New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-17


impartially tested. Partisan Naval Boards will
not be organized for the purpose of con-
demning designs and models favored by him.
One branch of the service will not be pitted
against another with a view to dIscrediting
American designers. Shipbuilders employed by
him will not be bounded to ruin and death.
--------
DECLINE OF THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR.
A decline in the membership of the Knights
of Labor in two years from ~ 5000 to 2o9,518
marks an important chapter in the history OF
industrial organiza tons in this country. This
falling off is no longer matter of surmise.
The figures are those given by the officers OF
the order to the indianapolis Convention as the
membership on the 1st of July, 1888 But
one-ffth Of these are stated to be in arrears,
and on the LIST of this month, it is said, the
membership did not reach 200, 600. The
shrinkage in some of the States presents even
more remarkable contrast than that in the
association at large The membership in NlaSsa-
chusetts has dropped from $4,000 two years
ago to 9,179. The financial condition Of the
order is equally discouraging. Two years ago
it had a balance in the treasury Of Sis D,
and although $40 ,694 was expended in the
following year, small balance remained in the
treasury. The expenditure during the last
year amounted to S222, 3i2. and the Knights
are in debt. Mr. Powderly has many explana-
tons to offer Of this downfall, for such it seems
to be- Some of these are almost puerle, such
as for example, his declaration that the cir
culation of false statements concerning the
strength of the organization drove away thou
sands. The lack of harmony between the
officers was doubtless a more efficient cause of
decentralization, but The chief influences were
the recklessncss with which the strikes were
ordered which Mr. Powdery puts last in his
list. and the rise of the American Federation
of Labor, to which, apparently, he makes no
allusion.
The strikes conducted by the Knights Of
Labor make a melancholy story. The prin-
ciple of organization by trades, which is essen
tial to the successful conduct of strikes, was
ignored by the Knights until recently. The
result was that strikes were ordered by men
having no knowledge of the interests immedi-
ately affected and vast losses and almost in
calculable suffering were inflicted. On the
other hand, this has been the leading principle
IN the organization known as the American
Federation of Labor, which thus far has been
as conservative as the Knights were reckless,
and has been governed by an administration
as economical and prudent as that of the
Knights has been extravagant and foolish.
The result is that the American Federation of
Labor has pushed the Knights from their old
place. The membership Of the Federation is
now estimated at Z 90, 900, or about three times
the membership of the knights, and almost
exactly the figure of the Knights at the time
of their great prosperity two years ago.
The situation may be summed up, therefore,
by saying that one great labor organization
has taken the place of another The fact that
the new organization displays the moderation
which has been lacking in the counsels of the
old is certainly gain, both to the public at
large and to the labor classes in particular.
The great strikes into which the Knights were
forced by blind leaders involved not only the
loss of many millions in wages and much
suffering to the workingmen, but they de-
ranged the business Of the country. The tenn
perate policy of the Federation will doubtless
lead to fewer strikes and better success in adj
vancng wages, because it is at least the avowed
policy of it's leaders to satisfy themselves of the
justice of demand of this sort before giving
it their support. Meantime, there is little
doubt that part of the faling-off in the
Knights of Labor has been beneficial, because
it has rid the order of Anarchists and other
noxious elements. 1t will be question whether
the Knights can ever regain their former COM
handing position, but at all events they can
avoid in the future the plumbers that have
brought them low