The morning times., 1896-12-06

| his bed with a severe case OF grip, the
worthy foreman, Michael Cuff, presided
over the meeting.
The first business transacted was the
acceptance of the credentials of a delegate
| from the Tile Layers Assembly Motion To
| suspend the rules for the purpose OF hear
| ing from the general officers was over
| whelmngly defeated, it being the opinion
| OF the delegates that local matters were
| Of more Importance at this time.
Under the call OF local assemblies the re-
| ports show cd an Increase of membershipall
along the line, and that incvrry case where
an assembly had held a meeting during
the wecka determination had Enthusiastically
| been expressed TO stand by the action of the
District A ASsembly
In the case or the Plasterers now pend
| ing before Typographical Union the dele
gate, stated that the hearing before the
grievance committee of Columbia Union
had been postponed till Friday evening.
The delegates expressed the utmost conf
dence III the Judgment and final verdict of
the Printers
The case was very plain one. On the
side of the PaStcrers' Assembly We're the
records of the assembly To substantiate the
charges made, that the men claiming recog-
nition AS union men had violated the rules
governing all trades unions, by rafting or
scabbing on the uniua.
on the other hand, the old, WORKOUT
bachsliders cry OF having been unjustly
treated WAS all the argument that was used
as an excuse for trying to break up an old
established and legitimate labor organiZa-
ton.
After the roll of assemblies had been
completed the report of the delegates from
| the General Assembly was taken.up. The
report, which was a very lengthy, but care
fully prepared document, was listened to
very aucntivcly. AT the conclusion of the
reading the representatives stated that
tchre suili remained several minor items
TO he added 10 the report, therefore no di-
rect action was taken. Tie principal part
of the report commented upon was that re-
lating to this jurisdiction.
Tie action Of the general assembly for
refusing TO seat two delegates from this
city created quite a discussion. The reasons
gwen for this action was, that the roll of
paid up membership on the Both of August
the time set by the general assembly, on
which the basis of representation is fixed,
did not eptitle this district assembly to
more than one delegate.
The fact that one assembly that was in
good standing had been, Tor obvious rea-
sons suspended just two days previous to
the day set Tor committing the member
ship had no weight with the General As
seinhly, even when the fact was proven
that ry the suspension of that assembly
ithad barely redlcedtne membership below
the required number. Neither did the TACT
that the general secretary refused To re-
celvc tie per capita tax from another
assembly simply because no printed re-
port, which the assembly declares never
was furnished, did not accompany the
money.
NerEcr did the fact that another large
assembly, that had for the past fifteen
years been prompt in paying the tax had
OH TINS occasion been one day behind in
pa yiug it over. had been ruled out in coin
muting the membership, though the fact
had been fully explained To the credentiaI
committee aud the general assembly, that
the assembly being one day late in pa wing
the money was, through no fault of the as
sembly, but through the negligence of one
OF It's Officers for the assembly had an
propriated the money two weeks previous,
uut II was not palG over. FOR rea sons that
had never been explained
The delegates claimed that justice had
not been done but technicalities had been
taken advantage of to cut down the repre-
sen;atiun of his jurisdiction The dele
gates did lot mince their words nor inegle
their meanings III giving full expression to
their belief that the representation had
been cut down because tins District had
declared itself as being opposed to the re-
election of the present Officers During
the debate permission was granted to make
men in the order. and who has served as
presiding officer of the District Assembly
Tor years, also as presiding officer of the
Federation Of Labor. and who had also rep
resented this jurisdiction in the general
assembly several times.
During the course of his remarks the past
master workman gave a very significant
Illustration Of the methods of doing bust
ness IN the general Assembly in the days
wren the order was in the height of its
prosperity, as compared with the present
time. The eoccasionreferredtu to was themeet
ing of the general assembly held in Rich
mond, va ten years ago. At that time
TINS jurisdiction was entitled To five dele.
gates, butas one assembly, the Stonecutters,
had not paidits per capita untimc the books
showed that I he District Assembly was only
entitled To four representatives The per
capita tax, however, of the StOnecutters
had been paid just before the delegation
LEFT Tor Richmond, and the speaker carried
the money with him.
ON presenting IT to the general officers at
that time the question AS asked if il WAS
all right and would interfere with the Di,
rict representation. The answer was.
Inc principle upon which the crder of
the Knights ofLabor was foundedis Justice
and 10 take advantage of technicalitir>
would be rank injustice Therefore, ]
accept urmoney.' The five delegates had
'o'H >td''u' anu W i.llc lncre were upward
or 800 delegates at that session not "A
single objection had been raised
The refusal of the General Assembly to
allow TIE accredited delegates from the
District Assembly to present certain docu-
mcits before the convention, which had
gone from this city with the Endorsement
ana under the seal OF the District Assem-
bly,, was considered as gross insult.
The placing of "A boycott within this Iuris-
diction on an institution that EMPLOYS
strictly union help, without even consid-
erln@ the interests or wishes of this Dis
trict, was considered violation of an
established precedeuts or principles The
expulsion of two OF the officers of the
District Assembly by the General Assem-
MY, after their innocence of the charge
nt;ains' them had been esta blished. was also
denounced.
ic result of the long discussion was the
adoption Of a set of resolutions, which
had been offered at the prev ons meeting,
hut 1t was decided not to make them public
unless the general secretary refused to
publish the same in the official organ of
the order.
The attention Of the delgatcs was called
to the fact that large number of printed
circulars had been distributed among the I
delegates purporting to he n statement of |
the general secretary, defending the ac- |
uon OF the General Assembly and its off |
GERS II was stated that the statements con-
talned in the circular were erroneous and |
misleading, and, on motion, committee of |
five was appointed to reply to the circular |
and forward the same to the locals For |
their Information, SO it could be read at the |
same time the general sccretary's circular |
was presented.