Knights Of Labor

Oq Tuesday evening, in Ilangsterfer's hall, Huron assembly of K. of L. held a public meeting, which was fairly well attended and pi oved a succes in every way. Capt. Manly presided and made a short speech in which he said that capital had been organized for many years and reaped the benefit ia being able to lower or raise prices of products. The organiïation of the kuighte oí labor was for the sole pnrpoe of influenciDg legislation that the iaborinK man might gei his just dues. It is not for the purpose of creating discord in business affairs, nor to interfere with any legitímate business. Like the G. A. R., the; had no referece to either of the great political parties. They wanted to influence legislation so that it should be in the interest of the general public instead of capital and corporations. He hoped to see a law passed by the present congress providing for a commiseion of arbitration that could settle disputes between capital and labor. J. E. lïarkins put great life into the meetiug by his songs, and was recalled many times by the eothusiaftic audience. Chas. R. Whitman made the main dresa oL the evening, afcer whioh there was daDcing till a late hour, to music furnished by Gibson's orchestra. The following is an abstract of the speech: CHAS. R. WHITMAN's SPEECH. Mr. Whitmaa made the points that capital is only accumulated labor, and money is merely the medium of exohange oí on' man's labor for another's. Capital be comes valuable only as it enablea a man to secure for it tbe labor of another. On the other hand labor requires the aid o capital to providethe material nponwhich labor may be expended. Capital and labor can only enjoy the products of each through a fair and equitable partnership in whicb, as in any other partnership, och shall enjoy its fair proportion of the joint profits, and in seasons oí disaster, each should bear the same proportion of loss. But any system which denies to labor itg fair proportion of the products of toil, uu awsrus 10 capnai we entire surplus and accumulation of their joint endeavor; which multiplie8 capital and impoverishes labor ; which mak es the rich richer and tbe poor poorer, is in violation of the spirit of our government and aperversion of our civiüzation. The solution of the impending problem is to secure by intelligent agitation and discusion, and in awakening of the public sense, legislative enactments which may, perhaps by arbitration, secure to labor its fair and just proportion of the combined profits ot capital and labor. President Cleveland, in a message to the senate and house, in April, 1886, recommended the creation of a labor commission, consistinjr of three members, who should be regular officers of tbe government, charged among otber duties with the consideration and settlement, when poesible, of all controversies between labor and capital. Thinking men of all parties believe ihere is a practical solution tor all difficulties tween capital and labor. There should j be no contest between tbem. It is the tendenjy of man to be selfish I aod to seek his own advancement by trampling upon his fellows. Justice may I be obtained by making it for his interest I to deal fairly with either, but the.-e is yet a greater forcé : the development and growth of a public sentiment so universal I and so intense that no man shall dare to I viólate it. The rights of labor are not to be won by violence, however great the I justice. The story of liberty has been penned since the world began by the growiDg intelligence and education I of the people. Slavery and ignorance have ever gone hand in hand, and so have liberty and knowledge. A most valuable j feature of the organizition ot the Knights of Labor is and may be the bringing together of laboring men, in thought and dmcussion, toassembletogethernot in heat I and bitterness, but in a spirit of sion and tairness. To study, to delibérate, to gain power atd knowledge, is to make a distinctive gain in the purposes of the order. Scattered here and there, each by bimself, the kights of labor have no more I Trer than a million grains of powder I when eeparately ignited. Aa those grains of powder united may lift a mountain I to fragmenta, the laboring men by j ization and unity may burst the bauds of - " monopoly and claes legislation and secure an equal reoognition in the law with the richest of their fellows.