, 1892-11-16
SENSIBLE TALK.
POwderly on a Safer Ballot and
immigration.
The Leader of the knights of La
Dor Wants a Voter 20 Read-He
Opposed TO Indiscriminate Im-
mfgratfOn-Strikes


isOPPosed 20 Indiscrimihate Im-
mfgratiOn-Stri
ST. LOUIS, November 16.-At today's ses-
sion Of the Knights of Labor, General
Master Workman Powderly delivered the
annual address. Among matters dealt
with was a recommendation that all local
assemblies should be made Up Of a mixed
membership, including men and women
Of all trades and occupations. Many fail
ures of attempts at the betterment of con-
ditions in the past had resulted from the
fact that the members in other trades were
not acquainted with the conditions partic-
u!ar to trades seeking betterment, hence
were not in position to sympathize and
help in the struggle. Powderly declared
that too many labor organizations were
struggling for. supremacy. The tendency
of the labor movement seems to be to di-
vide up, while that opposing force, capi-
tai, was to consolidate and thereby gain
strength in the fight against industry. The
result was that labor was beaten in detach-
ments. Something must be done to rem
edy this. There existed no reason why
bAdnJll Vi lOll suOulu MOI Dc enrolled
under the shield of the knights of Labor
The speakercongratula the Organization
on the gratifying result of the agitation for
ballot reform inaugurated by the general
assembly only few years ago. Then no
state had reform ballot system: now a
secret ballot law is in force i'm 30 states.
In this connection Powderly recommend
ed that no person be allowed to vote
who could not read his ballot.
for the reason that such person was at the
mercy of the man admitted to the booth
with him to assist him in making up his
vote. His suggestion was that a future
date. say i've years. be fixed on for such a
law to 60 into force in order to give all an
opportunity to learn to read In view of
the multiplicity of laws, national. state
and municipal being enacted he sug.
gested that all should be submitted to the
people for agitation and discussion before
adoption, and cited the rapid progress of
Switzerland toward ideal democracy, and
asked that committee be appointed to
prepare plan on which agitation of this
question may be carried on during the
Coming year.
Powderly devoted much space to the
question of immigration, saying in part
" Y our general master workman has no
hesitation IN saying he favors total exclu-
sion Of all immigrants not self sustained
on landing in this country. He would fix
O tOi III VI gcdIo-leu WOulu D6 long enough
during which time no immigrant should
be permitted to land with a view
remaining unless he could prove he had
sutncient means to sustain himself and
those depending on him one year He de-
elared he saw great danger not alone to
labor but to the whole country Il the im-
migration question could not Be carefully
and heroicaily handled in the near future.
1t was not question whether there was
room enough in this country for all the
world, but whether the influx would cause
US to lose all benefits which we now enjoy"
PoWderly then reviewed the question of
strikes and lockouts during the past six
months, in which aggregated capital had
maze such attempts to carry supreme
power as were never dreamed of before.
In these strikes centralized wealth drew
the scattering fire of divided labor and as
natural result, labor lost the battle. The
tariff question had been widely discussed
in the late campaign but more revenue was
Illegally drawn from the pockets of the
merchants, manufacturers and workmen in
one month of the year by railroads and
telegraphs than we pay in tariffs for twelve
months. Industrial organizations must
consider these things, and the strike of the
future must be a strike for the rule of the
people. They might decry politics but
they must be politicians or slaves of poll
ticians. They must 20 to the fountain
of Pennsylvania knew his rights and per
formed his Is duties intelligently un-
der the law, no judge would
dare charge treason. against Workmen
struggling for recognition. The battle of
the future must be fought at the ballot box.
The speaker advocated affiliation with the
farmers alliance and other similar organ
cations.
The report Of General Secretary Treas
urer Hayes saws the benefit insurance feat
ure of the order was not very successful.
owing to lack of support by the members.
he urged the wOrkmen to remedy this.
The financial statement shows, including
balance from last year: Receipts 6O614;
expenditures, &c. 749. The membership
shows slight increase during the year.
There are now over 100000 in good stand
ing. The order is practically free of debt
and owns property worth 100000.
The report Of the general executive COM
mittee, among other things reviewed the
trouble with the clothing manufacturers
combine at Rochester, N. Y, and says
boycott has been steadily an effectively
prosecuted and millions of d ,llars of trade
diverted from them.