Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-15
Powderly Asks the Knights to Decide
by Their Ballots the Posi-
tion of the Order.
HE Is OPPOSED TO A NEW PARTY,
But is Very Anxious to Ascertain the Gen.
eral Sentiment of the Majority
of the Membership.
QUESTIONS WHICH ARE TO BE DECIDED.
The Former Rulings Upon the Same Subject Held to be
Strictly Proper.
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH,

PHILADELPHIA, OctoDef 14.-ln the cur
rent issue of the Journal Of the knights Of
Labor General Master Workman Powderly
submits to the order a ballot on which are
printed five questions pertaining to the
future position of the order in relation to
politics and political action. No other
question has done so much as that of poll
tics to create factions and discord in the
ranks of the knights, and this ballot, with
the attending explanations and arguments,
is the plan adopted by the Executive Board
as a means OF discovering the sense of the
order upon the matter.
Mr.. Powderly calls attention to the fact
that for long time he has been publicly
and privately denounced by members of the
order for ''thwarting the plans looking to
Independent political action" The decision
numbered 1S1 has often been quoted against
him to prove that he was responsible for the
hindrances to political action.
NOT ALLOWED IN ASSEMBLY.
The decision is as follows: Political
party action must not be taken in the local
assembly, but must be done outside in club
or party organizations through which po-
litical sentiment may be crystallized into
statute law" Mr.. Powderlv reminds the
order that it was his predecessor in the Office
OF Grand Master Workman who made that
decision. and says: "If the remainder of the
decisions on political action are read it will be
seen that full opportunity is afforded our mem
bers to take political action and take it far more
efectually than If the order were declared to
be a party"
lie points out to those who are demanding
political action that had he yielded to the de-
mands of many in the order he would have de-
clared the order to be party long ago. But he
asks Had the order been declared a political
party II years ago, when was first asked to de-
clare 1t a party, would it (the order) be in ex-
isteHce tO-day?' And he points that it was the
experience of which s. Stephens past General
Master Workman, which caused bin to repudi-
ate political action. and he says, 4 believe he
did right and acting on that principle and in
order 10 give each member the full opportunity
TO declare his intentions politically, made the
following decisions after taking the position
now hold.
NOT ENOUGH KNIGHTS.
He then quotes decisions IsI and IS5. made by
him. in which he supports the action of his pred
ecessor and defines more closely the position
Of the assemblies in politics. Further he says:
Il am told that If the knights of Labor would
only take political action and vote for their
principles they would win. No, they would not
win, for we are not numerous enough even
though every member were voter. If the
order had taken political action years ago as
desired by such persons it would not be in ex-
iStence to-day, neither would the party If the
order were not in existence for the last six
years We would not have the agitation that
opened the eyes of some and rubbed the cob
webs out of the eyes of Others so that they
could that labor has 4 grievance in this
nation even though 1t be republic"
Then he asserts that at the base of every
political reform movement during the last ten
years the Knights have been az work on the
platform and that while other reformers have
voted against the order simply because the
party was not called the knights of Labor the
knights have been doing all the independent
voting and asserts further that with the
exception OF calling the party knights of
Labor our platform has been before the
country for ten years in the platforms of
various parties"
MILLIONS OF WILLING SLAVES.
Mr.. Powderly reviews the elements of re-
form during the past decade and shows from
his point of view that the constituents of the
various reform parties are the men who have
dropped out of the dominant party and that
the attempts made to form reform parties have
been simply a slow.going process. Then he
states: IF these elements combined they
could present a fOrmidable front. bu: it must
not be forgotten that in the ranks of each of
the two old parties are about 5000 900 of will
ling slaves who would sacrifice wife and family
almost before voting against the regular
party"
He then shows the enormous difficulties in
the way of forming new party. He points
out Ine neeG OF energy lOrIlJuue and money
such an Undertaking and declares that the new
party would have pitted against it over billion
OF dollars and men willing 20 give half a mill
ion each 20 defeat it if necessary. He shows
The arduouS labor of political campaign and
detail. The items which 90 to make up
troubles and swell the expenses He questions
the tenacty to principle of the men who would
create new party and asks who would answer
for the steady, patient adherence of those who
yoteG the first time continue until the next
election.
A NEW PARTY NOT NEEDED.
he argues against a new party strongly. point
ing out the indifference of the people, and also
that the various nationalties would be stirred
M by leaders against any new party because it
would not pandcr to sectional tastes.
Religion will work its wav in" he saws "apd
the Protestant and the Catholic will be pitted
against each other"
Then be asks: "what is to be done? 1t is
quite evident that to make this order a party
will not answer. We lack the votes. owing
TO the fact that our members in
other lands, those under age. those who
live here but are not citizens and
the women cannot vote in a new party. If all
who are members of this order could cooperate
with members of all other reform organiza-
tons IN a new party where they could vote for
the principles of the order wear after wear. ac-
Qairing strength each year accepting defeat
for principles sake, and accepting the lessons
OF such defeats, such move would have a
good effect Tor new party is a necessity, and
one or the other OF the old parties must be
driven out of the way to make room for more
progressive and radical ideas"
He then goes on to explain that in such a
movement the individual organizations would
remain intact and 90 on with its neculiar work
Each member could preserve in tact his con-
science without fear Of coercion. He then
submits the ballot, which is in the following
form and language:
QUESTIONS TO BE DECIDED.
Ballot on taking independent political action.
First-Do you favor taking independent
political action?
Second-Do you favor the idtE of turning
the order into party?
Third-Should we cooperate with members
of other industrial organizations in organizing
q party while maintaining our order as an euu-
catoual and industrial institution?
FouTth-lf you favor cooperation with others
would you have your general officers unite with
the officers of other Industrial movements in
issuing call for national industrial reform
conference?
Fifth-Should we continue to vote with ex-
listing parties, making the best terms possible
with them on industrial issues?
The ballot is to be cut from the journal and
deposited with the Secretary of the local as
sembly, by whom it is to be sent to the General
Secretary not later than the llth OF November
$50 that the General Assembly conyeIlpg on
that day Will be enabled to know what is the
sentiment of the order" Mr. Powderly enioips
the membership to forget their nationality in
this matter, anu vote as Americans to vote as
vote as members of that great fatherhood of
God and brotherhood of man."
HORSFORD'S ACID PHOSPHATE,
For Indigestion,