The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-11-12
.SOVEREICN'S
ADDRESS.
COngratulates the Knights Of
Labor on the Fact
That Six Million Voters Acted
In Unison
FOR LABOR'S RIGHTS
In the Recent Election and Mil
lions More
Would Have Done So IF Left
Untrammeled.
FOR LABOR'S RIGHTS

Rochester. N. Y. Nov. 12-At the ad-
journment of the session of the Knights
Of Labor general assembly the following
conclusions of the executive board were
given to the Associated Press.
In our annual report to the Washing
ton general assembly we said: In spite
of the good legislation already secured; in
spite Of improvements already made in
the social and industrial conditions there
yet remains a vast work to be done before
the wealth producers viii be free from
the chains of wage slavery and the OD-
preston of monopoly The force of a
great army ike the knights OF LABOR 70
accomplish the best results must have its
power wisely directed against the weakest
point IN the enemy ines ana t1e very
stronghold and citadel of monopoly must
be captured No organization in the world
has 50 clear, definite and practlcal pan
of campaign as our order The machinery
of our government must be wrested from
the hands Of the agents OF the plutocrats
and restored to the people
During the year that has followed
your general officers nave strlVen ear
nestlv to carry into effect this declara-
ton. believing that by 50 doing we should
accomplish results Of great value 10 the
cause of labor. The hope we then held
has been more than realized in the vast
present upheaval which has taken place
in the United States since the Washing
ton general assembly closed
In pursuance OF the policy set Iortn
in your Washington assembly we at
tended the convention of the Populists at
and used our best efforts to secure uni
fcation of the forces represented by those
two parties in support of the principles
embodied in the preamble of the Knights
of Labor. And lit should be a cause for re-
toicing on the part of the Knights Of La
Dor that the money plank and other very
important principles. which have been 50
long and strenuouslv battled for by the
Knights of Labor. against hopeless odds
have become the commanding issues OF
American politics and have completely
overshadowed all the sham issues which
have long been used by politicians and
the money power TO blind the people
n flf r. niaf
these vital questions amectlnS the real
welfare of the wealth producers
AT last the time has come when the
lines of battle are fairly drawn between
the laborers Of America on the one hand
their rninions-on the other,
Although a complete victory for the
immense gains have been made Six mill
lions of American voters have arrayed
themselves permanently under the ban
ner of principles so long upheld by the
KNIGHTS OF Labor At least z, 900 900 more
would have done likewise but for fright
ening forces OF money ana coFl y y ~ ~
used in the campaign by the party OF the
.sThis general assembly should give the
most thorough considerations to the ques-
ton of how to preserve pohllcal aaNan van
tages already gained Tor the masses. anu
how we may perfect the Organlza ton IN
the future. The millions of wealth pro
ducers are now aroused as they never
were aroused before in the history Of the
nation Let us seek to decide on SUCH
SO use their political power that they will
become irresistible in their demand for
the reform which labor requires
THE lack of organizations IS a grave
menace to the repu bile. Not per cent
Of the working people of the United
States are organized. Tt is imperative
that something must be done to organ
lie them more rapidly than they have
ever been organized in the past We
would suggest first that we must make
it clear to the Iaboring people that it is
to their interest in every sense of the
word to become members Of the Knights
Of Labor.
we must make it clear to the en-
plOyers that it viii not be Injurious to
their best interests if their employees are
permitted and encouraged to join our
order.
1--WE must make il clear that every
man and woman who is a member Of
our order Will be safer and better pro-
tected in their rights than those who
are not members
TASTY and ill-adyised strikes should
be avoided as much as possible; every
strike and lockout is incipient civil war.
One is an attack on the employer and
employed, and the other is an attack on
the emplOye and employer. These at
tacks and counter attacks often develop
into civil war. and as one blow brings
on another VIE can never fOrte1l what
the final outcome or some or these
struggles may be- The plutocracy is
seeking an excuse to Increase the stand
ing army. The petty violence connected
with the strikes ana lOckouts is their
most plausible excuse now. Let US not