Show THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR Annual Convention in Richmond Rich-mond Powderlys Speech EARTHQUAKE IN SAN FRANCISCO Railroad Purchase Suit for Heavy Damages for Breach of Promise Suicide Through Despondency More Cattle Quarantines The Knights of Labor RICHMOND Va Oct 4The tapping of Master Workman Powdorlys gavel at 1015 oolock this morning gave the signal for the opening of the first session of the Tenth Annual Convention of the Knights of Labor in the Armor of the First Virginia Regiment Regi-ment in this city He stood alone upon a small plain pine platform at the farther end of pain spacious room and looked out upon the faces of 1000 delegates assembled from every part of the country White and black faces the faces of men and women bound together by a common object met his view The session was to have been an open one and in addition to the large body of delegates there were as many others not of the order as could find seats or shared what little standing room there was with its members mem-bers bersGovernor Governor Fitz Hugh Lee was introduced to the Convention by the Richmond delegates dele-gates and made an address of welcome in which ho cited that it had been claimed that there waR nn irrepressible conflict con-flict between capital and labor He said all good men would support the present movement move-ment if it fought against incorporated rascality ras-cality and combatted great money corporations corpora-tions that sought to control legislation by bribery and corruption He declared that all capital was not employed for such vicious uses and that any differences between workmen work-men and employer would be settled as the great constitution had been drafted by conciliation con-ciliation and fair compromise Mr Powderly General Master Workman then addressed the assembly reviewing the work of the year and declared that it was the most eventful and trying one in the existence of the Order I we are guided by the experience of the past said the speaker and act accordingly we can place the order upon a footing so safe and sound that no assault from its enemies can injure it I we arc not guided by that experience if we fail to read aright the signs of the times we fail to properly represent those who sent us here He cited that in one year more than four thousand new assemblies had been organized He said quite a few had entered the Order and at once plunged into rash strikes contrary to the policy of the Order He spoke of the southwestern railway strike at great length He said he did not approve that strike but it was only when a threat was made to stop every wheel in the United States that he raised his voice against i He did that in defence of the Order and the country That the southwestern strikers had suffered great wrongs were true and it was his firm belief that the railway companies with a full knowledge of what these greivances were precipitated the fight themselves at a time to make i appear to the world that the strike was for an insignificant insignifi-cant cause The eighthour strike was not successful because neither workmen nor employers were ready for it The reduction re-duction of the hours of labor was a necessity neces-sity and sooner or later must be had but the Knights must not forget that in many places the tenhour plan is not yet adopted The speaker said the proposed reduction of working hours caused millions of dollars worth of work to be left unfinished and undone un-done because of the uncertainty in regard to taking contracts Never was it more clearly demonstrated that injury to one was the concern of all than in the movement he mentions The move was in the right direction but the time and circumstances was not suitable A plan should be adopted some suggested at the Cleveland meeting which by the cooperation of workingmens organizations and manufacturers associa tions could be put into practice without a strike or the unsettling of business He declared de-clared before a short hour system would be any benefit the relation which workmen bore to the laborsaving machine must undergo a radical change The machine must become the slave of men instead of man subordinate subordin-ate to the machine A plan of cooperation through which workmen may control the machine must supersede the present system sys-tem Referring to child labor he said it should be the duty of every assembly to see that all children should attend school Opposition Op-position to child labor was to insure that he should acquire an education to equip him I for the duties which would fall upon him as a man and citizen He asked that a special Committee on Education be appointed to prepare and recommend a plan for the better education of American youth He closed by treating of the relations between be-tween the Knights and trades unions and recommended cooperation He declared that he had been unable to reply to a tenth of the letters addressed to him He said he had refrained from replying to criticism and while he had been accused of lack of nerve for so large a movement still a million men and women of nerve and common com-mon sense had sustpined him in carrying carry-ing the banner of the Order He said they would act according to his wish if they selected another to fill his place and he asked them to voto without sentiment for the best man in their judgment to guide the Order Powderly in response to the remarks of Governor Lee expressed his gratification at the welcome which had been given the Knights by the people of Virginia and especially es-pecially the people of Richmond Pow deny people said Men who owe allegiance to the Knights of Labor alegiance are engaged in a conflict but it is the war of truth against error I is not as many honestly believe and many more dishonestly assert a war of labor against capital The war isme which the manhood of the American laborer is fighting for recognition In this war it must be determined which shall rule monopoly or the American people gold or manhood Our battles are not fought for the purpose of determining whether an individual shall rule the State oran or-an Empire but to decide whether the people who are entitled to life liberty and happiness happi-ness shall live in the full enjoyment of then rights and liberties as becomes the citizens of a Republic The monopolist today to-day is more dangerous than the slaveowner of the past Monopoly takes land from the people in million acre plots 1 senas its agents abroad and brings herds of uneducated uned-ucated desperate men to this country It imports ignorance and scatters it broadcast throughout the land It and it alone is responsible for every manifestation of Anarchy has witnessed archy that ever the country All men may not be willing to admit that this statement is true but when monopoly dies no more Anarchists will be born in this des for anarchy is the legitimate child country legtimate of monopoly While I condemn and denounce deeds of violence committed in the nounce name of labor during the present year I am proud to say that the Knights of Labor as an organization i not in any way responsible re-sponsible for such conduct |