St. Paul daily globe., 1891-06-29
Will the Big Labor Organiza-
ton Have Fun With Bill
Mckinley?
Indications Quite Strong That
1t VIII Refuse to For
get Him.
Workingmen Getting Ready
to Meet Any Emergency
That May Arise.
President Polk Kicks on the
Garbling Of His La Crosse
Speech.

COLUMBUS, O., June 2S.-John Dew
In, or Detroit, member of the execu-
tive board of the Knights of Labor now
IN session in this city, was interviewed
to-day on the third party movement and
the attitude of the order towards the
dominant political parties, the situation
IN Ohio, and policy of the Knights. He
was asked: "What is the attitude of
the knights of Labor toward the third
party?"
LAS to the third party or any party
you may say that the Knights of Labor
is not party organization, and it will
never be made such. The education
being spread through the organization
necessarily makes men more independ-
ent so far as partisan politics is con-
cerned. The third party movement is,
therefore. necessarily brought about by
the doctrines preached in the local and
district assemblies. While the order is
not committed to any party-not even
the third party-it may be interested in
the success of candidates because of
conditions and circumstances. The
third party is supported in localities
where that is the best thing to do.
Generally speaking, the order can
AOo OO lClCu upOu ~ support SOIiUlY
any party. The political situation in
the several states differs very much.
Take for instance Kansas and Ne
braska, and the third party developed
into the first party by securing ma
jority and taking control of the govern
ment. In other states this could not be
done. The question to be seriously
considered in Ohio is in contrast with
other states. and that is, What can be
accomplished by third party move
ment? 1t is different from any other
state. The question for reformers then
to consider is, What is best to do !?
The subject must be seriously canvassed
in all its phases. A third party move
ment may not be able to accomplish in
Ohio the same results that attended it's
efforts in Kansas, Nebraska. and other
Western states, because the corporate
interests here are stronger, and the in
fuence Of the employer is greater
/ over the voters. The conflict
ing and diversified interests are
not such as to give them control.
''This being true, the question natur-
ally arises, what is the next best step to
take-whether to go with the third par
ty or form an alliance with either of the
dominant parties? The influence of the
order has always been to prevent
locals from taking a partisan stand.
They have been taught to examine the
candidates and submit to them questions
as to how they stand upon important
points liable to affect the masses, and
then to throw their influence to those
who favor their principles and interests.
In other words reward their friends and
punish their enemies. This has been
our policy and is likely to continue.
whether the knights in the ap-
preaching campaign will take any
stand in the contest for or against any
candidate is hard to say. 1t depends en-
tirely upon future developments.
We are getting ready to meet
any emergency that may arise.
The candidates are not all in
the field yet, and we don't propose to
jump at conclusions. but will have
things in shape to meet anything that
may come up. We have sometimes
been fooled in such matters by aiding
to elect men who promised well, but
afterwards pursued coarse contrary to
what had been expected of them. This
is not likely to occur again."
A significant telegram was received
here to-day by some of the officials. 1t
read as follows:
Messrs. Lease, Sampson and Davis, of
Kansas; Taylor and Wilkins, of Iowa
0'keefe, MCGEE and Mcclure, of the East;
Butler and Brandt, of Pennsylvania, and
Golden and Hall, of Texas. have all CON
sented to spend the required time in Ohio
during the last days of the campaign
The executive board Of the Knights of
Labor to-day held consultation with
representatives from the local assem-
blies in the state, there being fifty dele
gates present. The conference was
private and a resolution adopted to not
divulge the proceedings. The business.
it is understood looks to the perfection
and extension of the order in the state.
Mr.. Powderly and other members of the
executive board state there was nothing
of a political nature in the conferences.
and the subject was not discussed. a
joint meeting will be held with the ex-
ecutive board of the united mine work
ers tomorrow.