The Portland daily press., 1888-11-22
CLERKS NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK.
Delegate croweIl's Story of How Mr..
Powderly Runs His office.
The Knights at indianapolis Have a
Lively Day.
Corporation with Other Labor Or
ganizations Under Consideration.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Nov. 2l.-When the
complete story Of the morning session Of the
Knights came out late In the afterr oon, it
appeared there had been much warmer
time and more opposition to Powderly than
had appeared on the floor of the general as
sembly since the convention was called to
order The opponents of the administration
seized an unexpected opportunity to make a
point and make the most of it. A denial Of
Barry's charge of improperly in dissolving
District Assembly "a, of East Saginaw,
Mich, was made by ex-Secretary Litchman.
on whom that charge reflected. Litchman
secured formal denial from the Philadel-
phia Office. and with this took the floor In
his own defense. He claimed there were but
four locals in the district.
Immediately Delegate Crowell, clerk in
the head Office at Philadelphia, took the floor
and stated that he had been ordered to de-
mand the return of the charter Of the dis
trict, and that there appeared to be but four
local assemblies, as had been stated by Mr..
Litchman. However, upon investigation he
discovered there were actually seven, and he
added: Il called the attention of the head
clerk, Mr.. Rowland, to this fact, and he gave
il no heed"
Mr. Litchman at once asked: "If my head
clerk gave it no attention, why did you not
come to me with the facts?"
Because" replied Crowell, the clerks in
the general Office are not permitted to ap-
proach the general officers at all, and even
head clerks are not to talk to the general Off
GERS except at certain hours"
This disclosure was followed by others
even more distasteful to Powderly's friends,
Crowell being ready for every question,
a N c m a af oil coff Ell
tory to the qGestloner. He finally moved
the appointment of committee of three to
proceed at once to Philadelphia to investi-
gate the charges made.
W. I. Lewis of Pittsburg, Master Work
man of the Miners Assembly, and chief op-
ponent in the convention of Powderly, took
the leading part and demanded the immedi-
ate appointment of the committee, and that
a telegraphic order to take charge of all the
books, etc, in the general Office be tele-
graphed to some reputable Philadelphia law
yer His motion was defeated.
The motion to appoint the committee was
carried but no way to appoint it adopted.
As substitute for many suggested amend
mentS, it was moved that the incoming gem
eral executive board take change of the
matter. This brought the matter down to
the question whether Mr.. Powderly and his
friends OF opponents should appoint the COM
mittee and the test vote was anxiously
noticed. The motion was lost, 80 to 81. 1t
was close fight and for onces the admins
tration majority did not materialize. How
and so close vote might not be had on any
other occasion. Still Barry and his friends
are somewhat excited over the result
The refusal Of the general asse enbly to
take action on the proposition that local as
semblies do not accept lower scale of
casloned some disappointment among dele
gates who are members of trades assemblies
They wished to strengthen the relations be-
tween the two organizations and express the
Tear that this will have an adverse effect.
They say nothing has been yet accomplished
by the convention to improve the relations
between the two orders, and many believe
that at least a portion of the trades unions
including the miners, will desert the Knights
OF Labor. On the other hand, there is a firm
belief in Mr.. Powderly's ability to lead the
order safely out of all its troubles.
The consolidation of all labor organizations
is one aim OF strong minority in this con-
Ventlon. ThlS appeared at the afternoon
session when the committee on the state of
the order reported fayorably on double
resolution, ON which the convention acted by
sections. The first portion provides that
charters of all trades assemblies be removed,
ana was at once negatiyed. The other por-
ton was to the effect that committee of
iive be appointed to wait on the federation of
trades at their meeting at st. Louis, Decem-
Der 5, TO consider proposals for the amalga-
nation of the two orders. This resolution
brought on a discussion in which it was de-
yeloped that amalgamation was not desired.
Ex-Secretary Litchman defined the word
amalgamation and expressed himself strong
ly opposed to it.
Mr.. Powderly took the floor to explain
that efforts were now being made to bring
about a cooperative relation between the tw O
organizations and, while not mentioning the
question of amalgamation, he argued in favor
of cooperation.
1t is announced that these resolutions were
induced by Master Workman Lewis, of the
Miners Assembly, his object apparently be-
ing to discover the position of the General
Assembly with reference to the trades as
sembles. Another resolution of similar
purport was introduced by J. J.. Lee, Ma
tional Master Workman of the railroad as
sembly, and he hopes for an ultimate union
of all labor organizations.
Mrs. l.. M. Barry introduced a resolution
to place the General Assembly on record as
In favor OF compulsory education and look
ing to the adoption of measures for agita-
ticn on the question.