Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1888-12-07
HE IS SATISFIED.
Mr. Powderly Says He Is Pleased
with the Conventions Work.
AN ANAR0HISTIO ELEMENT
fhe Grand Master workman Is Reported
as Saying That Such Glass Existed
in the Knights, but Has Been
Weeded Out.


lumbus, O., says: In an interview with
Grand Master Workman Powderly he stated
that he was very much encouraged over the
result of the recent national assembly of the
Knights of Labor
I'VE are, he said, wedding out the trouble.
some elements. For some time there Aas
been an AnarchiStic element i'm the ordaB
These fellows, who ara at.war with all our in.
stitutions, feel perfectly happy when they
get into the order and succeed in stirring up
quarrels. We have no room for any kind OF
Anarchists in this country. They have op-
posed me and it has simply been question
whether they should go or l. So far have
come out ahead. SOM, of them who have
been trying to raise hell have gone, and
more are going.
''The Knights OF Labor have declined in
membership during the past year or so, have
they not Mr.. Powderlyn
YES, such organizations have their ebh
and flow. The part we took in the St Louis
strikes gave us an advertisement as notoriety
that we did not seek, and resulted in a great
influx of members which growth was not
healthy. was opposed to the rapid growth
and tried to check it, but our membership
grew to over 100000, which number included
many whose association we did not desire
The membership soon began to decline, and
ran down to about half that number but
now we are prosperous and the membership
is growing. Before we were as well known
as we are now the newspapers lied about us
and injured u.s."
The conversation drifted to strikes, and
Mr.. Powder,y said:
1--WE are not opposed to strikes, but believe
in reason before strikes, not strikes first and
reason afterward. The strike is not as well
understood as it should be- For example
when the miners strike they alone are not
affected. The men who work ON the coal
roads are thrown out of employment Manu-
facturers in a city like this are interfered
with; business is embarrassed and there are
many evil results which are frequently over.
looked. Oppression Of the workingmen may
cause all this. Sometimes we are compelled
to strike, but it is often better to bear the
ills we have than fly 10 others that we know
not of. What we want is cooperation all
around. / do not mean that every working.
man should have a college education, but
that he should be educated TO take q broader
view of affairs In other words he should
know more of the people in other callings OF
life, and they, especially the business men,
should know more about the workingman."
ut is said sometimes, :Ir Powderly, that
the Knights undertake to do work that could
be better done by the trades unions,n said the
reporter.
tThere is no conflict between the knights
and the trades unions. There is work foa
both to do. We must cooperate and work
together to accomplish objects that concern
us both We can do this in regard to legis-
lation in securing laws or the repeal of OBJ
jectionable laws. There is more necessity at
present for the repeal of bad laws than there
is for the enactment of new laws
II am accused of being a temperance
crank, said Mr.. Powderly, because | be-
lieve that the workngmen would be better
without liquor, and because have done all
in my power to promote temperance have
worked as hard any man. ! have lain
upon the ground exposed to the weather and
have often been in that condition in which a
workingman thinks whisky win do him
good, but L know it is a mistake / have
worked with men who thought SO and often
found that had to do their work When
ever man gets drunk, some other man must
do his work. You are thrown i'm contact
with printers, and you know that intemper-
ance is the curse of printers. Well, used to
think that men in my own branch were
cursed above all others by strong drink. but
find that my former associates are not the
only ones that suffer-"
Mr.. Powderly will remain to watch the
assembly, and if a secession occurs will coun-
sci and advise with the regulars who don't
go out