The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1892-11-23
THE K. OF |. CONVENTION.
wDERLY's REPORT.
He Reviews the Condition OF tho Order
and Talks on Strikes and Immi-
grafton.


The sixteenth general assembly Of the
Knights of Labor at 81. Louis completed iis
preliminary work Ut Tuesdny's sessions, and
IN Wednesday entered upon the important
business Of the session. General Master
Workm rowdefly delivered his annual
address, which occupied more thnn nh
hour. lie reports Of Secretary and Treas
nrcr Hays and the general executive board
were also heard
General Master Workman powdcry In his
annual address congratulated the assembly
upon the prcient condition of the order, re-.
viewed it, many periods of prosperity and
depression. and snd that although since IT,
existence the membership Of the order had
rbbcd aud llowcd yet " was to-day on the
increase md nll through the exciting
times incident 10 the presidential election
bud steadily grown In membership ana In
llucnCe. At no time however, had the
membership exceeded 0pO, 900 IN good stand
ing. lie deprecated the fact that the ten
icncy OF capital was 10 consolidate aud cen.
'ralile, that ut organized labor was to divide
INTO individual unions. The result was Ill
vision al strength, isolation aud final death
lhe crying need of the hour was nn orrnniz
alton, IN winch every int ret might be
cared for, aud In which all might meet on
'oiniuon ground.
After ~ caking n, length on the question
Ol ballot reform, aud on the Initiative
aud referendum scheme. aud urping that
the General Assembly take specific action
on both questions Mr. Powderly ptoccr,led
to dwell IN detail on the matter of imm.
grafton. There should bc n fixed term ~
wears, ~ would be enough, during which
no Immigrant should be permitted 10 land
with view 10 remaining unless he could
prove that he had sufficient means Ia sus
tain himsclf and those depending upon
him, for one year. Unworthy motives
might be attributed TO him because of these
continents but they were honestly enter.
tanned, aud no reflections would induce
him Ia change his mind, for lac forcsnw
great danger, not alone to labor, but 10 the
whole country, II the immigration question
was not hcroically handled Ia the near
future.
Regarding strike, aud lockoutq. Mr. Row.
derry said that, during the last six months,
the people of this land had witnessed such
attempts NJ making the power Of aggregated
wealth supreme, ~ was never dreamed OF
before. Whether IL was nj touer n Alcnc ~
Homestead, nt buffalo or IN Tennessee, the
instinct which guided the fapaciOus hnnd
was the same. The underground wires
which directed these attacks all ran to the
same center from all these places. The or.
ganza,ion oi labor will IL il has sense, take
ny these questions for consideration.
The campaign which has just closed wit
nessc an interesting, II not "A very intclli.
gent discussion 81 the t,rln, but there il
more of n revenue illegally, drawn from the
pockets Ot merchants, manufactures and
workinen in one month Of the year by the
railroads and tc'ogrnphs than we pay IN tar
ins IN year. These and all questions cOn.
nected with them, must occupy the attention
OF the industrial organization of the future,
and the strike Of the future must be strike
Tor the rule of the people They could de-
cry politics as they pleased but they must
be politicians, or be slaves Of politicians.
They might evade their responsibilities ~
citizens, but they are piling high the wrath
VIII ch follows neglect of duty. In u word
they must be law makers or law breakers
Every dcvilish nstrumcntaliiy which now
aids ~ depressing the people had its seed
time and harvest IN the ballot box, aud
they would die, for want oi care aud nOiif-
ishment, did not the plain people do their
duty in guarding that institution.
In concluding his address, Mr.. POwderly
said that the order should make an effort Ia
get closer 10 the other industrial associations
and recommend that hereafter the General
Assembly should meet at the same place
and time chosen by the Farmers Alliance
lie also favored the adoption OF a social or
beneficial feature of the order. lie recon-
mended dissolution Of the Alliance with
the Mncrs's Progressive Associations on
the ground that the latter had not lived M
10 i's pledges, and that. as II matter Of fact
The Knights had suffered greatly by the
Alliance
The,nlient features Of the message were
received with prolonged applause from the
delegates and the different subjects treated
of were referred to special committees for
Mr. Powderly was followed by General
Secretary. Treasurer Hays who read his re-
port for the year.
At the time VI the last General Assembly
there Was a balance on hand of 81, 2G3. The
receipts from all sources, during the year
had amounted to s5i $50 or IA total of $50 GA
The expenditures reached II io;al OF $50 79i
80 that only $3.50 remained III the treasury
In reporting upon the conditions of the
Benefit Insurance Association. Mr. Hayes
expressed his regret that the exhibit wa
not as favorable ne thOs that had preceded
IT, SUSPENSIONS, lapses and deaths had
more than declmated 'he ranks, with the
result that today the insurance branch IL
limited to but a few localities.
The report OF the Gen raj Executive
Board reviews the Rochester. y. y. cloth.
ing bovcot, aud condemns as traycsty on
justice the conviction of Master Workman
Hughes for cons piracy. A brief histO.y of
the dispute of The oider with the Worlds
Fair management is given aud term. OF the
settlement are outlined. The results of this
contest Is especially gratifying, ecuring jus.
lice 10 the worEingmaIi, obtaining vulu.
able recognition of gsnized labor and dem.
onsirating the efficiency of such an organ.
ization AS the Knights OF Labor in dealing
with matters of National scope and imp0r-
tance.
The proposition to establish uniformed
rank IL again made, this time emauating
from the Southwest. The board merely re-
ports the proposed amendment without rec,
Concentrations.
The reports were well received, and gen
eral satisfaction was expressed at the good
showing made therein.