Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-11-29
NOW BARRY TALKS.
He Has Considerable to Say About
POYderly's Administration.

IOhucIll ADMINISTRATOR.
Thomas b. Barry, the expelled member
Of the general executive board of the
knights of labor, has given to the public a
statement explaining his position and re-
peating his former statements against the
Powderly administration. He says
"The general assembly Of the knights of
labor is not a fair representative gathering
of the industrial classes Of the order The
most INSCRIPTIONS methods have been re-
sorted To in order TO prevent men who were
known TO be in any way opposed 10 the
administration being elected as representa-
tives 10 this convention Records were
manipulated and changed in the general
Office and membership credited TO admins
traton districts, and representatives seated
in the convention who had no legal right 20
seats therein, and representatives who
were lawfully elected denied n seat in the
convention. Clerks in the general Office
were engaged in manipulating records and
selecting local assemblies that were known
to be opposed TO the administration in order
that steps might be taken to prevent them
from having representation at this convcn-
ton
In proof of his assertions he cites the
case of ID. A. ~ of East Saginaw, which he
declares was driven out of the order by the
administration and not by him, as has been
reported. He says ID. a. / of Philadelphia
is represented here by men chosen by a
packed convention. and continues: - his
convention is no moro free from lobbying
than was the Minneapolis convention. All
those who depend upon the present gang
who control the order from poverty palace
are here looking after their masters inter
ests. 1t is more like a political gathering
than "a convention of labor reformers.n
He then taxes up Powdery's general de-
NAL of his charges and relterates his ability
TO prove all he has said, asserting that
Powderly knows this and fears TO let him
IL fla IA hon
remarks: "lf my accusations were false
(they had an opportunity TO prove them 80
before the bar of the ORDER, then metc out
to me the censure which would make me
ob2oxious in the eyes Of all honest men. |
appreciate my position and would not eX-
change it for Powderly's.'
Mr.. Barry then gives a copy of the en-.
velopes addressed TO him as having been
expelled by g. f.. b. and says it is tine
only official notice | have rec.ived of my
expulsion He recites the law Of the order
to prove that he has not been given a fair
trial, and says he proved his charges before
the Minneapolis convention but was ruled
out Sin tho caucus and ring rule practical
by them and their followers He says Of
his trial by the general executive board
whom he had accused Of wrong doing. that
1.-THE constitution disqualites interested
parties, and with all the bra7eu cifrontery
that they are endowed with they surely
VIII not ANOW lldI LutN were not Interested,
incompetent aud unfit 10 sit in judgmcn.
when they themselves wee the accused
villains He mentions ano her case and
says: "Powderiy himself Omitted that
there was but one way in which person
could be expelled, and that was through
the court of his own local assembly
Mr. Barry next gives "a review Of an
article published in the Journal of United
Labor Of October, lSS,, in which he is OPP
posed by Michael Dayern, secretary Of ID.
A. II of Augusta, Ga, lie explains the AZ
tack by saying he prevented Davcry from
making money out of the order. He next
denies that he had advocated strikes before
ID. y. 1875 of TorcIto, as was alleged AGAINST
him in letter from that assembly. He as
serts that itemized quarterly reports from
the treasurer were not gwen, ana cOntin.
ues: IF it Is against the law TO ten the
knights of Labor the truth, then / am
guilty. But that ! made any statements
that were not true. is false.
He considers a charge that his claims
against the ajr inis ration were false,
made by one John NJ Decker as the work
of the administration against himself. He
refers TO Decker as % mental lightweight
hoping 20 be rewarded for his perhdy with
a position as general lecturer, nOtwithstand
ing his incOmpetency and his Ignorance Of
economies, ~ and adds concerning him: in
the state assemb y nc did not reply TO my
.tatement made there but, like a skullling
coward, shielded himself through his wife,
He says thai the same state assem- bly,
ceusured the admiuistrdt on and wanted to
run Barry as candidate for general mas
ter workman. He quotes the boards re
port Of his expulsion and refers 70 it as ''in
keeping with the other malicious falsehoods
Published by the general executive board. -
He denies ever having anything 10 do
with the provisional commit ee and repeats
that he was expelled for telling the truth "
Being charged with 'plundering,' he
says: II invite an investigation of their &c
tons and mine. and court of law would
be "A good place for them 20 prove their
charge Of piunder againstmen
He closes with "a Genial of the charge
that he had not been a member of the order
since last spring, having been a member of
a elapsed local, and that he had fraudu-
lenuy obtained money from tho general
treasury.