The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-11-13
A NEW LEADER CHOSEN
Knights of Labor Relieve James
R. Sovereign of His Office.
THREE OTHERS RETIRED
Daniel Brown of Montana Gives Way to
Another Man 90 Sovereign's Term
Had Not Expired But he
Wished for Retirement

man Of the Knights of Labor for TN"
past four years ar morc, WAS this after
noon relieved of his Office by the general
assembly. which has been IN session IN
this city since Monday last, Under ordi-
nary conditions Mr.. Sovereign term Of
office would not expire until the next
meeting. This. however, makes M diflor-
ence with the order. whose general oit-
Gers. during a meeting, are always In the
hands Of the assembly and can be chosen
and deposed at the VIII of the majority.
Along with Mr.. Sovereign there were
three other officers retired because of this
special meeting. viz. 7. y. MCCLURE, gcn-
eral worthy foreman. of Amsterdam, y.
v: Daniel Brown of Montana and IL. u.
Martin OF Minneapolis. Of the executive
committee. Henry A. Hicks of District
ss, New York city, was chosen Ia I'LL
Mr. Soyereign's place and !. ID. Cham
bcrlain Of Pueblo. Colo. WAS selected
as general worthy foreman. Sanficid
Fitzpairick of Montreal aud Henry kos-
took of Assembly 30, glass workers. were
chosen as the two memh"rs of the execn-
Tive board, the ihiid member being An
drew Best.
This decisive change ia the corps of
cause consid. rablr asiunishmcnt In lahor
circles throughout the United Stat"s.
Save to those who were ''nn the inside"
for the past three months there was abso-
lutcly nothing Of this known. II n said.
though. that although the change WAS
sudden aud totally unlook.d for. II Was
done with the amicablc consent of all. Ia
some quarters Il Is limited that It had
been prcarranged bcfor" the delegates
gathered In this city for the general AS
s,mbly On good authority II H. l.arn"d
that II was with Mr.. Sovcrclgn's most
hearty approval that d. stepped down
and cut. II is lik-wisc with the apprc-
citation. and in fact. The love OF his
brethren Of ia. order that this is done.
The same holds good with the oin-r oiii-
GERS who were relieved. Mr. Sovereign
stated tonight that hc wished retirement.
lie wanted rest frum the labor which the
office entailed upon him.
Henry A. Hicks. the general master
workman-elcct. was seen after the meet
Ing. He said that he did not intend 10
outline the future policy of his admipis-
tration for scvrral days yet. He cx-
pressed the highest admiration FOR his
predecessor. saying that h. thought him
one Of the greatest exronents of the age
of the prime idea represented by the
Knights of Labor. '. -. Chamberlain. the
worthy foreman-eleci. IL a newspaper
man.
All business transacted al to-day :
meeting went through In the most ahica-
Die manner. There was no, the slightest
hitch and perfect brotherhood prevailed.
The afternoon session was principally
taken up win ihe delivery of Mr. s"Ner-
eigns annual address. which was listened
Y" ny the dei'snt's WIN III" greatest at
tYuIinn and urgsf,l with annlutIg.s
MIR. Sovereign prefaced his address
with the STATE ment that the opening III
This regular session of the general as
seinbiy presents To the world the same
undismayed membership through whose
fortitude ana courage the spirit NJ pro-
Rress combats greed aud aNarice and
defies the cant and hypocrisy of the
age.
The order, he said. Was to-day
stronger In membership. stronger In
character ana stronger In the hearts n
the people than II Was year ago. liz
recommended that this session con-
iinr It's deliberations largely 10 the
Mnrk OF organization. Ths work oi
Mh"lesale reform IN the labor Held. NJ
contended. Is retarded through ths
coercion and corruption ~ the poor by
the holders of idle capital, who DOM.
nate the press and debauch the politics
ot IN" country, whil" th' courts apply
the arrogant lash OF dispotlsm I'm th'
form of tDiunciions against th" free
dom of speech and peaceahle Assem-
blaee of the poor.
The ~, Louis conference. lac sad
was a united labor protest against The
most iiagrant outrages ever committed
against civil liberty I'm this country
IL was the NoN popu,i of AN outrag'
nation laundering against the pomi
and arrogance OF returning despo,ism
and since that time free speech has
not been suppressed 10y court injunc.
tons"
Mr. Sovereign then took as his theme
the great miners strike, in which n,
said the knights had lare" member
ship directly involved. lie said In
part:
That great struRel" was test he-
tween underpaih. half starved labor
and arrogant. greedy coal baruns. II
was q sti ik. born of hunger and ncc,s =.
sity and appealed to all the higher im-
pulses of humanity. ON the side of the
strikers stood the charity and philsn.
thropy of the world. becknning onward
the slaves of the mines. ON the oth,i
hand the shotgun policy "t 'h' ""rpo'
ration aud tho despicable court inJunc.
tons. Tho ARMED thugs were more tul.
crable than the restraining orders ul
the courts. The iniunctions sought /,
give the color II the official sanction