The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-11-17
STILL MORE MEMBERS.
PowderIy's Annual Address Before
the General Assembly.
KNIGHTS IN GOOD CONDITION.
Believes I'm Exclusion OF Immigrants
who are Not self-supporting - HI.
Theories About Matters of Interest to
Workingmen.

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, Nov. 1.-THE annual
address Of General Master Workman
Powderly to the 10th general assembly OF
the Knights OF Labor, delivered at yester-
days session, was extremely lengthy, oc-
cupying over an hour in its delivery.
He congratulated his hearers upon the
present condition of the order, reviewed
its many periods OF prosperity and de-
preston, and said that, although since its
existence the membership OF the order had
ebbed and flowed, yet today it was on the
increase, and all through the exciting
times incident to the presidential election
the order had steadily grown in member
ship and influence.
Reviewing the labor movement Mr..
Powderly said that there are too many
labor organizations struggling for suprem-
acy. Callings that up to a short time
ago were not known to the general public
are now known under the name OF some
national or international association. The
tendency Of the labor movement seemed
to beto divide up, while that OF the oppos-
ing force, capital, was to consolidate.
The crying need OF the hour was an or
ganization In which every interest might
be cared for. and in which all might meet
on common grounds.
He believed in the total exclusion OF all
immigrants who are not self-supporting
on landing in this country. There should
be fixed term OF years-10 would be
enough~during which 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 upon him for one
year.
There was great danger that In the
babel OF tongues we might forget that we
are freemen In this country, and, in losing
sight of that fact, might allow the incom-
ing hordes to Europeanize US before We
could Americanize them.
Hundreds of thousands of foreigners
were thrust upon this country every year,
some allured by misrepresentation, and
Others sept direct from the penitentiaries
and prison pens OF the Old World, while
still Others were hired on the other side of
the water by those who would lower the
standard Of wages in this country. The
rapacity OF the employers OF labor, the
greed OF the owners OF steamships and the
moral cowardice OF our public men had
prevented the enactment OF legislation
which would have long since relieved the
strain.
They could better afford to aid the Eu-
ropean in crushing down the institutions
which oppress him at home than to con-
tinue a system which will inevitably re-
duce the American workmen to worse
conditions than those experienced abroad
by those who are now looking to this
land fc~ relief.
The report of the general executive
board was then read, followed by the sec
retary and treasurer's report.
The address and reports were referred to
the committee on distribution and this
committee in turn will send to the vari-
Gus standing committees such parts of
them as come within their province to re-
port upon.
The afternoon session was devoted to
the report of the committee on laws. The
proposition te insert clause in the plat
form providing for the use Of the refer
endum scheme was, after much discus
sion, adopted. Another proposition was
adopted providing for the esta ablishment
Of an employment bureau by the order.
A suggestion to strike out of the plat
form the plank providing for graduated
income tax evoked considerable discus
sion, but the plank was made all the
stronger by the adoption of an amend
ment providing for a tax on inheritance.
Mrs. ingalls,, representing the national
w. G. t. U. made an address. An appro-
pirate reply was made by Mr.. Powderly.