<P> The Knights of Labor attracted many Catholics , who were a large part of the membership , perhaps a majority . Powderly was also a Catholic . However , the Knights 's use of secrecy , similar to the Masons , during its early years concerned many bishops of the church . The Knights used secrecy and deception to help prevent employers from firing members . After the Archbishop of Quebec condemned the Knights in 1884 , twelve American archbishops voted 10 to 2 against doing likewise in the United States . Furthermore , Cardinals James Gibbons and John Ireland defended the Knights . Gibbons went to the Vatican to talk to the hierarchy . In 1886 , right after the peak of the Knights of Labor , they started to lose more members to the American Federation of Labor . It has been believed that the fall of the Knights of Labor was due to their lack of adaptability and beliefs in the old - style industrial capitalism . </P>
what incident lead to the downfall of the knights of labor
their lack of adaptability and beliefs in the old - style industrial capitalism