The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-11-21
THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR.

THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR.
The annual convention of the knights
of Labor at st. Louis last week was al
event that cannot be lightly passed by
though its significance does rank i
among the great events of the time.
Six years ago the Knights of Labor
numbered million workingmen. To
day scarcely more than one-fourth tina
number is claimed by the general sec
retary. Yet it is not certain that the
order is not more influential now thar
it has ever before been. The million
members were not well disciplined and
We're not steadfast. They did not pay
their dues with that regularity neces-
sary to sustain the order in its work,
and the unwieldly bulk often almost
ruined the order and discredited its
principles time after time.
1t has been the aim of Mr.. Powderly
and his chief aids to place the member
ship of the Knights of Labor upon a
permanent and substantial basis. In
this they have apparently been success
ful, and the order appears to-day to be
one of the best examples of what can be
accomplished in the way of organizing
workingmen that modern history fur
nishes.
The past of the order will not bear
examination in all respects, but the
present at least promises better things
for the future. Mr. Powderly's address
at st. Louis is the best evidence that
the future of the order may be far more
useful and creditable than its past has
been. After he had disposed of the
topics relating exclusively to the order
and its government, he spoke of ballot
reform, declaring that the agitation had
been inaugurated by the order several
years ago. He further declared that in
his opinion the order should go still fur
ther in advocating the passage of cleo
tion laws which would make it impos-
sible for any citizen to vote until he can
read his ballot. In recommending that
the general assembly take action upon
this matter, Mr.. Powderly said:
We have no guarantee under any of the bal
lot laws that the uneducated voter may not
dispose of his vote in such a manner as to
work injury 10 the community. Once
the citizen learns to read his ballot he will
take more interest In il and will be anxious TO
study the principles Of the parties. No matter
how intelligently the illiterate person NAV
dispose OF his ballot he does IL on the strength
hat L.t tut t..lI 4.
His illiteracy gives him the privilege of voting
apparently, but in reality II gives some other
man the privilege of voting twice.
Another point of interest in the address
OF the general master workman was
that in which he dwelt on the subject
Of immigration. He said i:
Some six years ago your genera Il master
workman declared that he was i'm favor of the
restriction of immigration. The views then
Expressed were not received with favor by
since then, unless IL be in the direction of "A
more rigid exclusion of immigrants than he
hen favored. We may adopt short-hour
avs in every State as well as the nation: we
nay fix wage SCALES through the land; we
nay enact protective tariffs until the articles
'f foreign manufacture are prohibited but
while the tide of immigration floods on i'm an |
stream there will be no depend |
nee upon short-hour laws no reliance on wage |
Gales, and there can be no protection to |
american labor that will really keep the |
tatus of the American workman higher than |
hat of his brother who lives under misrule |
iOur general master workman has no hesita- |
ion in saying that he favors the total exclu-
ion of ali immigrants who are not self-sup-
orting on landing in this country. He would |
* term OF years-ten would be long enough
during which time no immigrant should be
ermitted 10 land with view to remaining
Mess he could prove that he had sufficient
leans TO sustain him for one year.
If the members of the Knights of
labor are brought to indorse these
Jews, and lend their influence to their
it is apparent thai the
rder has great and useful possible
,tura