The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-11-17

ST. LOUIS. Nov. 16-The general assem-
bly, of the knights of Labor reconvened
this morning. Grand Master Workman
Powderly delivered his annual address.
Among other things, he said:
GAS / review the past history Of the
labor movement am inclined to the belief
shat there has been great waste of vital
force and means 1t is fact that there
are too many labor organizations struggl-
ing for supremacy. The tendency of the
labor movement seems to be to divide up,
whilethat OF the opposing force-capital-
is to consolidate, aud thereby to gain
strength to combat the forces of industry,
when siEgle- handed they are arrayed be-
fore them. There exists no reason why
every branch of toll should not be enrolled
1nder the head of this order. There is no
reason why every interest cannot be more
carefully guarded in this order than in
separate and isolated camps, where we too
often find them more bitterly opposed to
each other than TO the concentrated forces
by which all of us are opposed. The
one crying need of the hour. is an
organization in which every interest may
be cared for; in which all may meet on
common ground: in which unity of thought
may be effected; in which thorough
knowledge of what important step labor
intends taking may be impaired 10 all
others No one man or no mans interest
should stand in the way or this reform.
''Your general master workman has no
hesitation in saying that he favors the
total exclusion of all immigrants who are
not Seif-sustainiug on landing in this coun-
try He would fix term of years-ten
would be long enough-duriug which
time no immigrant should be permitted to
land with a view TO remaining unless he
could prove that he had sufficient means
to sustain himself and those depending on
him for one year. | foresee great danger.
not alone to labor but to the whole coun-
try, if the immigration question is not
carefully and heroically handled in the
pear future. 1t may sound exceedingly
well to say that we have room for all the
world; that it would be un-American, and
that it would be uncharitable to debar
others from the benefits we enjoy. There
ID less danger OF debarring them from
these benefits than there Is that they will
take the enjoyment of these benefits from
all of us.''
The report of the general executive board
states that though it would have been
cheaper to have settled the alleged claim
of William Wbitty of Amsterdam, y. Y,
for goods furnished strikers in 1885, yet all
but conclusive evidence showed that the
case was Only part OF conspiracy by
which the enemies of the order hoped to
accomplish its ruin. Had it been settled
in any other way it would have been but
the beginning of a series of iniquitous
claims the order would have been called
upon to defend. The boycott had been
steadily and effectively prosecuted, and
millions of dollars of trade had been di-
verted frcm the combine.
The board then reviewed in detail the case
brought against National Master Work
man James Hughes of Rochester, N Y
There Is an Indirect charge in paragraph
referring to the case that the jury which
convicted Hughes was packed" Then
follows this: ''lt behooves this order TO
delare in words that would admit of no
doubt, that as the founders of the republic
would not allow their liberties to be with
held by king, so the workingmen of to-
day will not allow their liberties to be
taken away by the legislation Of corrupted
congresses or legislatures. nor by court
made law"
The story of the troubles between the
knights of Labor and the worlds fair
management was given at length, together
with the efforts made by the knights to
settle the difficulty. It was stated that all
the local assemblies were by circular
emanating from the board. nrged to press
upon their members in congress that no
money should be appropriated for the eN-
position until the labor question was
settled.
The report of General Secretary and
Treasurer Hayes begins by a statement
of the condition of the benefit insurance
branch OF the orders work, which, owing
to lack of support 10y tie members. has
not been very successful. He urges the
delegates to adopt measures to arouse the
interest of the membership in this part of
the work of the order. His financial
statement shows that, including the bal.
ance on hand at the beginning of the fiscal
year, July /, 1891. the total receipts of the
order have been $61,614,19 and the total
expenses $50, AS s., leaving "A balance on
hand on July I, 1892, of SS55 81. He ex-
planned that there have been several ex-
traordinary payments daring the past
year, caused by defending lawsuits which.
though all decided il the orders favor,
have entailed heavy costs. The report
shows that the membership of the order
has increased slightly during the past
year and is now over 26G, eo0 members in
good standing. Except slight balances
uue some of the general officers on salary,
the order is entirely clear OF debt
The address and the reports were re-