Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-11-16
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
OF the knights OF Labor In Indian
apRIis.
by telegraph 70 tho Dlspatch.l


TBy telegraph to the Dlspatch.l
JNDTANPoLIs, kOvember 10 Delegates and
Others who are in attendance on the twelfth
General Assembly Of the knights OF Labor
have settled down TO work, and the time
away from the convention il largely devoted
10 committee. work. Still much gossipis in
dulgcd in regarding the probable outcome
OF the meeting, both as regards The
election Of officers and Is 10 tho future sue
cess or the failure OF the order. lustead OF
repeating his former plain refusal 10 continue
to serve, PoWdcrly nov simply refuses 10
sneak, nnd ibis fact II cOnsldcredan evidence
NJ willingness 10 accept once more. I be
rejection Of other officers depends on Pow
derly's decision and the action 1.-THE General
Assembly rs 10 the reduction OF force.
II il clsimed by those who profess 20 be IN
formed Of The facts thai the cause for the de-
Law IN PoWderly's report was that he had
given ex-Secrotsry Litcbmhn severe hand
ling, and that Li:chnan in his reply had re-
turned tho attack with interest The two
were finally brought together and the matter
amicablv arranged, and the delay has been
caused by the reprinting Of the reports with
the savage part eliminated. Only two
rcnorls were beard Of tho morning session,
both being very long. That Of P0WderiT
WAS two hours long, while oX-Secrel2ry
Charles Iltchman took an hour and twenty
minutes ~ the time o. tie convention on ac-
count OF certain hitle unnecessary forlaa'i-
ties tbtt bad been overlooked. POTdcry IS re-
port was withheld until late IN the ailer-
noon. LitchmAr's report was In manuscript,
but was bed back FOR some reason.
The following are extracts from Mr. Pow
deriy's report:
" Tho wear whose ending we witness nj
this session has been most irving aud d.
couraglng TO thOSs whose wish was 10 see
harmonious blending Of M classes u worker.
beneath the shield 81 knighthoOd. Many
causes combined 80 reduce toe number Of
those who srOfe alleQisnce 10 the principles
Of the Knights Of Labor. Their circulation
~ false statements concerning the strength
Of the order drove away thousands who re-
garJed quantity ss being superior TO quality
lu tho makeup OF the membership Of labor
organization. When the rumor went forth
from the enemies quarters that the numbers
were dropping down, those members Wh0
looked 10 others Tor what they should do
themselves dropped out also. " hen tie
divergence Of opinion between the general
officers became hcFRdcd broadcast by
those who alWsys magnifcd, then tbs
members who looked FOR unity among
the officers, instead q dong their duty by
waiting until they could replace these Of
licers with others, withdrew from the order
temporarily The story so often circulated
and 40 wonderfully macniicd OF the eX-
trayagance OF the general officers frightened
others, and they, TOO, stood still uutll THIS
session would assemble. In the ranks were
men whose ST. fish desires could not be sup.
pressed fOs the common veal, and on no oc-
casion would they consent TO sink self
for she good OF all. The oft-told story
Of their grievances sic6eued and drove
many from tue order. With an oX-
ecutve board whose members were not IN
harmony with each other, who travelled
from place 10 place denounclng their fellow
officers aud cOndemning the actions that
they were not responsible FOR, II could not
be wondered that we have lost in numbers.
Unwlse strikes which were entered upon
against the laws aud principles Of the
knights OF Labor swept thousands OF our
members into poverty and forced them from
the order. Add 10 all OF these causes the
campaign which has just closed in
the Unl,ed States, in which members and
assemblies were ptted against each other
on . question which never was made part OF
the declaration OF the principles, and on which
they could very we'll afford 10 diiler without
differing as to any point 10 the laws or rules
Of the order and we wonder not that there
has bean falling %. but that we have passed
through the critical test with ranks unbroken
as we ind them to-day"
lie states that these trials have resulted 10
good for the order. and denied anything
ike official dishonesty, inviting thorough
examination Of all books and accounts.
Many changes are desired in the conEitu-
ton 90 as TO avoid frequent changes winch
are recommended st each session. After
speaking OF the high estimate in which
the order Is held by many outside
Of It. and showing the multiplicity
Of detail he must look after, he
continues: We have been treated 10 many
dlscOurses during the past year on The sub
iect OF one-man power. Tue chlei trouble
with eur order is because OF the lack OF one
man power. Our power has been divided
IN the past and il has worked injury TO Us.
The will OF this order crystalized into law,
and imprinted upon the pages OF our con-
sttution by the representatives. here As.
semhled, should he carried out 10 the letter.
To do this the duty is assigned TO one man
to execute these laws. Where many execute
the laws themselves they always fail; where
each man iuterprets the law for himself
there Is sure to be a Babel OF sound
and confusion. Vest IN one man the
poxer 10 execute the laws which the many
favor and pass upon; allow no interference
with that man IN the performance OF his
duty and you may expect results. ALLOW
every seli-seeker, every knave, every dis
turber aud isullfuder 10 interpret the laws,
and we have anarchy pure and simple. Pan
dering to ignorance by some has given rise
TO the impression that the man who rallied
against the one-ma power was friend 20
toe masses. No greater mistake was ever
made.
After remarkipg upon the influence OF the
order upon public opinion be takes up the
pending questions, saying: The important
q questions that can come before this body are
the consideration OF those Of finance, land,
and transportation. These great questions
are up before The people FOR discussion and
solution. They must be settled by the peo-
pie, fer il Is not 10 the Interest OF the politi-
clan TO do so. Those who control our pub
lie highways are reaching ont with a hand
OF steel 10 grasp and control the Government
itself, aud Ii Is o battle for supremacy. IL
masses remsia Idle aud indifferent, the
classes will rule through power which comes
70 them through banking. railways. and hsd
II Is therefore duty which
we should not neglect 70 select The sections
which / have pointed OFT, and place their
uamips ntly before eur members for discus
sion. II we DO our duty, and u tho