The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-29
KNIGHTS OF LABOR.
An Effort to ReOrganize the Order.
The Provisional Committee of the
Dissatisfied Knights.
A Claim That 1t Is Bankrupt and
Going to Pieces.
Statement That Half a Million
Members Have Been Lost.
"The Labor Movement Must Be Kept
Pure or It viii Prove Curse In
stead of Blessing to
the Toilers."

New YoRK, April 2S.-When the gen.
eral assembly OF the Knights of Labor al
journed in Minneapolis last October there
were anumber OF members who had fought
the administration, and who claimed that
the administration was corrupt, that funds
had been squahdered, and that they could
not procure justice from those in power.
These dissatisfied knights, the chief OF
whom was Joseph r. Buchanan, held a
secret meeting in Chicago on October 81,
and formed a provisional committee to
fight the administration and, Us they said,
redeem the order"
The provisional committee decided that
during the first six months OF its existence
the program would be TO create dscord in
the order, expose corruption and crooked
ness, which they said existed, and to pre-
vent MS far as they could the sending Of
funds TO the general Office in Philadelphia.
The committee appointed in Chicago TO do
the work consisted Of five members. The
chief was Joseph X. Buchanan, and next
TO him came John Morrison and George r.
Murray, OF this city. They were 10 be
known rs the general provisional commit
tee and TO meet every six months.
The six months having expired the DIST
OF this month, the committee met in this
city, and have concluded five days scs.
sion. George L. Murray was elected
chairman and Joseph r. Buchanan sec, O.
A. n.,.f.u,.au s..al. a.. E.Il.,.t,...
statement when the committee adjourned:
AT the sessions reports were presented,
which showed that the provisional COM
mittec is organized in New York, Penn
sylvania, Illinois, Kansas, Colorado In
diana, Ohio Wisconsin, Tennessee, South
Carolina, Virginia and Michigan. In
some localities the organization was tenn
porary, as members wished 10 hear from
this meeting. The committee was en-
larged TO seven.
1--WE learn that at the general Office In
Philadelphia that within thirty days one
third of the clerks have been discharged
and that the rest, who hold their place,
through influence, hall the time hay,
nothing 10 do.
1--WE have adopted the constitution Of
the order which prevailed in 1885, and
have also adopted u ritual which lesscni
the work OF an assembly seycnty-fiyo pei
cent. We have decided 10 get the view
OF district and local assemblies NJ 10 IN,
working Of n general assembly early thi'
fall, and have pledged ourselves to aid III,
workers OF all labor organizations That
is our work In brief"
APPEALING TO THE ORDER.
The committee also issued n circnlar
which is rs follows:
ITO the knights Of Labor:
at the meeting Of protesting Knight.
OF Labor, who had attended the MinnCa.
polls General assembly held in Chicago
October 81, 1887, n circular TO the mem.
bers OF the order was adopted and was
subsequently made public through the
press. This circular enumerated the
causes which led 30 q revolt against the
administration. The Chicago conference
also decided unanimously upon the follow.
ing rs q portion Of lis program:
"a. To prevent the administration from
oxpclling and libellng the men who de-
voted themselves 10 purifying the order
before they had an opportunity 10 expos,
| In the district and the local assemblies III,
incompctcncy and dishonesty Of those IL
control, II was decided that the names %
those participating In the conference
should I've 40 far Ms possible kept sccro
until February |, 1855.
"2 That the energies Of the provisional
committee during the subsequent si'
months should be directed toward the cx
posture OF the wrongs committed by mel
| who held through trickcry the cxecutiy,
and responsible positions in the Knights o
Labor, that a demand for complete &C
counting by those officers be augmented
and that an effort BIO made 10 starye on
the ring by Withdrawing all dues and othc
taxes.
"3. At the expiration Of six months, o
on the Dist Of April, 1883, n meeting Of thr
general provisional committee should III
held 20 review the work done and 4
arrange for the future Of the movement
"Tho meeting was held in New IOrl
city on April n, %, % and -, 1858, an,
in accordance with instructions given b,
the committee this circular IL issued q
acquaint you with the important occur
rcnces OF the past six months and 10 sum
Marie the work Of the committee sessions
"As an immediate result Of the issuance
OF the circular last fall, universal dcmani
was made by the order for a statement o
the receipts and expenditures Of the gen
orul office at Philadelphia for the yea
ending with October ], 1887. The aggro
gate receipts were known 10 be ncarl
$4,000, but detailed statement Of th
expenditures was refused nj the Minncar
oils convention, and all that could b
learned was that not n dollar OF the 500,
600 received was then In the hands Of th
general treasurer During the past hal
year appeals and demands have boel
made OF the general officers 30 produce
report Of the financial transactions, but
notwithstanding the fact that the officer
we're threatened with legal proceedings b
compel an accounting, no report has bcei
given, and none ever will be.
"1he policy Of the administration, q
shown al Minneapolis was pure bluiIism
and that line has been strictly adhered :
since. The order has been surfcitcd will
buncombe, II has been fed upon abuse q
the men who protested in the name q
honest labor at Minneapolis, but not on
charge Of the kickcs' has been answered
though several Of the latter have bee
suspended or expelled without trial o
even regular charge by the general OIL
cem
"This IL not a bright picture; but &c
the other side. Because OF the refusal {
the administration 10 the charges made b
the provisional committee and the ev
dencc furnished showing their correctness
good men and women who are true " th