St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-10-07

on Sunday closing were emphatic and
pointed enough to elicit repeated out
breaks of applause from even the most
radical of his hearers. Mr.. POwderly
continued: '.You have been told that
the chief officer of the Knights OF Labor
is a most villainOus character. He is not
going TO denv it. But will agree that
the citizens of Chicago, not connected
with any labor organization, may select
a committee of three honest men and
will place before them the records OF
the order since its organization. LII that
committee does not say that what they
have heard on the streets is a SANDER
of the order, then | will submit that 1t
is a Just verdict. If the respectable,
decent citizens of Chicago do not care to
accept this offer. feel that they do not
believe the SANDERS"
Mr.. Puwderly is accompanied by A.
NJ. Wright. of Toronto, with whom he
left this evening for Hamilton, Ont,
where he speaks tomorrow night. The
original programme included 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 a few days to
work upon his report to the general as
Sembly, which meets in Atlanta in four
weeks. On the 18th Mr.. Powderly Will
go to Philadelphia 10 hold a conference
with the officers and secretaries OF the
Federation of Labor unions.
"Thty insist" said Mr.. POWderly. In
an interview this evening, "that we
shall present the eight-hOur question 10
the general assembly. We have our
views Oh this question and they have
theirs. The object of Our conference is
to learn just what they want"
''Does that imply that the selgnt-
hour day question will be submltted oy
you to the assembly as the trade fedora
ton desires it?''
1T means that we are willing to dis
cuss the question. but the strike will
not be recommended. Possibly | should
not attempt to speak for the knights
of Labor, but l know this is the
feeling. / believe in a shorter
day. l have been quoted enough on
that TO make il plain. But it will never
be done by strikes. Arbitration IS all
that can bring it about. The StockyardS
strike i'll this city Is good illustration
OF this. We will bring the question be
fore the assembly in way agreed upon
in the coming conference, but 1t VIII NOT
lead to verdict in favor OF strike
Nay or any other time. AS matter
of fact. l see the federation is already
hedging in this matter in circulars
that they are issuing that say general
strike is not contemplated"
Regarding the financial straights OF
the Knights of Labor, Mr.. Powderiy
said:
1--WE are clear of debt, we have bal
ance in the treasury, and we shall hold
general assembly III a few weeks, at
which each delegate will receive his ex-
penseS, and then we will have money
left. Our condition is better than ever
before"
This evening, before leaving. MeSsrs.
Powderly and Wright had talk with
Alexander 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 MAIN
tainS the charge is brought i'll an effort
to crowd it out of existence, and
they ask the interference of the ma
tionaI executive board in the matter.
NORMAN, SkilIen'S story was heard and
the case 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 upon the decision of the mem
beers in st. Louis. Mr.. Wright denies
that there is a probability of any trouble
arising between the board and the sea-
mems union.
''They have heretofore asked FOR moth
ing" he said, land now they only ask
our assistance. We are looking into the
merits of the case. Should their story
be substantiated we shall help them.
Should the charges of the Cleveland
people appear to be true we shall not
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