The Knights of Labor Forbidden to Go Political
A national labor board issues a stern rebuke to Seattle assembly members, setting a precedent against using union dues for party politics.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Two weeks ago, the District Assembly of the Knights of Labor, of which Robert Nielson is Master Workman, voted $50 to the United Labor Party general fund. In answer to a protest of the General Assembly, the following ruling was handed down from Philadelphia: The appeal of Local Assembly No. 24 was laid before the General Executive Board, and their decision is to the effect that the action taken by District Assembly No. 24, in voting to the United Labor party, or any other party, was clearly in violation of law and established precedent. This was unanimously approved by a majority of the board. No money can be voted from an Assembly, District or Local, for political purposes. The members of the board present when my decision was acted upon were all of my mind. They were Bailey, Barry, Aylesworth, Hayes and Gorteson. General Worthy Foreman Griffiths was present also. The District Assembly of Nielson and his Master Workman has a membership of about 800, including, presumably, men of all parties. At present the entire machinery of the District organization is in the hands of a radical faction, the friends of Nielson. The immediate effect of the ruling is to prevent Nielson's supporters from levying assessments on his political opponents for political collection money. It is in the general application, however, that the ruling is most interesting, for the precedent establishes a definite policy for the Knights of Labor wherever their organization exists.
“No money can be voted from an Assembly, District or Local, for political purposes.”
This 1887 dispute over the intersection of labor union funds and electoral politics mirrors modern-day debates regarding the role of collective labor power in supporting political candidates. Even in the late 19th century, Seattle’s labor movement was a potent political force, struggling with the tension between internal solidarity and the influence of partisan affiliations.
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