Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-25
SOME OF THE SCRAPS
That Made the General Assembly of
the L. of L. Interesting.
HOW A. NJ. DEWEY WAS KICKED OUT
PoWderly's Political Plan Got Through in q
Mutilated Form.
JJTTINGs FROM THE LABOR CIRCLES

James Campbell, ex-President of the
Window Glass Workers Association, and
the representative of that organization to
the General Assembly of the Knights of
Labor, returned yesterday morning from
Denver, where he had been attending the
annual meeting of the assembly.
As stated in these columns few DAYS
ago this session was the liveliest ever held,
ana resulted in the expulsion of one of the
delegates because he refused to make an
apology to Mr.. Powderly. Mr.. Campbell
was seen at his home on the Southside yes
terday afternoon, and related the facts, as
follows:
A. M. Dewey, Chairman of the Penn
sylvania Legislative Committee, and one of
the leading members of the assembly, was
voted out because of his connection with the
late campaign in this State. During the
early part of tie campaign Mr.. Dewey ad-
dressed circulars to both candidates for
Governor, with view to learning their
positions on the various political questions.
ATTEMPT TO WARN THE ORDER.
This was followed by circular from
Powderly, which Dewey regarded as unfair,
and an attempt to pull the vote of the order
for Pattison, and he Immediately sent out
| circular calling the attention of the members
| TO Powderly's actions and warning them not to
be deceived by the General Master Workman's
| statements
Sides some of which were printed in THE
DISPATCH. Powderly and Dewey both were
| quoted as criticising each others actions.
before going to Denver, Mr.. Dewey arranged
with Baltimore newspaper to furnish the
| news of the convention. A letter, in which he
| requested the Baltimore editor to write an
officers and policy of the Knights of Labor, was
| furnished to Mr.. Powderly, and the latter
! asked the General Assembly to expel Mr.
Dewey because he had thus dared to criticise
| his superior officers.
The row started in the morning of Saturday
week ago, and continued all that day and the
most OF the following Monday. First motion
was made to expel Dewey. Then that was
Withdrawn and motion passed expunging
everything about it from tho minutes, as the
General Assembly had no jurisdiction over the
matter. This did not satisfy Dewey's enemies,
and resolution was offered, setting forth that
he had been proven guilty of conduct unbe-
coming member OF the order, and proposing
to exclude him from the General Assembly for
five years and suspend him from the order for
one year.
Pending the consideration of the resolutions
Dewey was given notice to apologize for his
action in writing the letters and circulars and
to appear before the convention for censure
MI. Dewey did not go in person, but sent q let
Ter eth 70 tine assembly declining to appear for
either purpose, and said that his circulars re-
lating to the Pennsylvania campaign had been
purely non.partisan and were issued by author
ity vested in him by the State Legislative Com
mittee. The matter, he stated had no busi-
ness in the General Assembly, and he declined
to be held responsible for any acts in that con-
nection. except by the body which elected him
as its chief executive officer.
HOW DEWEY WAS EXPELLED.
When his reply was read to the assembly the
resolution providing for Mr.. Dewey's expul-
sion for five years, or until such time as he
shall write his apology to Mr.. Powderly, was
passed by small majority.
Mr.. Dewey said afterward that he had no re.
grets to offer; that he believed the order is des-
tined soon to go down anyway under the
methods of its present officers The only re-
grets he had were that there Is no reform move
men: to take its place in the cities. He
claimed his friends in the assembly are the men
who have built up the order. and made it pos
sIDle for Mr.. Powderly to pose as a leader.
while his enemies are men of no particular
standing, either as citizens or members of the
order.
Last Friday evening the assemble remained
In session until long after midnight. consider.
ing Mr.. Powderly'" political proposition. A
committee had been appointed to repor' on the
matter, and it recommended independent 1lit-
ical action on thu part Of industrial and re-
form forces in the country. The scrapping
match lasted for hours, the debate being the
hottest that took place during the session. Mr.,
Powderly had several times to call on the SER.
geant-at-arms to keep peace within the walls.
The report of the COMMITTEES was finally adopt
ed. amid the greatest applause.
The report provides that Mr.. Powderly shall
confer and correspond with the presidents and
chief officers of other industrial organizations
with view to arranging for the holding of a
national industrial conference on the basis of
the platform adopted at the st. Louis confer
ence of 1889; the purpose of the conference be.
ing to form solid and harmonious union of
all industrial and reform forces that will enact
the principles of the preamble of the knights
of Labor. 1t also puts the assembly on record
as binding the order to carry out any pledges
made by its officers and delegates in these con-
the order to support any political ticket put in
the field on platform OF national reform. =.
SOME OF THE OTHER SURPRISES.
There were some other surprises during the
session. Mr.. Campbell says that Powderly
made the request that his salary be reduced
from SIS 900 to s., 500 In this he is unlike other
heads of organizations; but it is significant that
|, he had no opposition for reelection. Hugh
Gavanaugh, of Cincinnati, succeeds Mr.
Wheat of Iowa, as Worthy Foreman and
Congressman elect Davis, of Kansas, takes
John Costello's place on the Executive Board
Secretary Hays was reelected without oppos-
land of Florida, and A. w. Wright OF Canada,
were continued on the Executive Board.
Speaking in general way about the session,
MT. SdmpUeH odlu tudL ouLSluo VI the dewey
and political rumpuses the meeting was
harmonious. but he is very much afraid these
things would hurt the organization. "It was
the wrong place." said he, ito introduce the
Dewey matter. II was New Hampshire dele
gate brought the matter up, but it was bad
thing to do. MIR. Dewey is to call meeting of
the Legislative Committee within ten days
after the Legislature meets, and that was the
proper place to settle the difficulty. For nv
part. 1 think Mr.. Dewey did nothing to merit
the action of the assembly, for know that the
machinery of this organization was worked for
Pattison, and if Dewey deserved expulsion
others did, too."