Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-11-17
The Knights Of Labor.
AN INTERESTING SESSION OF THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
THE DECLINE OF THE ORDER
Due to D~issensions and selGshness--some
Wholesome Advice from the Master
Workmanship Days of
Strikes Are Past.

INDIANAFoLIs, Nov. i6.-The notice
able features in the session of the
knights OF Labor assembly were the re.
ports from General Master Workman
Powderly, eX-Secretary Litchman, and
his successor. The latter took office
Sept. 9, and the chief points of his state
ments were that the order had been
very materially reduced in membership
during the past two years. Two years
ago there were 500, 900 members, but
now there are only 259, 1853, with probably
~, 500 unreported. There are $50 20
cal assemblies. fInSthe Boston state as
setnbiy there were n, GA, bur now 1892,
The Indianapolis district reports 800,
when it had last year :, l40, The assets
of the order are reported at $114, $40. 05,
consisting chiefly OF the Home building
in Philadelphia, and stock in various
companies, corporations and otherwise.
The general master workman in his
report declared in effect that the days of
strikes are past, n that other effective
and less wasteful methods must come
into universal use where intelligence can
control. He advised the knights to con
centrate their efforts and abandon the
policy of controlling rings. He urged
that knights declare strongly in opposi.
bio1 ~ tuS iduu IIOhtPOly VI blG pIeSEtlU
day. He holds that the present central
ization of power and influence through
land ownership is uhfriendly to the best
citizenship. He dwelt on the import
ance of u reimbursement of the financial
forces of the government, including the
withdrawal of the rights from private
and state banks of issuing currency.
He gave general attention to the dis
cordant elements of the order. members
III ex-members. The disaflection which
began at Minneapolis, and has since de-
veloped in several directions, he attrib-
uted to the ~unfriendly feeling between
the regular Knights of Labor %organiza-
ton and the provisional branch, and
holds Mr.. Morrison and others who took
offense at Minneapolis and set themselves
| apart in a schismatic body, responsible
for all ~the.trouble. While he did not def
nitely say he would not accept a re-
election, that is the construction placed
upon his remarks bearing on the ques-
ton. 1t is thought by others, however,
that if the changes ne suggests are ac-
corhplished he wIl accept the position of
general master workman again, even at
a reoarSd SALARY. sIf Powderly's views
prevail, y said one delegate, 1--WE need
hold no MORE conventions, he will be the
'AhiS Va 80 fott phbs VIZ och U Mttnb IL
all to centef SCOUT the master work
man.n
The report OF ex-Secretary Litchman
was submitted. The greater part of it
wasdevoted to his W defense i IN re-
gard to charges made against him. He
shows how he had tried to systematic
work and how, when economy became
necessary, his department. was the first
to apply the pruning knife.
At the afternoon session, which was
very brief, Mr.. Litchman extended an
invitation to the members of the assem-
bly, to call on Gen. Harrison at hishome.
Opposition was raised to delegates
making the cali as knights of Labor,
and the following resolution was intro
duced by the delegate from Colorado:
"Resolved, We consider that It would
impolitic and ~ill-adyised action for any
body of men from this convention to
meet or wait upon, as knights of Labor,
the president-eiect.n
The resolution was opposed by all the
Republican delegates. Some delegates,
after the session closed, openly an
nounced that they would not be bound
by the resolution.