The Rising Voice of the Labor Movement in 1885
As Seattle's local assembly of the Knights of Labor gains traction, General Master Workman T.V. Powderly outlines a vision for the 'complete emancipation of the slaves of the earth' from the tyranny of capital.
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.
Hamilton, Ont., Oct. 6, 1885: The General Assembly of the Knights of Labor reconvened here this morning. The order has grown with wonderful rapidity and now represents a membership of nearly two hundred thousand. General Master Workman Powderly, in his address, stated: 'Today the representatives of four thousand assemblies respond to the call for the ninth regular session of the most powerful organization of workingmen in the world... It belongs to every man and woman who toils for a livelihood, to every man and woman whose labor does not bear full fruit. Our work cannot be selfishly performed; for no matter how our legislation is moulded today, it must have in view the complete emancipation of the slaves of the earth from the tyranny of aggregated capital.' Powderly further condemned the use of Pinkerton detectives in labor disputes and called for national legislation to relieve the distress of the unemployed, noting that there are millions of acres of American land owned by men who have never set foot upon them. Locally, Queen City Assembly No. 3415 meets every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Masonic Hall in Seattle.
“Our work cannot be selfishly performed; for no matter how our legislation is moulded today, it must have in view the complete emancipation of the slaves of the earth from the tyranny of aggregated capital.”
The 1885 concerns regarding land speculation and the use of private security (Pinkertons) in labor disputes mirror modern Seattle’s ongoing tension between labor rights, corporate influence, and the struggle to secure affordable housing and work for the many, not just the few.
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