Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-28
KNIGHTS NEW SCHEME.
Proposed Removal a Part of the Great
Consolidation Plan.

Consolidation Plan.
The story was circulated in Knights of
Labor circles yesterday, says the Philadel-
phia Times that the contemplated move of
the headquarters of the order to Washing
ton was but step in the carrying out of
scheme originated by Powderly for the adj
vancement of his personal ambitions to
make the Knights the nucleus of a great
political propaganda which was to absorb
the American Federation of Labor. the Far
mers Alliance, the silver party of the west
and two years hence, in the guise of a labor
party, march to victory at the polls The
rank and file of the order, who discussed
the alleged scheme freely quoted from Gener-
al Master Workman Sovereign's recent ad-
dress to the labor people, in which he advises
them to work for their welfare at the polls
and urges on them the necessity of indie
pendent political action.
Those responsible for the story also point
ed to the fact that the Knights of Labor, af-
ter Powderlys downfall, did not abandon
his amalgamation scheme, but, on the con-
trary. appointed committee consisting of
General Master Workman Sovereign, Sec
retary-Treasurer Hayes and General Wor-
thy Foreman Bishop to confer with a SINH
lar committee to be appointed by the Fedora
ton of Labor at its convention in Chicago.
Last evening General Worthy Foreman
Bishop said. in answer to questions: "Yes,
1t Is true that such committee was APP
pofnted,and was made up of the three men,
bers named. The Federation of Labor fol-
lowed our lead and appointed a similar COM
mittee, composed of President Gompers, p.
J. Mcclure and Frank K. Foster Of Massa-
chusetts."
/ rs 1t true that the executive board con-
templates moving the headquarters to Wash
ington?'
ut is true that we contemplate a move.
but not necessarily to Washing ton, although
We look upon that city with a favorable
eye We are daily in receipt of propositions
from cities in all parts of the country. You
see our postal bill in a year runs up s., 600,
and this would secure for many minor cities
free postal delivery, and they are naturally
anxious to secure us. When the Order of
railway Trainmen located at Elgin it Sc
cured that city free postal delivery, and
the order of Railway Telegraphers did the
same for Ottumwa, Iowa."
The knights I'm Politics.
When asked If 1t was true that the
knights proposed to take an active hand in
politics Mr.. Bishop said
certainly the Knights should take active
and independent political action In the
past thirty days we have issued fifty-seyen
charters. 1t will not be many DAYS before
we will be issuing eight or ten a day. The
west and south are rallying to U.S. With
the old regime ousted. the knights will now
recover their old-time pre-eminence. In two
years there Is no reason, unless in them
selves, why they should not have great po-
htical power. They have no reason to in
terfere in presidential elections, but legis-
iatures and Congress they will aim to force
iLto putting the railroads and telegraphs
under government control"
q rnyahr tod . 1.k
ton OF Labor takes the stand that the
hnights as preliminary step to any closer
union should throw up all their trade char
tiers and where the charters are not thrown
up have the locals disband and Join the
Federation, leaving the Knights only its
mixed assemblies? If 1t is true will your
COMMITTEES entertain the Proposition
10 both questions, no. We invited the
Federation to appoint a committee to confer
with us as to plans looking to a closer
union or all labor organizations not to sub
INIT an ultimatum as to the terms upon
which 1t would confer with US. Their COM
mittee was not instructed to present any
such ultirnatum. and if they did so we
should certainly not consider It,"
Powderly's Reception.
Referring to Powderly's recent address to
the citizens OF Scranton, containing state
ments as to the alleged methods by which
he was defeated. Mr. Bishop said:
You may say for me that those state
ments are deliberate Misrepresentation of
the facts Is 1t not singular that while
Powderly, on his return to Scranton, was
received with an Outburst of enthusiasm,
the number Of Knights in Scranton is so
comparatively Insignificant? The list of
names OF those who attended may explain
1t. They were all republicans"
Thomas B. Mcclure of the executive
board said:
THE congratulations to Sovereign from
the Farmers Alliance and silver people of
the west have not ceased to arrive even yet
Many OF them contain offers to aid him in
every way possible and in case the order
has disputes with firms sending goods their
way to refuse to purchase them. Sovereign
and Kenny left last night for Houtzdale
and Du Bois, where 1000 men out of the TO-
OOO who are connected with the Checkweigh
fund organizations in that region, as well
as members of National Trade District AS
sembly l3o, X. of L., wish to withdraw
from that assembly and re-estabiish old
District Assembly 49, to which they once
belonged