Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-11-30
NOW BARRY TALKS.
lie Has Considerable to Say About
pOWderly's Administration.

Thomas b. Barry, tho expelled member
Of the general executive board OF me
knights OF labor has given TO the public Il
statement explaining his position and re-
peating his former statements against the
lowdcrly administration. He says:
"The general assembly OF the knights OF
labor is not fair representative gathering
OF the Industrial classes OF the order. Inc
most INSCRIPTIONS methods have been re-
sorted 10 in order TO prevent men who were
known 10 be in any way opposed TO the
administration being elected as representa-
tives to this convention. Records were
manipulated and changed in the general
Office and membership credited TO admins,
t~ation districts, and representatives seated
In the convention who had no legal right 10
seats therein, and representatives. who
were lawfully elected denied a seat in the
convention. Clerks in tho general ONCE
were engaged in manipulating records and
selecting local assemblies that were known
10 be opposed TO the administration in order
that steps might be taken 10 prevent them
from having representation at this conyen-
ton.
In proof Of his assertions he cites the
case OF d. A. "a of East Saginaw, which he
declares was driven out of the order by the
administration and not by him, as has been
reported He says d. a. j or Philadelphia
is represented here by men chosen by a
packed convention. and continues: This
convention is no moro free from lobbying
than was the Minneapolis convention. All
those who depend upon the present gang
who control the order from poverty palace
are here looking after their masters inter
ests. 1t is more like political gathering
than "a convention Of labor reformers.
He then takes up Powderly's general de-
NAL OF his charges and reterates his ability
I to prove all he has said, asserting that
Powderly knows this and fears TO let him
address the general assembly, and further
remarks: eff my accusations were false
Ohey had an opportunity to prove them so
before the bar of the order, then mete out
to me the censure which would make me
obnoxious in the eyes OF all honest men. |
appreciate my position and would not ex-
change it for Powderly's."
Mr.. Barry then gives copy Of the en-
velopes addressed TO him as having been
expelled by O.. T.. b. and says IL is 1.-The
only official notice | have received OF my
expulsion He recites the law of the order
to prove that he has not been given fair
trial, and says he proved his charges before
the Minneapolis convention but was ruled
out sin the caucus and ring rule practicel
by them and their followers" He says OF
his trial by the general executive board,
whom he had accused Of wrong doing that
1.-The constitution disqualities interested
parties and with all the brazen effrontery
that they are endowed with they surely
will not avow that they were not interested,
incompetent aud unfit To sit in judgment
when they themselves were the accused
villains He mentions another case, and
says "Powderly himself admitted that
there was but one way in which person
could be expelled, and that was through
the court OF his own local ASSEMBLY"
Mr.. Barry next gives u review OF an
article published in the Journal Of United
Labor of October, 1855, in which he is OPP
posed by Michael Davern, secretary Of II.
"A. l26 of Augusta Ga. He explains the at
tack by saying he prevented Davery from
making money out Of the order. He next
denies that he had advocated strikes before
ID. A. l35 Of Toronto, as was alleged against
him in letter from that assembly. He as
serts that tented quarterly reports from
the treasurer were not given, and contin
ues IF IL Is against the law TO tell the
knights Of Labor the truth, then / am
guilty. But that i made any statements
that were not true, is false
He considers "a charge that his claims
against the administration were false,
made by one John NJ. Decker, as the work
Of the administration against himself. He
refers to Decker as a mental lightweight,
hoping TO be rewarded for his perfidy with
a position as general lecturer, notwithstand-
ing his incOmpetency and his ignorance of
economics and adds concerning him: sin
the state assembly he did not reply 10 my
statement made there but, like a skulliing
coward, shielded himself through his wife. -
He says that the same state Assem- bly,
ceusured the administration and wanted 70
run Barry as u candidate for general mas
ter workman. He quotes the boards re
port Of his expulsion and refers 10 il as I'm
keeping with the other malicious falsehoods
published by the general executive board.
He denies ever having anything to do
with the provisional committee and repeats
that he was expelled for telling thetruth."
Being charged with ''plundering," he
says ~ invite an investigation Of their ac-
tons and mine, and court of law would
be good place for them TO prove their
charge Of plumber against me-
He closes with "a denial of the charge
that he had not been "a member OF the order
since last spring, having been a member of
Elapsed local., and that he had fraudu-
lently obtained money from the general
treasury.