San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-04-28
POWDERLY'S ARMY.

rO"bGnLr Hnmrs
A Decrease of Nearly Half a Million
Less than Two Years.
From the New York TimesJ
When the Home Club" was at the
height Of its power its strongest oppo-
nent among Knights of Labor was
Joseph w. Buchanan. At that time he
was resident of Denver. he fought the
club and its methods at Cleveland,
where the special assembly Of the
Knights was held in tile spring Of 1885.
The club was then SO we'll organized
main strength and others by treachery.
At Richmond, where the general assem-
bly, was held In the fall Of the same year,
the club was compelled to struggle des-
perately to maintain its grip on the
management of the order. The opposi-
ton had been well organized, under
very adverse circumstances, by Mr..
Buchanan and number OF other promi-
nent Knights, who felt that the order
should not be allowed to die without
struggle.
The position OF Powderly and the
clique who supported him from selfish
motives put Buchanan forward as
leader. 1t was at first intended to pit
Buchanan against Powderly for the lat
tess position, but the writer of "secret"
circulars talked 80 fairly, even beseeoh-
ingly, that 1t was decided to let him
have q walk-Over and put Buchanan in
the field for secretary against Litchman.
The latter, backed by all the power Of
the administration, was just able to Sc
cure an election. He was to do great
things for the order. The latter rapidly
grew smaller under the rule Of such q
combination as Powderly, Litchman and
Mcguire. and as much of the better ele-
meDt had deserted to the Federation Of
Trades before the last General Assem-
bly, was held at Minneapolis last fail the
administration was able to handle 1t. 1t
even showed its teeth by attempting to
GUST Bailey and Barry from the General
Executive Board. In return for this
these two committeeman told some very
unpleasant truths about the character
of the m: 1agement of the order. Their
disclosures had the effect Of still further
decreasing the membership.
Mr.. Buchanan was in New York Sat-
urday. He is now q resident Of Chicago
and while we'll informed Of the genera,
condition Of the order, can speak by thel
card regarding its state in the west. He
said, when asked for information on the
subject, that the order was In bad way.
When the general assembly met at Rich
mond the membership WAS 702, 900; now
it was 100000. In 1856 the membership
OF District assembly No. "a Of Chicago
was 26 900; now 1t was 5000. Two years
ago the treasury Of the order was full Of
money; now it was full of emptiness,
and the general executive committee
hnf RI Yof
efray running expenses.
In what light was POwderly's recent
request for q loo assessment viewed?
The members OF the order had grown SO
distrustful OF the management that very
few of them had paid any attention 10
the request. Powderly had said that
the money was needed for educational
purposes. Few believed him. 1t was
generally known that the general treas
ury was empty. 1t was known that the
leaders wanted money At the last
general assembly it was decided that
the expenses OF delegates to the next
general assembly at Indisnapolis
should be paid by the general
assembly. Where was the money
money to come from? That was q ques-
tee to answer. and IL would prove
puzzler. The order seemed, In
Mr.. Buchanan's opinion, to be losing
strength in proportion to the gain made
BY trades unions. The latter were
booming in the west, but there was no
boom for the Knights OF Labor, nor
would there be until different set and
sort of men were placed at the head.
Mr.. Buchanan has been the recipient Of
much kindly attention from Knights of
, Labor during his visit to New York, but
none of his entertainers are members OF
the Home Club"