The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-25
THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR.
The General Board Has Barely Money Enough
to Meet Expenses-Lcss of 200. 900 Members.

NEW YORK, April PA Philadelphia special
says: 'The appropriation of $4,000 by the gem
eral executive board of the Knights of Labor at
a recent session, to start a printing-ofice at
headquarters, was a farcical act. The money
was appropriated from q depleted treasury. The
need of ready money above current expenses.
which are now paid with difficulty, has caused
much concern. Schemes for raising the wind
have been ahoat for some time. Aside from the
brown-stone headquarters worth $50 900, the
only available property is the Connellburg coal
mine in Ohio The general board have author
lied the sale of this property and they expect to
realize enough to enable the trustees OF the
printing office to get the Office we'll under way.
The trustees want to start the Office badly, as
they thus hope to lessen the enormous printing
bill of the order, which $49. 900 last year.
The sale of the mine will only provide a little
ready money for exigencies such as the printing
Office. and will do little to improve the frghtfnl-
ly bad condition of the finances. A member of
the board admits that there is barely enough
money in the treasury to pay the current ex-
oenses and keep the machinery going until the
payment of the July per capita tax.
The quarterly returns are far from satisfac-
tory. Mr.. Powderly has issued special call,
for the purpose of keeping the attention OF the
order on the glittering generalities of his to
less money is received between this date and
July, the force at the general Office will have to
be further reduced Inc question strikes nlgn-
er than the clerks, however, and there Is q
strong probability, which is held by some or the
board. that before that time the general officers
will not be able to get salaries in full. The ex-
penses of the order now very heavy. Dur
ing the year 1886 81 the order gained nearly 60O,
900 members, and the total expenses were $105,
795. Under the pres sent administration for 1886
81 the order lost 2I7, 600 members, and the
total expenses were $491 $685.
At the close of the Minneapolis session of the
General Assembly in October 1887, the treas
ury was practically empty. as the payment of
the General Assembly about exhausted the
paltrw balance of 1877. The order had. ac-
cording to Secretary Litchman, ass, 600 mem
bers. This mem bership had paid into the treas
ury theasum of 1896. CSC. while the yearly ex-
penses were $491, ,663 The expenses and the
receipts so nearly balanced that small falling
off in the memb bership other causes affect
ing the income would force the receipts
to fall below the expenditures. In 1886 and 1887
each member of the order paid about 75 cents
for the support of the order, every cent of which
used. and as the membership has decreased
another 200, 900 the income will be decreased
oue-half According to the report of Treasurer
Turner, the average monthly expenses of last
year were $50 000 At the same time the average
monthly income from all the sources of revenue
was about 500. .0CO.
To get money needed to meet expenses
special assessment of 25 cents was levied in No
vember, 1886, and general appeal brought in
$15, 409. and the order was saved from financial
ruin. There have been assessments this
year. and as the regular sources of revenue
would not pay expe enses with large member
ship. they cannot pay with decimated member
ship Of about 240, 900. The expenses remain
about the same, and if anything are higher