KNIGHTS OF LABOR, an American labor organization which originated among the garment-cutters of Philadelphia in 1869. It was founded by 10 members of the trade under the leadership of Uriah Stevens, as a secret society, with a rather elaborate ritual. It grew slowly at first; though workingmen of all trades were admitted, it was not until 1872 that the second local assembly was formed, but in that year 27 locals were organized, all in Phila delphia; the first local organized outside that city was that of the gold-beaters of New York. In its first organization politicians, physicians, lawyers and liquor-dealers were excluded from membership; the two latter classes are still ex cluded. The first general assembly was held at Reading, Pa., in 1878, where seven States were represented. At this meeting a declaration of principles was adopted which remains substan tially the same; the purpose was declared to be the °organizing, educating, and directing of the power of the industrial masses' in order to °make industrial and moral worth, and not wealth, the true standard of national and indi vidual greatness?' and to °secure to the work ers the full enjoyment of the wealth they cre ate.° To secure these aims, the organization demanded certain legislative remedies, includ ing the referendum, the establishment of a bureau of labor staitstics, abrogation of class laws, prohibition of the employment of children under the age of 15, abolition of the contract system on public works, and of the convict labor system, and reforms in the financial and land laws; and in the industrial field it pro posed to °establish co-operative institutions which will tend to supersede the wage-system?" to secure both sexes equal rights, and gradually to reduce the hours of labor to eight per day.
In 1881 all secrecy was abolished, and in 1882 a revised constitution adopted, in accordance with which the organization consists of local assemblies, of not less than 10 members, of whom three-fourths must be wage-earners or farmers; district assemblies, formed by not less than five locals,' and' the general assembly, which meets annually for the election of officers and the transaction of business. The executive
officers are a general master workman, general worthy foreman, general secretary-treasurer, and general executive board. The constitution provides also for the support of strikes ap proved by the executive board after all attempts at conciliation have failed. The organization grew rapidly after this time, till in 1886 dele gates at the general assembly represented over 300,000; at that time, however, dissensions be gan which resulted in a split and the formation of the American Federation of Labor (q.v.). Though the organization remained powerful for several years, its numbers began to de crease, and at present it has less than 100,000 members, and its influence has gradually de clined. In 1890 The Journal of United Labor was established; later the name was changed to Journal of the Knights of Labor, and it is the official journal of the organization.
The Knights differ radically from the trades unions in the basis of their organization; their ideal is to organize labor without distinction of trade, and to harmonize individual and trade interests with the interest of the whole; though locals may be organized on trade lines, no autonomy of trades is allowed. This and the fact that the general executive board tried to exercise a too centralized authority were among the chief causes of dissatisfaction. Strikes were at one time condemned by the general assembly (1880), but later the organization took part in a number of strikes and also made use of the boycott; violence has been at all times con demned. (See AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR; LABOR ORGANIZATIONS). Consult McNeill, Labor Movement; the Problem of To day" Powderly, 'Thirty Years of Wright, Sketch of the Knights of Labor' (in Quarterly Journal of Economics, Vol. I, p. 137, Boston 1887) Ely, R. T., 'Labor Movement in (New York 1886) ; Kirk, William, (Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor) (ib. 1906).