PROGRAMME OF THE KNIGHTS OF LABOUR OF AMERICA, 1885
I. To make industrial and moral worth, not wealth, the true standard of individual and national greatness.
II. To secure to the workers the full enjoyment of the wealth they create; sufficient leisure in which to develop their intellectual, moral, and social faculties; all the benefits, recreation, and pleasures of association; in a word, to enable them to share in the gains and honours of advancing civilisation.
In order to secure these results, we demand of the State:
III. The establishment of Bureaus of Labour Statistics, that we may arrive at a correct knowledge of the educational, moral, and financial condition of the labouring masses.
IV. That the public lands, the heritage of the people, be reserved for actual settlers; not another acre for railroads or speculators: and that all lands now held for speculative purposes be taxed to their full value.
V. The abrogation of all laws that do not bear equally upon capital and labour, and the removal of unjust technicalities, delays, and discriminations in the administration of justice.
VI. The adoption of measures providing for the health and safety of those engaged in mining, manufacturing, and building industries; and for indemnification to those engaged therein for injuries received through lack of necessary safeguards.
VII. The recognition by incorporation of trades-unions, orders, and such other associations as may be organised by the working masses to improve their condition and protect their rights.
VIII. The enactment of laws to compel corporations to pay their employees weekly, in lawful money, for the labour of the preceding week, and giving mechanics and labourers a first lien upon the product of their labour to the extent of their full wages.
IX. The abolition of the contract system on national, State, and municipal works.
X. The enactment of laws providing for arbitration between employers and employed, and to enforce the decision of the arbitrators.
XI. The prohibition by law of the employment of children under fifteen years of age in workshops, mines, and factories.
XII. To prohibit the hiring out of convict labour.
XIII. That a graduated income-tax be levied.
And we demand at the hands of the Congress:
XIV. The establishment of a national monetary system, in which a circulating medium in necessary quantity shall issue direct to the people, without the intervention of banks; that all the national issue shall be full legal tender in payment of all debts, public and private; and that the Government shall not guarantee or recognise any private banks, or create any banking corporations.
XV. That interest-bearing bonds, bills of credit or notes shall never be issued by the Government, but that, when need arises, the emergency shall be met by issue of legal tender, non-interest-bearing money.
XVI. That the importation of foreign labour under contract be prohibited.
XVII. That in connection with the post-office, the Government shall organise financial exchanges, safe deposits and facilities for deposit of the savings of the people in small sums.
XVIII. That the Government shall obtain possession, by purchase, under the rights of eminent domain, of all telegraphs, telephones, and railroads, and that hereafter no charter or licence be issued to any corporation for construction or operation of any means of transporting intelligence, passengers or freight.
And while making the foregoing demands upon the State and National Government, we will endeavour to associate our own labours:
XIX. To establish co-operative institutions such as will tend to supersede the wage system, by the introduction of a co-operative industrial system.
XX. To secure for both sexes equal pay for equal work.
XXI. To shorten the hours of labour by a general refusal to work for more than eight hours.
XXII. To persuade employers to agree to arbitrate all differences which may arise between them and their employees, in order that the bonds of sympathy between them may be strengthened and that strikes may be rendered unnecessary.