Evening star., 1896-02-14
OPPOSED BY THEl KNIGHTS
The Proposed 0rganisstioAfof New Labor
SO Body Here. s = vs,-s-
General Worthy Foreman Bishops
Vtews-Services Rendered. Work. Pei
ingmen by the III of Il.

the Knights of Labor, whose home is near
Boston, and who was in Washington last
evening, was not dispcsedy. when talking to
a Star reporter, to think favOrably OF the
proposition to form new central body here
OF trade union organizations the nucleus of
which, rs stated by President Silver of the
Building Trades Council in The Star of yes
terday, is to be found in the Building Trades
Council
The fact Of the matter is" said Mr..
Bishop, relief for existing troubles in labor
matters can best be found in following out
the principles of the knights of Labor. I'm
til the organization Of the Knights of Labor
there was no system in the management of
labor matters.
The open and public meetings of the
trade union organizations were conducted in
such manner that 1t was impossible 20
accomplish any good results, and 1t was not
until the Knights of Labor came into exist
ence that labor organizations succeeded in
making their influence felt. At the time of
the organization of the knights of Labor
in 1869 all labor bodies of the country had
become disorganiZed.
THE knights Of Labor have well-defned
principles. Actuated by the justice of their
demands and the hope that they will be-
come the recognized practice of the whole
people. hundreds of thousands of men and
women have enlisted in it's army of peace
world.
I'VE are struggling to put j. ice, liberty
and humanity above slavery, selfishness
and greed, and to dispel the 81 dde and bar
harous practice that gives wealth higher
consideration than Industry and morality
IN the standard of greatness. We are strug-
Cling to convince the world that one gen.
Grafton has no common right to centralize
IN the hands of few the possession Of
natural elements of wealth and bequeath
them TO successors with power to exact
tribute from coming generation to live up
en- the earth.
1--WE hope to supplant these errors that
greed has imposed upon with a whole
some application of the inherent rights OF
all mankind TO the full enjoyment of land
and all natural bounties from which,
through labor. man must procure the neces-
sarieS and comforts of life, and we believe
that human souls and dollars should be
linked together for the happiness and eleva-
ton Of the race.
ut is with the visw of accomplishing
these results that our order is political to
the extent that politics is the science of
government and Instead of resorting to
bullets and bayonetS to force our princi-
pies upon society. we make our demands
upon the law-making power of state and
nation. But it should be remembered that
there is only one effective method-apd
that the ballot-by which a legislative body
in sympathy with our principles can be
created.
NO voter can be q true Knight of Labor
who forfeits the moral force of his obli-
cation at the ballot box by voting for n
candidate or a party opposed to our prin-
ciples: and it is hoped that it is not neces-
sary al this time to inform the Industrial
masses of America what political parties
nave refused for nearly a quarter of a CEN
tury to express friendship for these prin-
ciples.
ITO be true Knight of Labor one must
be patriot as harsh as truth, and as un-
compromising as justice. whose self-respect
ana personal honor will give respectability
and force of character to his organization;
who is willing to make a reasonable sacri-
flee of mis- time and energies, ard will Dor
with what ability he may possess for the
triumph of our principles.
me work OF the American Federation
OF Labor, as 1T is conducted today, is sim
ply an attempt to crush the knights Of
Labor idea with the selfish idea of assist
ance only to members of the same craft.
Ihe carpenters strike for an eight-hour
Day amply demonstrated that the A. F. of
l.. as factor amounted TO nothing
THE position taken by the Bricklayers'
Union OF this city in reference to the beer
boycott ordered by d. a. 66, K of L., that
for the hribe of steady work by the en-
ploying brewers they will lift the boycott
go far as they are able to do so, is a de-
lberate attempt to betray the interests of
the united labor organizations Of the Dis
trict of Columbia, and any effort on be-
half Of q few disgruntled men to add to the
difficulties of the situation by intrud;ng
their offices upon the men charged with the
conduct OF the pending troubles is treach-
cry to all
1.-The Building Trades Council Should re-
member that they are as much bound ly
the action of the Federation and D. A. Gj,
X. OF L.. as any of the bodies connected
directly with either or both of the other
organizations. and that if they continue to
attempt to break the solidarity which now
exists here there may be a day of heavy
reckoning In the near future"