Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1896-11-15
THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR.

VIZ LNIbUI.
The General Assembly Of the
Knights Of Labor is in session al
Rochester, New York. General Mas
ter Workman Sovereign in his report
said:
after n struggle Of 81 years against
the evils Of aggregated wealth, by Il
order, we are confronted with more
serious problems affecting the rights
and liberties OF the industrial masses
thar ever before.
Not only have the idle, specializing
classes demonstrated their ability to
dominate productive enterprises and
accumulate the wealth OF toiling mil
lions, but they have demonstrated
their power to coerce wage-earners
and mortgaged farmers with threats
OF discharge and foreclosure, into
submission against their will.
-The plutocratic holders OF Idle
money have subverted the principle
OF free government by forcing politi-
cal service from the poor us a tenure
Of employment.
The laboring men can combat
falsehoed and bid defiance to traitors
OF thoir W ranks, but when the de-
PRAYED monster OF corporate raracity
steals into their homes and threatens
them with discharge and persecution
because OF their political conviction
they sacrifice their liberties in consid.
GRAFTON Of food and shelter for their
helpless wives and innocent child
Ton.
THE struggle Just past has dem
onstrlted that p~ecuniary dependence
Ii political slavery. In the struggle
Just passed, tho Knights of Labor
proved itself the only organization
that stood like an iron wall before the
fire of the organized money power of
two continents. Every general o.
hcer and every district and local as
sembly OF our organization spurned
every offer OF bribery and scorned
every threat OF money kind"
Sovereign added that, except Eu-
gene V. Debs, the heads OF ~organiza-
tions, including the Federation OF La.
Dor, gave no material to the recent
struggle. The Master Workmen saws
the knights should abandon their
plans rs follows:
Il would SO change and abbreviate
our present test OF membership rs to
center u Immediate demands upon
she equitable income tax and the
free and unlimited coinage OF silver |
~ the present legal ratio, the payment |
OF all government bonds according to |
the present contract and the issue of
all money OF the country. I would
make positive and unequ.yo,al de-
Carnations against the government by
injunction, the increase Of the stand |
ing army. the payment OF the bonded
debt in gold alone, the issues OF bonds
In time OF peace, and the issue OF cir
culating notes by banking corpora
tons.
Albwould then prepare an entirely
new secret work, with stronger obi.
cations than we now have. and cstab.
lish a degree known rs minute men.
and, ns far as possible. return to orr
former systcm Of working in absolute
secrecy.
Il would then appeal to the FREQ
silver and reform forces everywhere
for membership. and throw this or.
ganization into the great, broad field
OF sgitation to fight the money power
and corporations to the everlasting
finish.
Il would not recede from our do. |
mands for land reform, nor from tho
other principles contained. in the pre.
amble OF this order, but I would dc.
sign that the battle grounds be
fought over after wo have throt,cd
ths lie out Of tho money power ,!,a.
10 undermining the foundations Of
American liberty.
"1t may be said that by accepting
this iesuc. we would be charged with
isvoring tho silver minc owners OF IN.
Rocky Mountains. Tho charge wouId
not be true, and IL il Is | have only to
say | would u Thousand times rnthor
cast a thousand votes for tho mine
owners OF the Hockey Mountains who
employ labor and contributes To the
wealth OF my country. than a = ono
vote for q foreign Sylocl;, who con.
spires TO rob tho labor OF tho world
81 appeal to the delcgntee hero M.
sombled to place a demnd for free
coinage Of silver at the present legal
IN our preamble, and bar our
ports and clear our decks for action
tho plutocratic combine ar
Keyed on the side Of the gold stan