The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-11-22
poWDERLY.s REPORT,

PoWoERLY's REPORT.
EAs Chiaf Of the Knights Of Labor Makes
HA Annual Address - Many Radical
Changes In the Laws Of the Organise
tion Iavorsd-He Takcs Occasion to
Score His TraduoeFs-Tho Present Cons
dillon Of tho Order Duo to thu Mschina-
lions Of Its Pretended Friends but
Actual Enemies.
b IND1ANAPoL1s, Ind, Nov. 16 The notices
BILE feature Of the session Of the Knights
Of Labor General Assembly Thursday were
reports from General Master Workman
.Powderly, ex-secretary Litchman and
his successor. The latter took Office
September 8, 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
ago there were 100000 members, but
now there are only 259,5l8, with
probably $500 unreported. There are
hG66 local assemblies. In the Bos-
ton State Assembly there were 3D.
ga, but it now has only 3,913'
Cincinnati has 4,527 Knights where two
years ago there were 1859 The Indian
apolis district reports 800 when it had last
year 140 The assets Of the order are re-
ported at $114, 849. o. consisting chiefly of
the home building in Philadelphia and
stock in various companies, cooperative
and otherwise.
Mr.. Powderly's report is in substance as
follows:
He began hts address by saying that the
order had maintained an existence in the face
OF the most discouraging circumstances, hav.
Srnno MOI
position from those in whose behalf It
contended. It faced the world as
an advocate OF justice for the
poor, and found all who were enemies
OF the oppressed arr8yed against it. The adop-
ton of the declaration of principles ten years
ago arrayed all who despised those primo; pies
against the order, and the year just ending had
been the most trying Of all to those who
wished to see har monious blending OF oil
classes of workers. He said that many false
rumors had been put in circulation re-
garding the strength OF the order, and all who
regarded quantity as superior to quality
dropped out The differences between the gem
eral officers were heralded abroad and magni,
fled, and many who wanted unity left the order
instead OF waiting until the object; enable Of
flcers could be replaced with new ones. Con-
tinuing he said:
"With an Executive Board whose members
were not in harmony with each other, who trav'
eled from place to place denouncing their fellow.
Of1cers and cOndemnlng actions that they were
not responsible for, it could not be wondered a,
that We have lost in numbers. The unwise
strikes which were entered upon against the
laws and principles OF the Kin gifts OF Labor
swept thousands Of our members into poverty
and forced them from the order. Add to all Of
these causes the campo gn VIII has
just closed in the United States. in
which members and assemblies were
p:tted against each other on question
which never was made part of the
declarat on Of principles, and ON which they
could very we'll afford to differ without differ.
ing to any point In the laws or rules of the
order, and we wonder not that there has been
falling Oh. but that we have passed through
the crucial test with the ranks unbroken as we
find them to-day
Mr.. Powderly believes that these trials have
resulted in good to the order. He denies that
there has been any official dishonesty and in
vites thorogh examination OF the books. He
recommends the abolition of the law for the
appointment and government of exam ming
organizers, which Us at present framed is q
dead letter.
In the course of o discussion Of one-man
power he referred to the troubles that always
arose when many are intrusted with the execu-
ton of a law and said:
"One-man power is an absolute necessity in
order to insure success, but those who confer
give, and when the end Of that mans term of
office arrives they should know whether he
has welded his power in such o way as best
to serve his constituents. II he has,
accord to him the merit OF having done
SO; II not, then censure him, but do
not censure him for not accomplishing results
when the authority to do SO was not placed In
his hands, and when the power to thwart his
every move was delegated to others who were
supposed to act in unison with him. Men have
been placed in office with me with whom
would not for a moment associate in private
business enterprise with any hope Of success;
yet, for the sake of the good that might
follow silence fOrbearance under such circum-
stances has been observed by me. Your gen.
eral master workman realized full we'll his
own incapacity to deal with the great question
which faced him, but 1t was not necessary to
retard the progress Of the order by placing an
equal power in the hands of each member Of
the General Executive Board and then expect
the general master workman to achieve the
success so much desired by all true Knights
After remarking the influence of the order on
public opinion he takes up the Questsons Of
finance, land and transportation, which. he
says, must be settled by the people, as the
politicians have no interest in doing so.
II the masses remain idle and indifTer-
eut the classes will rule through the
power which comes to them through the
banking, railway, and land monopolies. He
recommends the appointment of special com.
mittee to take up the matter and says the or.
der can compel the campaign of 1892 to be
fought on these lines. He also favors change
in the time Of holding the General Assembly,
believing that it now comes too close after
election to allow political excitement to die
away. He also demonstrated the importance
Of readjustment Of the financial forces OF the
Government, including the withdrawal Of the
rights from private and State banks OF
issuing currency.
Mr.. Powderly handles without gloves the
provisional Committee formed at Chicago
shortly after the Minneapolis session for the
'avowed purpose OF disrupting the whole
order.'
In conclusion he said that he did not blame
laen for strik ng, but for making fools OF them.
selves in not knowing how to strike, and con.
| tinued:
"While workmen strike against the evils
which present themselves to their vision, they
do not realize that their action is contributing
to the wealth of thieves who gamble in the
stocks which the strike affects. They do no,
realize that the very men against whom they
strike are reaping rich reward in in
| creased profits by purchasing from the timid
owners the stocks which are affected by the
strike. They do not realize that IN nine cases
out of ten the strike takes the stocks from the
hands Of many and turns them over to the few
who are the aggressors in the game of starve
| and steal. They always strike at the
top Leaf OF the tree, because it ap
| pears plainest to the vision; but they
| always leave the root undisturbed to grow
other ana more powerful shoots. On many ar
| occasion I have almost lost pat ence with
| prominent men In the labor movement, men
| who have lived in the past so long that they
can not see that the agencies Of this genera
ton are entirely different from those of any
other, and from their point of view the strike
| has the same power as of old. We must teach
men what it Is that creates necessity for 9
| strike.''
Will Not Sell Oakview.
WAsH1NaroN, Nov 16-It is denied al
the White House that President Cleveland
! has at any time intimated to any one 8
desire to dispose of his property
known as 0akviRW The President