Rensselaer Republican, Volume 19, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 October 1886 — KNIGHTS OF LABOR. [ARTICLE]

KNIGHTS OF LABOR.

Proceedings of the Richmond Convention. The tenth annual cou vo ition. of the Knights of Labor assembled at Richmond, Va., on Mon- « day, 4ho 4th of October. Gqv. Fit/hogii Lee welcomed tho .deb-gut s to tbs city and State in j a neat speech. Frank G. Farrell, a colored <lelefute, introduced General Master Workman bwdoriy, who delivered an ad dress, remarking that the lash of, the slave-owner had been Stricken from Ills hands twenty-five years ago, but that the now slave-owner—the monopolist —is more dangerous than his prototype of antebellum days ; and that it should be the duty of the Knights of Labor to oluteh anarchy by the throat wltb.jone hand, aud strangle monopoly with tho othor. After Mr. Powderly’g address all but the delegates quitted the hall, and the regular business of the session was begun In se.-ret. Nearly a thousand delegates were In attendance at the opening. Nothing was done at the first day’s session beyond the appointment of committees. Mr. Powderlv addressed the convention again, , at the second day's session, urging the members to abstain from the use of strong driqk while In Bichmond. As Individuals, be said, ho had no right to dictate us to what they should do, bat they were not here au individuals, but as representatives of a vast constituency. The oyes of tho world were upon them while hers, and their constituency would be judged by their conduct. The t.tiue of the convention until 5 p. m. was occupied by the reading of tho long roll of over eight hundred names. The committee had reached a decision on all but eight or ten names, and these were referred to the convention itself. A warm debate on the report was had, but finally it was accepted and the delegates whose seats were in dispute word requested to leave tho convention. Th»y retired quietly. The work of assigning seats to the remaining delegates was completed at 7 :3d p. m„ when an adjournment was voted. The fight over the right of eight or ten delegates to hold seats occupied the entire attention of the convention at its third day’s s -ssion. There was a very warm debate, punctuated by bitter attacks on the "Honio” Club. The findings of the Credentials Committee were approved in one instance nnd condemned in another, but the question of tho admission of Mr. Morrison, of New York, remained undecided. The sensation of the dav was the threat of Secretary Turner to a Western delegate who had denounced the Home Club. Turner informed the young man that he had better be careful, as his owu seat in the convention was not very secure. A Richmond dispatch says : “Throughout the citv the principal topic of discussion was the admission last night;of colored Delegate Farrell to a seat in the orchestra circle In the Academy of Music, a section of the auditorium in the Bichmond theater hitherto strictly guarded from the intrusion of all persons of his race. The general feeling among Virginians here is one of bitter resentment, and they regard tho delegates from District 49 with anything but friendly feelings. It is said that a majority of the local Knights- are much provoked at the action of their visiting brothers, and it was reported that a few Knights living here declared their intention of abandoning the order and joining the Law and Order League, organized here in sworn opposition to the Knights. It was rumored to-day that the delegates of District 49 would again escort Farrell to the th ea te r > and Mrs. Powell, the proprietor, appealed for police protection, intending to compel Farrell to sit in the negroes’ gallery. The Chief of Police called on Mr. Powderly to request that he uue his influence to prevent an attempt to force admission of the colored delegate, as it would cause trouble. Mr. Powderly sent word that he was too busy to see him, but sent Mr. Hayes, of the Exeoutive Board, Instead. The latter said he thought Farrell would not try to ent r the theater, but he would give no assurance on tho subject. Tho Chief and thirty-five policemen and a thousand curious people were at the theater when it oi)enod, but the colored delegate failed to put in an appearance.’’ Very little was accomplished at the fourth day's session. It was decided to admit the del- '• egation'Troru District Assembly 126 of New York, headed by Job A Morrison, with the exception of Mr. Risden. As the Committee on Credentials desired further time for the consideration of the case of contesting delegations from St. Louis, the rules were suspended and the convention proceeded to discuss the question of giving the support of the order to the locked-out cotton workers of Augusta, Ga., the curriers and tanners of Peabody and Salem, Mass., and the journeymen plumb- - ers of New York. There are 3,000 men iu each of the first-named bodies, and about fourteen hundred in the last. It was decided to support them. An extra fores of police was on duty in the evening at both the Richmond Theater and Academy of Music as a precaution against trouble it any further attempt should ba made by the Knights of Labor to introduce colored men to seats from which they are excluded. No attempt was made, however. Nearly the whole of the fifth day’s session was occupied in discussing the report of the Committee on Credentials concerning the St. Louis contesting delegations. The question at issue was whether the delegates elected at a meeting held'atT o'clock in the evening'or at a subsequent meeting an hour later were the regularly elected delegates and entitled to seats in the convention. The report presented to the convention aud accepted by it was in favor of the delegates elected at the 8 o'clock meeting. Mr. Powderly’s address was finally read, aud the report of the committee appointed to investigate the case of the Home club of New Y’ork was made and adopted. A nuniber of committees were appointed. A resolution waa adopted authorizing tho appointment of a special committee of five to prepare and send a telegram to some proper person in Providence, K. 1., with regard to the limitations of the right of suffrage in that State. The committee drafted and sent the following communication: “To Charlefi_E_Gorman. Chairman of the Equal Rights Democratic Association. Iteovtdenee, R. I.: The order of the Knights of Labor, in general assembly convened at Richmond, Va., indorse your efforts In behalf of the elimination of unjust discrimination from the constitution of your State, and pledges’its moral support to you until success is achieved.” The committee was also directed to send a similar telegram to the District of Columbia in view of the disfranchised condition of its inhabitants. At the sixth day’s session it was ordered that a telegram he sent to the Postoffice Department at Washington, protesting against the letting of . contracts for erecting public buildings at Baltimore to persons employing convict labor. This was done, Mr. Powderly said, because it was understood that a firm employingsuch labor intended to bid. The roll was culled for presentation of resplutious, etc., and fifty or sixty were received. All were referred to the committee on distribution, which will distribute them to the committees. Tho same action was taken in reference to all reports submitted and reportß of the Secretary and Treasurer. All these reports were presented in printed form. The roll of districts wab then called, after which the roll of the local assemblies was called, and each presented such resolutions as it desired today before the General Assembly. They were referrej to the committee on distribution for submission to appropriate conim ttees. Printed copies of the reports of the' Executive Board, the General Secretary, the TrJasui-er, and other officers werejgiven to each delegate, Ast inding committee of thirteen on finance was appointed, as Well Us the following special committees : Chinese and foreign contract labor, emigration, legislation, relief schemes, and the Pennsylvania and Baltimore and Ohio Railroad corjx>rations.