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TWO IMPORTANT STRIKES.

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five of the strikers joined the Hatters' Union, in Yonkers. At that time, local societies were wholly independent. Several old journeymen at Yonkers-among whom were Robert Savage, Patrick Curran, Thomas Davis, Thomas Daley, and Thomas Nevins-met, and advised the forming of a national organization.

Letters were sent to all local secretaries, asking them to take action on bringing all local associations under one national association. All the associations were in favor of it, and on the 7th day of April, 1869, delegates from every "fair" shop in the State met in Danbury, Conn., and organized the National Association, by electing Mr. F. A. Lewis, president, and D. F. Nolan, national secretary, with a supervising committee as a board of arbitration.

A preamble was adopted, urging the necessity of organization to elevate the trade, and to protect the workmen against the encroachments of employers. The delegates pledged themselves to strive "to secure to us our rights as journeymen hatters, and to our employers theirs as capitalists.

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The growth of the business soon caused independent or "foul" shops to start up, and there was more or less antagonism between the "fair" and" foul" hatters. In 1876, an organization was affected among the independent men, who joined the "fair" association as fast as they proved themselves worthy and so desired. At the Annual Convention, in New York, May 12, 1884, it was voted that every hat-shop in the country be made "fair," and all under the jurisdiction of the United States Wool Hat-Finishers' Association, with C. Oatman Osborne as president, and Archibald M. Taylor as national secretary. This consolidation pleased the employers, for their interests are guarded as well as the journeymen's. Two important strikes occured in 1884. Lewis Tompkins, of the Dutchess Hat-Works, at Fishkill Landing, found fault because his shop was made "fair," and gave his men notice that he should employ only non-society men. His men declined, with a few exceptions, to work on those terms, and have been out ever since. The other strike, the last of any importance, was in W. B. Thom's factory, at Haverhill,

Mass., on December 9, 1884. Mr. Thom notified his finishers of a ten per cent. reduction, to take effect on the 15th. He was then paying ten per cent. less than union prices, and monthly payments. When he advanced money to his help before pay-day, he charged five per cent. a month interest. This trouble is still unsettled.

CHAPTER XV.

HISTORY OF THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR.

CAUSE FOR FOUNDING THE ORDER-GARMENT-CUTTERS' ASSOCIATION
NEED OF SECRECY-FIRST MEETING-NAMES OF THE FOUNDERS
TAKING THE OBLIGATION-NAME ADOPTED-URIAH S. STEPHENS
ELECTION OF OFFICERS - FIRST OFFICERS - PURVEYOR APPOINTED
FIRST ANNUAL ADDRESS OF URIAH S. STEPHENS SHIP-CARPENTERS
AND CALKERS JOIN THE ORDER - THE FIRST TWENTY LOCALS-DIS-
TRICT ASSEMBLY, No. 1, FOUNDED-GENERAL ASSEMBLY FORMED,
1878-OFFICERS ELECTED - SECOND SESSION OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY—
ADDRESS OF GRAND MASTER WORKMAN PROFOUND SECRECY - THE
FIVE STARS-MAKING THE NAME PUBLIC-THIRD SESSION AD-
DRESS OF THE GRAND MASTER WORKMAN-ELECTION OF T. V. Pow-
DERLY AS GRAND MASTER WORKMAN: FOURTH SESSION-ADDRESS
SESSION—Address
OF T. V. POWDERLY. ABOLISH THE WAGE-SYSTEM - CO-OPERATION
FIFTH SESSION-SIXTH SESSION-ATTEMPTS TO CREATE DIVISION
THE BOYCOTT — BLACKLISTING — BRUTAL TREATMENT
URIAH S. STEPHENS SEVENTH SESSION-ADDRESS OF THE GRAND
MASTER WORKMAN-STRIKES DISCOUNTENANCED-POLITICAL ACTION—
HUNGARIANS IN THE COKE REGIONS. TRADE-MARK OR LABEL
ADOPTED IN 1884-NINTH SESSION-PINKERTON'S DETECTIVES
QUESTION OF EDUCATION - ADDRESS OF THE GENERAL MASTER
WORKMAN SPECIAL SESSION RELATIONS OF TRADES-UNIONS
STRIKES ARBITRATION · CO-OPERATION - RAPID GROWTH OF THE
ORDER.

