St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-11-16
PoWdePly, in His Annual Re-.
port, Rings the Changes
on Capitalization.
Nothing But One Man Power,
He Sa, S, Will Save
the Order.
Only a Corporal's Guard OF
the Once Great Army
Remains.
Ex-Seeretary Litchman Shows
Himself to Be a Political
Wirepullep.
Special 10 the Globe.

Special to the Globe
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Nov. 15.-The
noticeable features in the session OF the
Knights of Labor general assembly
to-day were reports from General Mas
ter Workman PoWderly, eX S cretary
Litchman and his successor hays. The
latter took Office September Sth, and the
chief points of his statements were that
the order had been materially reduced
in membership during the past two
years. Two years ago there were 8l0,-
900 members, but now there
are only 259O00, with prob
ably 1880 unreported. There are
5,C66 local assemblies. In the Boston
state assembly there were 81. 644, but it
now has only 1913. Cincinnati has
4,527 Knights, where two years ago
there were 14,5lG. The indianapolis
district reports 500, when it had last
year 2, l40. The assets of the order are
reported at Sl14,G49.05, consisting
chiefly OF the home building in Phia-
delphia and stock in various compaD-
les, cooperative and otherwise. The
general master workman i'll his report
declared in effect that the
DAYS OF STRIKES ARE PASSED,
and that other more effective and less
WaSteful methods must come Into uni
versaI use when intelligence controls.
He advised the Knights to concentrate
their efforts, and to abandon the policy
of endeavoring to control all things. He
urged that the Knights declare strongly
in opposition to the land monopoly ten
dency of the present day. He holds
that the present Capitalization of
power and influence through land
ownership as unfriendly to the best
citizenship. He dwelt upon the i'm
portance of reimbursement ofthe finan-
ciai forces of the government, including
the withdraw Of the rights from pri-
vate and state banks of issuing cur
rency. He gave general attention to
the diScordant elements of the oruerS,
members and .eX-memberS. and recon-
mtnded equal wages for men and
women doing the same work. The dis
affection which began at Minneapolis
and has since developed iii several drec-
tons, ne attributes to the unfriendly
feeling between the regular Knights of
Labor organization and the provisional
branch and holds MI. Morrison and
others, who took oifenSe at Minneapolis
and set themselves apart i'll a schs-
matte body, responsible for all the
trouble. While be did not definitely
say he would not accept reelection,
that is the construction placed upon his
remark bearing on that question. 1t is
thought by others, however. that if the
changes he suggests are accomplished
he will accept the position of general
master workman again, even at re-
duced salary. IF POwderly's views
prevail" said one delegate, 1--WE need
hold no more conventions.
HE WILL BE THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR.
We want Capitalization, but we don
want it all to center about the master
workman Following the report of
Litchman WAS submitted. The greater
part OF it was devoted to his own de-
Tense in regard to charges that had been
made against him. He showed how
he had tried to systematlze the
work, and how, when economy be-
came necessary, his department
was the first to apply the prun-
ing knife. Since the season of 1886
the force n d been reduced by dispens-
ing with the service of eleven clerks. a
yearly saving to the order Of IS, 164. He
denied the charge Of classifying ac-
counts. and showed it would have been
impossible, as he had nothing whatever
TO do with paying the bills. They were
paid in full to the proper person, the
general treasurer. Neither had he
run commission shop for the
sale of flags and other articles at
the general Office, as had also been
charged. The charge that non-uni0n
help had been employed by hun at the
general Office was equally false. He
advocated the reduction of the general
executive board to five members, to
consist of the general master workman,
general worthy foreman, general Sc
rotary and two members; the abo-
hilton of the Office of gen
eral treasurer, and the deposing
of funds with the safe Repositories. BY
this means, he said, saving of not less
than $4,000 annually would result to
the order. Matters in the various states
could be investigated and reported upon
by district or state master workman.
He cOunseled great care IN
THE SELECTION OF OFFICERS
for the ensuing year, and on this point
he spoke with freedom, as he was not q
candidate for any Office, and could not
conceive OF any circumstances under
which he could be induced to again be-
come candidate for any office within
the gift Of the general assembly. At
the afternoon session, which was very
brief, Mr.. Litchman extended an invita-
ton to the members of the assembly to
call on Gen. Harrison at his home this
evening. Opposition was raised to the
delegates making the call as Knights of
Labor, and the following resolution was
introduced by the delegate from Col
Orado:
'Ke solved, That we consider that it
would be an impolitic and ill-advised action
for any body of men from this convention to
meet or wait upon as Knights of Labor the
president-elect."
The resolution was opposed by all the
Republican delegates. Those who IA
vored it gave as their reason for so do
ing, that while the general assembly
was in session at Minneapolis last year
President Cleveland was in the city, and
that the assembly decided not to call
upon him as Knights of Labors Some
delegates, after the session had closed,
openly announced that they would not
be bound by the resolution.
How to Prove That the Earth
Moves.
(oIrjnr journal