Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-11-23
POWDERLY'S REPORT.
He Invites an Investigation OF His
Management.

report OF General Master Workman H. v.
Powderly 10 the knights OF Labor:
To the officers and members Of the gener-
al bly;-For 10 years the order OF tho
knights OF Labor has maintained an exist
ence IN the face OF circumstances the most
discouraging and disheartening; struggling
forward in its infancy beneath u veil OF Sc
crecy, IL met with opposition from those in
whose behalf 1t contended. Later on it
faced the world as the advocate OF justice
for the poor, and found all who were enc
mics OF the oppressed arrayed against II.
In all OF these years IL has h d 10 brave the
iaunts and insults OF enemies whose n.er-
ests IL served
Since the adoption OF the declaration of
principles 10 years ago. this order has had
the opposition of all who despised those
principles, but the year whose ending we
witness at this session has been the most
trying and discouraging TO those whose
wish was 10 see the harmonious blending OF
all classes Of workers beneath the shield of
knighthood. Many causes combined TO re-
duce the number OF those who swore allegi-
ance to the princ.pl of the Knights OF
Labor. Their circulation of false state
ments con cerning the strength of the order
drove away thousands who regarded guam
tity as being sup rlor 10 quality in the
makeup of the membership of labor or
ganization.
When the rumor went forth from the
enemies quarters that the numbers were
dropping down, those members who looked
10 others for what they should do them
selves dropped out also. When the diver
gence Of opinion between the ge' eral
officers became heralded broadcast by nose
who always magnitied, then the members
who looked for unity among the officers,
instead OF doing their duty by waiting until
they could replace these officers with others,
withdrew from the order temporarily. The
story so often circulated and so wonder
fully magnitied, of the extravaganza of the
general officers frightened Othars and thew
too, stood stll until this session would as
semble.
In the ranks were men whose love Of self
predoninated, whose selfish desires could
not be suppressed for the common veal,
and on no occ sion would they consent 10
sink self for the good Of all. The oft told
story of their grievances sickened and
drove many from the order. With an ex-
ecutive board whose members were not in
harmony with each other, who travelled
from place TO place denouncing their fellow
officers and condemung actions that they
were not responsible for, il could not be
wondered at that we have lost in numbers.
The unwise strikes which We're entered up
on against the laws and principles of the
Knights OF Labor swept thousands OF our
members into poverty and forced them
from the order.
Add to all Of those causes the campaign
which has Just closed in the United States,
in which members and assemblies were
which never was made part Of the decla-
ration OF principles, and or which they
could very well afford TO differ without
differing as 10 any point in the laws or
rules of the order, and we wonder not that
there has been "a falling OF, but that we
have passed through the crucial test with
the ranks unbroken as we find them TO day.
He states that these trials have resulted
in good to the order, and denied anything
like official dishonesty inviting thorough
ion of oil olya md
Many changes are desired in the constitu-
ton, 80 as to avoid the frequent changes
which are recommended at each session.
He recommends the total abolition of sec.
tious which provide for the appointment
and government OF examining organizers.
The law as at present framed is dead let
ter. An examination of sections ~ and q
will show that in addition to his other duties
the general master workman is required
10 examine the statement OF expenses as
reported by the general secretary. At pres
ent he thinks the financial affairs are iu-
trusted in too many hands One responsi-
bic person should be intrusted with the
management of the finances. He then con
tiuued
We have been treated TO many dis
course during the past year ON the sub ect
Of one man power. The chief trouble with
our order is because Of the lack of one
man power. Our power has been divided
in the past, and il has worked injury 10 us
The will of this order crystaliZed into law
and imprinted upon the pages of our consti-
tuition by the representatives here assem-
bled should he carried out TO the letter
TO do this the duty il assigned 10 one man
10 execute these laws. Where the many
execute the laws themselves they always
fail where each man interprets law for
himself there is sure TO be- "A Babel of sound
and confusion. Vest in one man the power
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 resuEs
Allow every self seeker every knaye
every disturber and fault finder to inter
pref the laws and we have anarchy pure
and simple A pandering to ignorance by
some has given rise TO the impression that
the man who rallied against enc man power
was a friend 10 the masses No greater
mistake was ever made. The man who
tells the people that they can all act inCe
pendent of each other on every issue that
arises and do it intelligently is "a dema
gogue No matter how intelligent "A people
may be they must meet to determine not
what one wants, but what is best for all
men.
One man power is an absolute necessity
in order TO insure success, but those who
confer that power should first know what
power to give and when the end of TINT
mans term of Office arrives they should
know whether he has welded his power i'm
such a way as best 10 serve his constituents
If he has, accord 10 him the merit OF having
done so: If not, then censure him. but do
not censure him for not ACCOMPLISHING re.
suits when the authority to do 40 was not
placed in his hands, and when the power To
thwart his every IN re was delegated To
others who were supposed to act ia unison
with him.
Men have been placed in Office with me
with whom ! would not Tor a moment as.
sociate in a private business enterprise
with any hope of success, yet for the sake
of the good that might follow silence. for.
bearance under such circumstances has
been observed by me. Fancy the condition
the united colonies would have found
themselves in had the first ten years of the
government of the United States been dele
gated 10 sach men az describe, and the in
terest of the 3,c0D,OO0 Of that day were no
greater than those which were placed in the
keeping of the general executive board of
the knights Of Labor.
Mr. Powderly then referred TO the folly
of placing equal power in the hands of SOW
cral men in an organization. He consider.