The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1896-11-20
ANNUAL ADDRESS
or General Master Workman Scy.
ereign. knights OF Labor,
Mead Before the Convention Assembled
at Rochester, -. VA Broad Ar
rsignment OF the Money
Power Of the Country.

of Labor, read before the delegate con-
vention assembled in this city:
To he officers and Members u ne TrenfaA
General dssriatiy. Knights n Labor.
After struggle Of q years against the evils
OF aggregated wealth by our order We are con-
frouted with more serious problems affecting
the rights and liberties OF the industrial
masses than ever before. Not only have the
idle. specializing classes demonstrated their
ability 70 dominate productive enterprise and
accumulate the wealth ~ tOiling millions, but
they have demonstrated their power 10 coerce
waze-earners and mort gagged farmers with
threats OF discharge ana foreclosure into sub
mission OF their Will. The autocratc holders
OF idle money have subyerted the principles OF
free government by forcing political services
from the poor as the tenure OF employment
i.aboring men can combat falsehood and
bio defiance to traitors from their own ranks,
but when depraved monster OF corporate
rapacity steals into their homes aud threatens
them with discharge and persecution because
OF their political convictions, they sacrifice
their liberties in consideration OF food and
shelter for their helpless wives and innocent
children. The struggle just passed has demon
strated that pecuniary dependence In political
slavery
How to prevent the complete overthrow OF
our civil liberty is the problem OF the hour.
How weak and Impoverished labor can triumph
over naughty, domineering, confederate capi-
tai. is a question too serious to admit OF pro-
-crastination. 1t must be considered Ia all its
length and breadth. and the best poss BILE or
ganizaton perfected TO meet the machinations
OF the money changers
In the struggle Just passed the knights OF
Labor proved itself 10 be the only labor organi-
xation that stood like an iron wall before the
fire Of the organized money power OF two con
finents, Every general officer aad every dis
trict and local assembly OF our order spurned
every Offer or bribery ana scorned every threat
or Ii
order was found to possess the knowledge. the
courage and the manhood 10 defy and combat
the emissaries 81 organized greed. Except
the support given by that matches champion
OF labor. Eugene v. DeDs, the chief offlcer Of
no other national labor organization gave us
material aid in our struggle FOR the cause OF
the common people.
The American Federation % Labor proved
too loose in it, orgahizei capacity and TOO
weak in its test Of membership TO either resist
or eyade the onslaughts of the Wall street
combines. and il therefore became an easy
prey 70 The emisSarics OF corporate wealth.
Notwithstanding the fact that recent rulings
Of orr higher courts have placed an labor or
CARNATIONS In the category 81 criminal con-
spiracy, thousands ~ the members Of the fed
GRAFTON voted 70 sustain that pcrniclOu> ruling
They plead guilty 20 the charge by the votes
they cast Not only ala they vote 10 exalt the
money changer ana make the rich richer and
the poor poorer. but they voted TO sustain gov
ernment By Injunction ana the recent income
tax decision Of the supreme court
Many trades unions and many 81 the officers
of trades unions stood Loyalty by the cause OF
depressed iobor and did valiant service In our
late struggle for our economic reform. and
they can not be too highly praised for the high
type o. manhood their acts expressed. But
trades unions. In general sense. are too frail
In their organic construction. 10 depart from
the narrow line OF craft and selhsLncss aud
lpnH treat lnlor ntrai u.f hn
croachment and aggressons OF ayarice and
greed. That duty devolyes upon the knights
OF Labor, and at this session % the general as
sembly we should prepare the way 70 unite
under the shield Of kniehthood an the indus
ar al reform forces ~ America.
To that end would recommend that the or
der dives, Itself OF all utogian dreams as a
weary traveller would cast away his personal
effects TO Tighten his burdens IL q dangerous
march across drrary desert / would in
struct our trade district assemblies 10 adjust
all local differences With employers leaving
the general ONCE free u devote The entire
coming year To the work OF organization.
would SO change and abbregiate our present
test Of membership as 10 center our Immediate
demands upon m equitable Income tax the
free ana unlimited coinage OF silver al the
present legal ratio; the payment ~ all govern
nncnt bonds according % the present contract.
and the government issue oi an al the money
al The county ] would make positive and
unequivucal declarations against government
by Injunction, increase % The standing army.
the payment Of TIE bonded dert ia gold alone
thc issue ~ bouds IN time on peace and the is
sue y circulating notes by AMAZING corpora
tons
would then prepare an entire new secret
work with stronger Obligations han We now
have establish degree known as the minute
men, and as FAR as possible return to our for
m,r system ~ working Oh absoiule secrecy
would then app al 70 he free silver and re-
form forces everywhere for membership and
support and throw this organization into the
great broad Held ~ agitation ID tight the money
nulsh ''-'s
would not recede from our demands Tor
Hand reform. nor from any Of The other great
principles contained in the preamble 81
this oficr, but would designate them az bat
Tie grounds 70 be fought over after we have
throttlcd the ne out % the money power that
Is undermining the foundation 81 American
ilhctty This order should not let the bird In
abs hand es ape with the hope ~ catchinr the
one IA the bush We should battle foF ths re-
form which Is nearest the hearts OF tho people.
instead Of expanding OF energy on questions
en- shroudcd ia the doubt and gloom o, n far
distant future
The money power has made Itself the guar
dian and protector OF every other monopoly
and combine aud stands forth today the Idol
-ot every ml~er, the hope of every kind and god
of every Gespot. The idle holders q. IDLE wealth
throughout the world are combined against the
free coinage ~ silver. A hondholding aristoc-
racy demands IT, abolition as - primary
money in order to appreciate debts and doure-
ciate the profits Of labor below the profits 81
money at Interest. 50 that liked income aunul-
ties may bc saddled upon The industries OF the
world Labor must bare lis limbs TO .aose
shncklss and bow lt~ head 10 the lash. or nc
ccpt this Issue an con Dine IN one great organ
IGNITION TO throw on the yoke % oppres sion.
r. may be said Tia. Og accepting this is sue
we would be charg with favoring rho silver
minc owners In thr Eocky mountains The
charge would not be true. ana ~ IL was. 4 have
only 50 say that 1 Wusld thousand times
rather cast thousand votes Tor . mine owner
in tbs kochy mpurtYinS Who employs labor
and contributes 10 tHc v -ath q my country
than tn cast one vote 90 "a foreign Shyiocx.
who cnnsp4ge> 70 roh The labor Of tAe woflf.
W con not Afford - smut ~ the fountain OF
Ai'c % ind graiu ~ sand. nor destroy noun
tain ~ good % fnd pebble OF evil Further
more. The mine owneis ean have no rnore direct
interest,". than labor stAcR Statt,ties tell ns
that Tor every snincr Who ~ ~ work IN q Sill
miac nnc other working people are
demanded Ia other ncld, OF Industry Que
making tools aud machinery. some proaacing
fcDU and ut lpr Surulig, for the fninpf ava hi \.