Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-12-15
BY TELEGRAPH.
c.uss Of xn,san.


{ BosToy, Dec. 4-General Master Work
man Sovereign and Messrs- Maguir~.
French and Martin, the newly elected
members OF the general executive beard
of the Knights Of Labor. were rendered
reception in FanenIl hall las; night.
General Master Workman Sovereign
was the FIRST speaker He said that ii was
pleasure to him to be privileged TO speak
in the bail made memorable By the long
line Of Americans who had fought for the
freedom of chastel slaves. but while We
are all proud and juhiiant over the vic
tory that resulted from the movement
these men were Engaged in yet VIE should
not forget that thrre WIS at present as
great a ts-si for the abolition Of the white
wage slave a. ever there was for their col
ored hru.ker.
In America, the garden of the world,
with its vast and varied industries. we sse
things that are appalling According 10
the press reports, there are in Chicago
alone li5.1n enforced oilers, ana a move
ment has been started IN raise 81 0e go
for their relief One of cur brightest
writers. when speaking on the raising OF
this fund said thai lsr would 10 God that
the miilion5ires of Chicago would spend
one night with these out-of work people.
and that in tine morning there would be
no difficulty ia raising the fund,
The Law to Blame.
Why is this Distress No people nave
been 80 indu-t rloas sS the American PEG
pie. BY reason of our Industry and in
genuity we have caused the attention of
the entire world but with all our indus
try we have not shortened the hours of
labor nor increased the comfort. of life,
There is wheel loose somewhere Ia our
social machinery. End the rich are grow
ing richer and the pnor poarvr. and there
is rank discrimination in the law against
the poor in favor Of the rich
During the past - years we have
raised two distinct classes OF society-the
tramp and yagrHnt and the dtl.ls and
dudelet. The tramp is u cross between
crime and poverty. and the dude is cross
between no one and nothing. bat history
has shown that every nation that allows
the rich 20 grow richer and the poor
poorer has always gone down. and our
country will also 40 down il this CON
tinues. society il nnW being shaken from
stem TO stern by the Labor troubles of the
present day We are opposed to strikes,
but in nine eases out Of 10 ihcy are forced
upon Us by the hosiilitie, Of the capitals
tic class.
Ballots. Not Bullets.
We believe that oar freedom can he OBJ
tanned through the talln; box. Many PEG
pie are in favor of using bullets. but | say
it is shame and disgrace 10 talk about
bullets when there IS a ballot. The
Knights of Labor ;.,' working for the
amelioration Of the working classes. The
working man with his wife and children
provided with the urr4--S;lres of life is q
very harmless fellow. bat whru his wife
and children are starving then is the time
to watch that man. for he is liable Ia do
wropg
1t is the duty of Il government to make
it easy for the people Ia do right and hard
for them to do wrong In order To- obtain
Hmeiioration from thesc dreadful condi-
tons under which the working people are
living they must organize and educate
themselves rs To their rights aud this can
be done through the Knights of Labor.
Advised To join the knights.
Henry b. Martin of Minnesota was the
next speaker. lie advised the working
people TO organize and discuss the vital
questions which would benefit themselves
There is a wheel loose in our social
structure a. tan he seen when 20 many
thousands are ont of work. There is a
grave emergency before the people of this
country and their welfare is Threatened
The mental power il the motor for hui
man progress and the working people
must educate themselves So that they may
know what their rights are. How is the