Evening star., 1897-04-26
A X. OF L. VICTORY
What Mr.. Hayes Has Succeeded in Accom-
plishing for the Order.
Return of District Assembly No. 3 of
PfttsburE, the Backbone of the
Independent Order.

General Secretary Treasurer John W.
Hayes of the Knights of Labor, who re-
turned Saturday night from a trip to Pitts
burg. succeeded during his absence from
Washington In accomplishing one of the
greatest victories in the history of the
order.
This was the settlement Of a fight which
| has lasted for about three years between
| the General Assembly of the Knights of
Labor and District Assembly, No. 3, In
dependent Order, Knights of Labor The
action produced by Mr.. Hayes efforts re-
suited in an addition to the knights of
Labor of 10000 members, and, it is said. the
wiping out of existence of the Independent
Order Knights of Labor which has been
a source of considerable ANNOYANCE To the
general officers in this city
In speaking of the matter this morning
at his office In this city Mr.. Hayes said 10
Star reporter: District Assembly. No.
3, of Pittsburg was suspended from the
knights of Labor at the New Orleans con-
vent1on in November, 1895, because the
assembly refused to obey orders concerning
the Brewer Workers Local 92. Three
chanics and toby makers, deserted Dis
trict Assembly, No. 3, and remained in
the knights of Labor. while the remaining
locals of the district Joined the Independent
Orcer with headquarters at Tiffin. Ohio
The Pittsburg assembly was the back
bone of the Independent Order. The latter
expired November 22, 1896, but its demise
was kept a secret for several months. Neil
Mcfarland, district master workman, i'm
medlately opened negotiations with the
parent body for the reinstatement of the
assembly. The locals comprising the dis
trict assembly voted to rejoin the parent
body, and it remained only for the dele
gates to the quarterly district convention
to ratify the vote to make the step legal,
which was done at a meeting of the as
sembly in Pittsburg Friday.
NO conditions were attached to the re-
admission of the Pittsburg district, and
it will continue in the same line as for
n'erly and will gaiT in membership, as he
cigar makers the Oldest local in Pittsburg;
toby makers and the theatrical mechanics
V i'll be affiliated with the district assembly,
as well as all new locals organizing within
a radius of fifty miles of Pittsburg.
The locals comprising District Assembly
are two locals of traction employees. brew
cry workers, a large number also of team
sters. statesmen. coopers. PAYERS and ram
merS. broom makers, and mixed local.
Efforts will be made to regain many of the
locals which were lost to the order through
the strikes and other disturbances"
Continuing. Mr.. Hayes said: The Knights
OF Labor organization is stronger today
than 1t has been for years. The New York
Central railroad strike. the Missouri Pacific
strike and other big strikes throughout the
country took away many of our members
ard served to partially disintegrate the
order. 1t took a lot of hard work tc place
the blame where Ii belonged and reorgan-
ize the men. During the disintegration
Period the main assemblies have main
tanned their organizations and in some in
stances increased instead of decreased. At
ter it had been proven that my accounts
We're all right the work Of reorganization
began that has increased so rapidly that
during the past year alone the membership
has been doubled.
Last week District 30 of Boston, num-
berins between 9,G0O and 10000 members,
was reinstated. This assembly lost its
membership in the national body through
internal dssessions. District No. s. COM
posed of southern miners, will be represent
ed by three delegates this year in the ma
tional convention at Louisville in Novem-
Der next Last year it had no delegate.
District 81 of North Carolina has doubled
its membership. New districts have been
organized in Iowa. Michigan and Indiana
Last year only ffty-nine delegates were
seated in the general assembly, while today
mere than one hundred delegates will be
entitled to seats, meaning that the order
has gained more than 5000 members in the
past year.