ing the administration with corruption and a
long list of abuses. The circular closed with
an appeal TO all district and local assemblies
nskine them to refuse to longer pay assessments
TO the corrupt ring in control of affairs. b.
ehanan's scheme was shrewdly devised. and
has worked better than be dared hope. IL
was go successful that he went down
10 the general wreck. The member
ship of district assembly No. "a, Of
Chicago, dropped from q, 900 to 40O0 inside OF
SIX months. From a membership Of 500. 900 Ia
1856, the Knights OF Labor have fallen To less
than 100000 10 1855. Mr.. Powderly finds him
self in an embarrassing and peculiar position.
In the days or prosperity, when il was consid-
cred only question OF a few years before the
general executive board purchased s65. 900
palace on Broad street, Philadelphia and fitted
IL up with lavish hand. They could afford IL
then; it Is a white elephant now. The receipts
from the assessments have fallen so low that
there Is not money enough 10 pay the salaries Of
Mr.. Powderly and the executive board. Score
tary Charles Litchman resigned his once lucra-
tive position few wsekn ago and embraced pol
tiles as q profession. Barry and Carlton re-
signed, the former making sensational charges
against Powderly and Ltchman.
This IS the situation the Knights Of Labor are
compelled TO face. Those who are thoroughly
acquainted with the facts realize that unless
some radical changes are made the Knights OF
Labor will never live to hold another session OF
the General Assembly. There are as many rea-
sons assigned for the decline of the organizatIon
as there are factions In IL. IL is generally con-
coded. however. that the machinery OF the
order is too complicated and disjoinied. There
are local assemblies, district Assem- blies. State
Assem- bes. trade district assem- blies mixed local
assemblies, etc. To all of these the unfortunate
Bright is called upon to pay assessments. There
Is another and vital cause for the spf-
ting OF the order into factions. Tho constitu-
ton Is mass OF glittering generaiities,
containing clauses which may be interpreted to
suit the personal opinion of the most cranky
member. The result has been socialist factions,
anarchist factions, radical factions. conservative
factions. trade-union factions and umberless
others The constitution favors political ac-
ton IN one clause and opposes It in another.
To make bad matter worse, corrupt and IN
scrupulons schemers have pushed their way to
the front. brazenly squandered stolen the
funds wrung from the pockets of poor working
people, aud engineered Q series of strikes
ending In disastrous failure. Rival labor organi-
zstions have sprung ND and waged relentless
war against the Knights of Labor. 1t remains
TO be seen whether Mr.. Powderly is equal TO
the emergency.