River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-11-22
PoMpERlY,s REpoRT.

The chief of tho Knights of Labor Makes
Hrs Annual Address - Many Radical
Changes In The Laws Of the OrganisA
ton Favored-He fakes Occasion TO
Score HIS Tradueers-Tho Present Con-
dtticr of the Order Due 20 the Machins-
tions % I,s Pretended Friends but
Actual Enemies.
INDANAPoLIs. Ind, Nov. if--Ths noticea-
BILE feature Of the session Of tie Knishts
of Labor General Assembly Thur sday We're
reports from General Master Workman
Puwderiy, ex- Secretary Iitchman and
his successor THE latter took ofice
September 5. and the chief points Of his
statements were that the order had been
very materially reduced in membership
during the past two years. Two years
Ggo there were SoO.0 600 members, but
low there are only 259 5lS. with
probably 1880 unreportei There are
b,666 local assemblies. In the Bos-
ton State Assembly there we're 81,
Ga, but il now has only s,elS.
Cincinnati has 4 SCI knights where twu
years ago there were 1859 The Indian.
apolis district reports 800 when il had last
year. l41 The assets OF the order are re.
ported at sll4649 Is. consisting chiefly OF
the home building in Philadelph a and
siock various companies, cooperative
aud otherwise.
Mr.. Powderly's report is in substance "a
follows:
He began his address BY saying that tho
order had maintained an existence in the face
OF the most dtscouraging circumstances, haV-
ing met with the most pronounced OPP
posit on from those in whose behalf il
oontended. II faced the world as
an advocate OF justice for the
poor, and found al who we're enemies
Of the oppressed arrayed against a. The adop-
ton OF the declaration OF principles ten years
ago arrayed all who despised those prime pies
against tue order. and this osaT just ending uad
been the most trying OF all 20 those who
wished to see har mOnious blending Of al
classes OF workers He said that many false
TumOrs had been put in circulation re-
sarding the strength Of the order and all who
regarded quantity as superior 20 quail g
dropped out The differences between the gen.
eral officers were heralded abroad and magni-
ned, and many who wanted unity left he order
instead Of waiting unit the OBJECT enable Of.
hcers could BE- replaced with new Onvs. Con
tinuing he said:
" w IN sn Executive Boa "a whose members
were not IN harmony WITH each other. who tray.
eled from place 10 place deuouncIng their fellow.
Officers and conde inning actions that they we're
not responsible for, Il could not be wondered al
that we have lost IN numbers. The uuwiss
strikes which were entered upon sgainst the
laws aud principles OF the Kn ghts Of Labor
swep. thousands OF our members into poverty
and forced them IRON the order. Add 10 all Of
these causes the cGmpa gn VIII ca has
Just closed In the UuiId States In
which members and assembl IS were
ptted against each other On "a question
which never made part OF The
declarat on Of principles, and on which they
could very well AFFORD to d.ffcr without differ
ing 10 any po ut IN the laws or rules OF the
order, and We wonder not that there has been
the crucial test with the ranks unbroken as va
ind them to-day
Mr.. Powderly believes that these trials have
resulted 10 good 70 the order. He denies that
there has been any Official dishonesty and IN
vitss thOrogh examination OF the books. He
recommends the abolition OF the law Tor the
appointment and government OF exam ming
organizers, which as al present framed is q
dead letter.
Ia the course Of a discussion OF one-man
power he referred 70 the troubles thar Always
arose wneu many are iutrusted with the eXecu.
ton OF Law and sa q:
Oue-mau power Is an absolute necessity iE
order 10 insure success, but those who confer
that power should first know what power 70
give, and when the end Of that mans term o.
once arrives they should know whether he
has welded his power 10 such way as best
TO serve his constituents. Il be has.
accord 70 him the merit Of having done
SO, II not then CsusuTe him. but DC
net censure him for not accom- DlIsiIng results
SIen the authority 20 do so was not placed II
his hands, and when the power 20 thwsrt his
every move was delegated 20 others who were
supposed TO act in uRison with him. Men have
been placed IN ONCE with me with whom
would not for a moment associate u private
business enterprise with any hope OF success;
yet for the sake Of the good that might
follow sileaco foTOearance under such clrcuu-
stances has been observed By me. Your gen
o. ma IA vel
own fncapacity 20 deal with The great question
which faced b n, but il was not necessary &C
Tetard the progress OF the order BY placing
equal power In the hauus % each member Of
the General Executive Board and then expect
the general master workman 10 achieve tie
success SO much desired by al true Knights"
After remarkIug the influence OF the order on
public opinion he takes up the Questsons Of
finance, land and ira sDortatiOu. which, be
says, must be settl By the people, the
politicians have 10 interest IN doing so.
II the masses remain idle and indider
ent the classes viii rule through the
power which comes 10 them through the
banking, railway, and land mOnopOlies He
recommends the appointment OF a special com
mlltee 20 take Up The matter and says the or
der can compel the campaign Of 1892 20 be
fought on these lines. He also fayors q change
in toe time Of holding the General Asse bly,,
believing that q now comes TOO close after
election 10 allow political excitement 70 DE
away. He also demonstrated the importance
OF a realJustmeut Of the financial forces Of the
Government, Including the Withdrawal OF Tie
rights from private and state banks o.
issu ~ currency.
Mr. PowderIy handles W thout gloves be
'Provls onaI Committee" formed az Chicago
shortly after The u nneapons session for the
''ayowed purpose q dsruptiug the ~nols
order"
Ia conclusion be sa that be aid not blame
men for strlk NJ. but Tor making fools Of them
selves IN not knowing how 20 strike, and con
unUed:
while workmen strike against tie evils
which present themselves 70 their Vision, they
DO lot real re that their act. on e contributing
50 the wealth Of thieves who gam bic q tas
stocks whch the strike affects. They Go no
realize that tie very men against whom they
strike are reupipg > rich reward u -
creased prohes By purchasing from the timlc
owners tie stocks which are Affected by the
strike. They do not realize that q nine cases
out Of ter the strike takes the stocks from The
hands % many and turns them over 10 the few
VITO are the aggressors n The game OF starVt
AMI steal They always strike 81 The
top Leaf Of the tree, because 81 ap
pears plaiuest 20 the vision; buf thel
always leave the root undislurbed 20 grow
other ana more powerful shoots. o. many az
occasion ] have almost lost pat encs v 4
who have lrved u the pat 60 long that 1hes
can not see that the agencies Of II genera
ton are entirely die ent from those o. ans
other. and from her point Of view the strike
has the same power as Of old We must teach
men what II Is thai creates necessity Tor
strike"