Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-07

CHICAGO, October, 6.-Five thousand
people assembled this afternoon in Music
Hall at meeting, the feature of which was
to be an address by General Master Work
man Powderly, of the knights of Labor. If
Mr.. Powderly was counting on receiving
popular Endorsement, he could scarcely
have gone away disappointed, for the gath
ering was remarkable for its cosmopolitan
character and enthusiastic feeling as we'll
as for its numbers. Sunday closing of sa-
looms was the topic announced for dis
cussion.
Powderly was greeted with such tempest
of applause as seldom is given to any man.
He began by referring to the criticisms that
had been launched at him from Chicago,
and said that few years ago he would not
have expected such an audience or such
hearing. His remarks on Sunday closing
were emphatic and pointed enough to elicit
repeated outbreaks of applause from even
the most radical of his hearers. Mr.. Pow
derly continued:
A PERSONAL vINDICATION.
You have been told that the chief officer of
the Knights of Labor is a most villainous
character. He is not going to deny it. But I
will agree that the citizens of Chicago not con-
nected with any labor organization may select
a committee of three honest men, and 1 will
place before them the records OF the order
since its organization. II that committee does
not say that what they have heard on the
streets is SANDER of the order then will sub
init that it is just verdict. If the respectable,
decent citizens of Chicago do not care to ac-
cept this offer feel that they do not believe
the ISLANDERS.
Mr.. Powderly is accompanied by A. M.
Wright, of Toronto, with whom he left this
evening for Hamilton, Ont, where he
speaks tomorrow night. The original pro-
gramme included a series of speeches in the
West, but these have been abandoned. and
after his address in Hamilton the Knights
of Labor chief will go to Scranton for few
days to work upon his report TO the General
Assembly, which meets in Atlanta in four
weeks.
On the 14th Mr. Powderly will go to
chiefs and secretaries of the Federation of
Labor Unions.
A TROUBLESOME QUESTION.
'They insist" said Mr.. Powderly, in an
interview this evening, that we shall pre-
sent the eight-hour question to the General
Assembly. We have our views on this
question and they have theirs. The object
of our conference is to learn just what they
want"
"Does that imply that the eight-hour day
question will be submitted by you to the
assembly as the Trade Federation de-
sires it ?"
''It means that we are willing to discuss
the question, but the strike will not be
recommended. Possibly I should not at
tempt to speak for the knights of Labor,
but know this is the feeling. believe in
a shorter day; have been quoted on that
enough to make it plain. But it will never
be done by strikes. Arbitration is all that
can bring it about. The stock yards strike
in this city is good illustration of this.
We will bring the question before the As
sembly in a way agreed upon in the coming
conference, but it will not lead to verdict
in favor of strike May 1, or any other time.
itself already hedging in this matter in
circulars that they are issuing that say
general strike is not contemplated.
THE FINANCES ALL RIGHT.
Regarding the alleged financial straits of
the Knights of Labor, Mr.. Powderly said:
"We are clear of debt, we have balance in
the treasury and we shall hold general as
sembly in few weeks, at which each dele
gaze Will receive MS EXPENSES anu Inen we
will have money left. Our condition is bet
ter than ever before"
This evening, before leaving, Messrs.
Powderly and Wright had talk with
Skillen, Of Oswego, the Grand
Master Workman of the Seamen's Union
of that district. A charge of conspiracy
has been brought against SkilIen and other
district officers by Cleveland merchants.
The union maintains the charge is brought
in an effort to crowd it out of existence, and
they ask the interference of the Ma
tional Executive Board in the matter.
Workman Skillen's story was heard and the
case was taken under advisement. Later
in the evening the facts were telegraphed
the Knights of Labor General Executive
Board at st. Louis. Action by the board
will depend on the decision OF the members
In st. Louis. Mr.. Wright denies that there
is a probability of any trouble arising
between the board and the Seamen's Union.
"They have heretofore asked for nothing"
he said, "and now they only ask our assist
ance. We are looking into the merits of
the case. Should their story be substan-
tiated We will help them. Should the
charges of the Cleveland people appear to
he true We shall NOT iDterfere %