The Delta independent., 1888-11-20
Powderly's Report.

/ hul8uls OF LADOr COnvcnuon In lnQlon-
apolis:
For 10 years the order Of the Knights OF
Labor has maintained its existence in the
face Of circumstances the most discouraSina
and ddisheartening. Struggling forward in ita
infancy beneath the vail of secrecy, II
met with opposition from those in whose
behalf II contended. Later on 1t faced the
world as the advocate of justice for the
poor and found all who were the enemies
OF the oppressed arrayed against it. In all
OF these years 1t has had TO brave the
taunts and insults Of many whose interests
1t served Since the adoption Of its de-
claration OF principles 10 years ago thi.
order has had the opposition Of all who
despised their principles, but the year
whose ending we witness at this session
has been the most trying and discouraSing
TO those whose wish was to see the har-
monious blending OF all classes Of workers
beneath the shield Of Knighthood.
Many causes combined TO reduce the
number of those who swore allegiance to
the principles Of the knights Of Labor.
| The circulation of false statements con-
| cerning the strength of the order drove
away thousands who regarded quantity As
being superior to quality in the makeup Of
the membership Of labor organization
When the rumor went forth from the enc
mics quarters the numbers were dropping
down, these members who looked to
| others for what they should do them
selves dropped out also. When the
divergence of opinion between the
general officers became heralded broadcast
by those who always magnifed, those mern-
bers who looked for unity among the OHIO
| crs instead of doing their duty by waiting
until they could replace these officers with
| others, withdrew from the order temporS-
rily. Tho story so often circulated and SO
wonderfully magnified of the extravagance
| OF the general officers frightened others,
and they too stood still until this session
would assemble.
In the ranks were men whose love Of self
predominated, whose selfish desires could
not be suppressed for the common veal,
| and on no occasion would they consent to
| sink self for the good of all. The oft told
story OF their grivanccs sickened and
| drove many from the order. With tho Ex-
| ecutive Board, whose members were not in
harmony with each other, who travelled
from place 10 place denouncing their fcl-
low-of,icers and condemning actions they
were not responsible for, it could not be
wondered at that We have lost In numbers.
Unwisc strikes, which were entered upon
against the laws and principles Of the
knights Of Labor, swept thousands Of our
members into poverty and forced them
from the order. Add to all Of these causes
the campaign which has Just closed in the
United States, in which members and as
semblics were pi,ted against each other on
n question which was never made part Of
the declaration Of principles, on which they
could very well afford to differ without diff
fcrng as to any poin; in the laws and rules
| of the order, and we wonder not that there
has been falling OF, but that VIC have
passed through the crucial test with ranks
unbrokcn as we find them to-day.
He states that these trials resulted in
good for the order and denied anything like
official dishonesty, inviting a thorough ex-
animation of all cooks and accounts. Many
changes are desired in the constitution so
rs TO avoid the frequent changes which arc
recommended at each session. He recon-
mends the total abolition Of the sections
which provide for the appointment and
government of examining organizers. The
law as at present formed is dead letter
Examination of sections % and % will
show that in addition to his other duties
the General Master Workman is required
TO examine the statement of expenses as re-
ported by the General Secretary. Tho
Treasury Department should be held re-
sponsiblc for all money passing through its
channels and the general Treasurer should
be vested with veto power so far as de-
laying payments on bills OF which he Is in
doubt are concerned. At present he thinks
financial affairs arc intrustcd into too
many hands. A responsible party should
be intrusted with the management Of the
finances. After speaking Of the high csti-
nation in which the order is held by many
outside of it and showing the multiplicity
Of detail he must look after, he continued:
"Thc most important questions that can
come up before this body for consideration
are those of finance, land and transportation.
These great questions are up before tho
people for discussion and solution. They
must be settled by the people for it Is not
TO the interest OF politicians to do so.
Those who control our public highways are
reaching out with hand of steel to grasp
and control the government itself, and it Is
indeed battle for supremacy. II the
masses remain idle and indifferent the
classes will rule through power which
comes to them through banking, railway
and land monopolies. 1t is, therefore, q
duty which we should not neglect to select
the sections which have pointed ou., and
place them prominently before our mem
bcrs for discussion"
He recommends that a special commits
sion Of three be appointed TO take up the
matter. He advocates concentration Of
energies on these questions and further
recommends the formation Of Junior assem-
blies for educating the younger working
people.
The Italians were not pleased with
the manners Of Emperor William Of Ger
many. They complain that he has brusque
way Of cutting his sentences short and that
he mounts his horse clumsily. Then, again,
he IL not fond OF macaroni. Altogether hcis
far from the Italians ideal Of hero.