Knights of Reciprocity
Knights of Reciprocity (acronym, KofR; est. 1890)[1] was an American secret political order organized in Garden City, Kansas, in 1890, by members of the Masonic Fraternity, Odd Fellows, and Knights of Pythias. It was largely inspired by opposition to the Farmers' Alliance.[2]
It was more or less a direct outgrowth of the Kansas elections of 1890. The Farmers' Alliance of that year promulgated platforms including sub-treasury schemes, absolute free trade, government loans, and several other socialistic projects. The Knights of Reciprocity, finding, perhaps, that a golden mean between the extreme Alliance men and the extreme party men would be the best, organized a society mainly for political education, but providing also for social and recreative entertainments.[3] In 1895, it claimed a membership of 126,000 in the Midwest and South.[2]
History
[edit]"The Knights of Reciprocity appear to be an organization to which the Western Republican can belong and avoid the horrible stigma of being an Eastern Mugwump. All Mugwumps favor limited free trade, reciprocity is limited free trade, but no Mugwump can be a Knight of Reciprocity. This is one more illustration of the expansive capacity of an extensive nomenclature." (Journal, Providence, Indiana, June 13, 1891)[4]
During the winter of 1890, this secret political order was organized in Garden City, Kansas, by the Hon. Jesse Taylor, Hon. D. M. Frost, of that city, S. R. Peters, and other Republicans. It early attracted attention throughout Kansas, in Missouri, and in many other States. It sought to secure the perpetuity of the Union, just and liberal pensions to honorably discharged soldiers and sailors of the Republic, protection of American industries, fair and equitable reciprocity between all the nations on the American continent, an intelligent ballot honestly cast and counted, and favored the disfranchising of every citizen who offers or accepts a bribe to influence a ballot.—[5]
Within the first year, 500 KofR lodges had been established in the west, and applications were being received daily at the KofR headquarters for the institution of new lodges from every State and territory.[6]
The organization's object was declared to be to teach the duties of citizenship, to discuss and study political history and economic questions that voters may cast intelligent ballots. The inspiration of the Knights of Reciprocity was a desire to counteract the influence in rural communities of what was regarded as a "Democratic Union Labor-Farmers' Alliance" combination in politics.[5]
The Supreme Lodge of the Knights of Reciprocity stated in one of its circulars, published in 1891:—[5]
"The only way for the farmers to meet the Alliance secret political society is with a secret society the object of which shall not be to nominate men for office, but to assist in educating the people and making them thoroughly acquainted with the wants of all the peopole and the fallacies of the alliance "calamity" howlers, who are tarveling form State to State, county to county, town to town, township to township, schoolhouse to schoolhouse, not for the good of the people, but for hte money they make and in hopes of political prootion. The. people should organize at once in opposition to the gigantic scheme."
It was doubtful whether the Knights of Reciprocity ever equaled the Farmers' Alliance in membership. The former claimed 126,000 members in 1895, and did not exceeded that total. Its lodges spread from Kansas to Missouri, Iowa, Ohio, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina, in all of which States the Alliance was also strong. Founders of the Knights of Reciprocity were members of the Masonic Fraternity, the Odd Fellows, and Knights of Pythias.[5]
There was a beneficiary branch of the order, membership in which was not restricted as to sex.[5]
Ritual
[edit]The ritual was based on the Golden Rule, as might be supposed, and taught equality, fair dealing, and the desirability of reciprocal trade relations both at home and abroad.[5]
Membership
[edit]For the convenience of organizing and extending the order a short political catechism was formulated, and each candidate for membership was required to answer the following questions:[3]
- Are you in favor of the perpetuity of our Union?
- Are you in favor of just and liberal pensions to all honorably discharged soldiers and sailors of the republic?
- Are you in favor of the protection of American industries?
- Are you in favor of fair and equitable reciprocity between all nations on the American continent?
- Are you in favor of fair and equitable reciprocity between all interests in our nation?
- Are you in favor of an intelligent ballot, honestly cast and counted?
- Are you in favor of disfranchising every citizen who offers or accepts a bribe to influence a ballot?
Organization
[edit]The organization was simple. There is a Supreme Lodge composed of two delegates from each State lodge. Its headquarters were originally in Garden City, Kansas, but were transferred to Washington, D.C. The state lodge was composed of representatives from subordinary lodges, and met twice a year.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ Rothstein, Morton (September 2002). Quantitive Studies in Agarian Hist. Purdue University Press. p. 178. ISBN 978-1-55753-276-3. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b Preuss, Arthur (1924). "Knights of Reciprocity". A Dictionary of Secret and Other Societies ... B. Herder Book Company. p. 228. Retrieved 19 October 2024. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b c "The Deseret Weekly". Vol. 45. Salt Lake City: Deseret News Company. 2 July 1892. p. 48. Retrieved 20 October 2024. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Western Mugwumpery". Providence Journal. 3 (7). New York City: Funk & Wagnalls: 191. 13 June 1891. Retrieved 19 October 2024 – via The Literary Digest. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b c d e f Stevens, Albert Clark (1907). "Knights of Reciprocity". The Cyclopædia of Fraternities. E.B. Treat and Company. p. 303. Retrieved 19 October 2024. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Chamber of Commerce Journal of Maine. Vol. 3. 1890. p. 362. Retrieved 19 October 2024. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