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DEATH OF

HILADELPHIA, the City of Brotherly Love, the home of Lippard and of the Brotherhood of the Union, has the honor of being the birth-place of the Noble Order of the Knights of Labor.

In 1862 or 1863, the garment-cutters of Philadelphia organized an association, and, desiring to obtain a charter from the State, added to the usual features of such associations that of co-operation. It was, practically, a trades-union, and had for a time considerable influence in the trade.

After the ups and downs, failures and successes, incident to such organizations, it was finally decided to dissolve and

divide the fund among the members, which amounted to $89.79. This action. was finally taken on December 9, 1869.

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For a year and a half prior to this time, the formation of a secret society had been frequently discussed.

Every movement of the union was known to the employers, and members were constantly in danger of discharge; and, hence, it was very difficult to find earnest and active members who were willing to serve on committees. The attendance at the meetings was necessarily very small at times, not even a quorum being present to transact business.

On November 25, 1869, a committee had been appointed to prepare a plan of reorganization. This committee made a partial report at the meeting on the evening of December 9. The report provoked much discussion, the committee favoring the formation of a secret society. It was during this discussion that the motion to dissolve was made and carried.

Immediately upon the dissolution of the meeting, those who were in favor of forming a secret society remained. Mr. James L. Wright, as president of the former association, called the meeting to order, and appointed Robert C. Macauley secretary, he having occupied that position in the

old association.

The following-named persons then agreed to form a secret society: James L. Wright, Robert C. Macauley, Joseph S. Kennedy, William Cook, Robert W. Keen, U. S. Stephens, James M. Hilsee, David Westcott, W. H. Phillips, Washington Shields.

The chair then, on motion, appointed Robert W. Keen, U. S. Stephens, David Westcott, Joseph S. Kennedy, James M. Hilsee as a committee to prepare a secret work. Mr. Wright, the chairman, and Mr. Macauley, the secretary, were added to the committee. The meeting then adjourned to meet at the same place, America Hose Company's House, Jane street, below Seventh, on December 23, 1869.

During the interval between the time of adjournment and the time fixed for the next meeting, the committee met at the house of Mr. Joseph S. Kennedy, on Green street, above

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Ninth.

THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR.

399

On December 23d, they met according to adjournment. No business of importance was transacted, except that they resolved to meet at the house of Mr. Kennedy on December 28th. On that date it was announced that they had secured a hall in the United States Fire-Engine House, Fourth street, above Vine, for $1.50 per night. The Committee on Ritual made a partial report, and the following persons being present subscribed their names to the obligation:

Uriah S. Stephens, James L. Wright, Robert C. Macauley, James M. Hilsee, William Cook, Robert W. Keen, Joseph S. Kennedy.

At this meeting, upon motion of Mr. Wright, the new organization was named the "Knights of Labor." And, from this humble beginning, in the house of a garment-cutter, within sound of the old "Liberty Bell" that rang out the war against the monarchical system of government, and proclaimed liberty to the people, there went forth a new declaration of war against the monarchical system of labor, and the proclamation of a new era of liberty, of peace and plenty.

Here, in this house, these seven men founded an organization in whose power now rests, perhaps, the destinies of the Republic. Under the standard that they lifted at this Christmas season of 1869, a standard of peace and good-will to all good-willing men, a peaceful army of a million workers now rally. These heretofore unknown men, who stood the jeers of their fellows in the early days of the organization, now bear modestly the accumulating honors due their longcontinued years of honorable service. One of them, the first Grand Master Workman, whose words were of wisdom, unswerving fealty, and untiring effort, has passed away, his body lies in an unmarked grave in the Odd Fellows' Cemetery in Philadelphia, near the last resting-place of George W. Lippard, the founder of the "Brotherhood of the Union." Uriah S. Stephens is not forgotten. His pictured face looks down from the walls of the assembly-rooms upon the thousands who are building a monument of gratitude to his memory, not in crumbling granite, but in the building of an organization seeking the ends he sought, and that shall, if

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