The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-11-17

recommended that no person be allowed to
vote who could not read his ballot, for the
reason that such a person was Mt the mercy
of the man admitted to the booth with him
to assist in making up his vote. His sug-
gestion was that future date, say five
years. be fixed on for such law to go into
force, in order to give all an opportunity to
learn to read.
In view of the multiplicity of laws, ma
tional. state and municipal being enacted,
he suggested that all should be sub
mitted to the people for agitation
and discussion before adopted. and cited
tho rapid progress OF Switzerland toward
ideal democracy. and asked that commit
tee be appointed to prepare plan on which
the agitation OF this question may be carried
on during the coming year. Powderly de-
voted much space to the question OF lmml-
grafton, saying in part:
"Your general master workman has no
hesitation in saying that he favors the total
exclusion of all immigrants not self sus-
tanning on landing i'll this country. He
would fix II term of years-ten wouid be
| long enouph--during which time no immi-
| grant should be permitted to land with
view to remaining unless he could prove
that he had sufficient means to sustain him
self and those depending on him one year."
He declared that he saw great danger, not
alone to labor. but to the whole county if the
| immigration question is not carefully, he
roically handled in the near future. 1t was
not the question whether there Is room
enough in this country for oil the world,
but whether the influx would cause us to
loss all benefits we now enjoy.
PowderIy then reviewed the question of
strikes and lock- outs during the past ak
months, in which aggregated capital had
made 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 a
natural result labor lost the battle. The
tariff question had been widely discussed
in the late campaign, but more revenue is
Illegally drawn from the pockets of mer-
chants manufacturers and Wot kmen III one
month of the year by railroads and tele~
graph lines than we pay Ill tariffs for
twelve months. Industrial organizations
must consider these things, and the strike
OF the future must be the strike for the
rule of the people. They might decry pol
itics, but they must be politicians or the
slaves of politicians. They must go to the
fountain head and make laws. Ii every
citizen of Pennsylvania knew his rights
and per formed his duties intell!gently under
law no Judge would dare charge treason
, against workmen struggling for IeooR-
nitiou The battle of tho future must be
fought at the ballot box. The speaker ad-
! vocated effiliation with farmers alliances
, and other similar organizations.
The report of General Secretary and
Treasurer Hayes says the benefit insurance
feature of tho ordey is not very successful
owing to lack of support by members. Ht
urged work 10 remedy this. The tinanoia
t abatement shows, inoiuting balance from
+ last year. receipts $60,6i4, expenditures
500 749. The membeship shows slight
! increase during the year. There are now
over 100000 in good standing, The ordel
is practically free of debt and owns prop
efty worth 100000. The report of the
general executive, committee, among othe
things, reviewed the trouble with the cloth
ing manufacturers combine at Rochester
N. ". and says the boycott was been stead
ily and effectively prosecuted. and millioni
, of dollara Of trade diverted from thom.
AT the afternoon session clnnse wa
adopted providing for the establishment o
an employment bureau by the order.
suggestion to strike out of the platform th'
plank providing for u graduated income
tax was rejected and the plank mad
stronger BY an amendment providing als'
: Tor II tax on inheritnnces.