Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-07-19
WAR ON NATIONAL BANKS
Sovereign Proposes to Boycott
 the Notes They Issue.
THE FIGHT IS TO BEGIN SEPT. l.

Knights of Labor Ordered to Refuse, Aftol
 That Date. All National Bank Notes as
 Legal Tender-The Grand Master Work
 man Talks of His New Scheme.
 WASHINGTON, July 19.-The Times to- day prints the outlines of a manifesto to be issued by General Master Workman Sovereign of the Knights of Labor for the boycott of all national banks.
 An advance draft of the circular mani festo was seen. It holds that the nation al banks are responsible for the destruc- tion of the greenbacks, the payment of the bonds in coin, the funding acts, the demonstration of silver and all the cor rupt financial legislation in this country for the past 30 years. They have boycotted and discriminated against every kind of money that promised relief to the debtor class aud prosperity to the industrial masses. They are boycotters of the most cruel and merciless kind"
 "A boycott of this kind,'' the circular continues, Twill agitate the money ques- tion and test the sincerity of some doubt full free silver advocates.
 "This boycott will precipitate the great conflict with the people on one side and the banks on the other, and the issues will be as sharply drawn as in the struggle of Andrew Jackson with the old United States bank 60 years ago. It will force the corporations and every form of private monopoly to take sides in the contest. It will force plutocratic press and foreign money power to reveal the hidden hand of American politics, and establish an inn passable barrier between the toiling mass os of America and the Shylocks and pen stoned lords of the world. And if an at- tempt is made to force national bank notes upon the public through such channels as they are by law made a legal tender, we will establish redemption bureau, and, through existing laws, force the secretary of the treasury to unload the locked up greenbacks for the benefit of the people. The Details of the Boycott. "The struggle of 1896 must result in l victory for the common people, or the hope of American liberty is lost and re. | covery impossible through methods now sanctioned by law.
 "On and after Sept. 1, 1895, let every Knight of Labor and every person whose love of justice is above the sordid interests | of the tyrantS refuse to accept national bank notes in payment for wages, produce or in payment of any debt or obligation not made necessary by the limited lega' tender qualities of the notes.
 Boycott the notes of national banks, , says the circular in conclusion.
 MT. Sovereign emphatically stated that it was obligatory on every Knight of Ia bor to obey the order after the date named
 Mot only that" said he, "but we ex l pect similar orders to be issued by thC heads of all sympathetic organizations. Mir. Sovereign was very earnest il speaking of the proposed redemption bu reau to be established in the event tha national bank notes are forced on the pub | lie.
 We have an organization powerful enough to establish it." said he. Ut i not an idle threat. If the national bank show fight, we will quickly unlock tn l $60, 900, 900 reserve. This boycott will edu cate our people on the money question just as the injunction on Carlisle dissemi mated much needed information on tn bond matter"
 MT. Sovereign left for Texas last night