The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-10-23

Il
ufscture; third, tax on the bust
ness; and, in fact, tax on everything.
The speaker concluded by exhorting
the laboring men of Ohio county to
stand firm, and do their duty to their
country and themselves; stating that
they were tho rigbtfal govesnors Of the
country, and that they, by right, should
govern it. tx, 40
Mr.. Matthews, of Pittsburgh, followed
in speech of some length, taking in
all the points of the question. He said
that capital was simply accumulated
labor, and that the favored capitalists
had been and" were trying to crush the
laboring man; that they, the laboring
classes, had determined to cut loose and
swing upon their own hook. He said it
was not wrong for the workingmrn to
try to do som ething for themselves; that
he had been studying and agitating the
question for twenty-five years and
should understand it thoroughly. He
cited some instances in Pennsylvaniain
which politicians had deceived laborers,
and asked if it was any wonder that the
laboring men wanted to start a party
and do something for themselves.
(Cheers.) He said they did not want
to injure capital, but would conceae to
it all the rights that belonged to it.
(Cheers.) he said that the Legislature
of Pennsylvania was under the control
of the railroads. He didn't know
whether the West Virginia Legislature
was any better or not, but he would not
advise them to trust it. He cited the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad as an il
lustration of the fact. He said the only
way to deal with such corporations was
not to give them power, and then trust
to luck afterwards. [Cheers.l That
high tariffs were put on goods to pro-
tect the labor of the country, because
they could not afford to compete with
the pauper labor of Europe, and, after
the laws were passed, the, capitalists
would import pauper labor from Europe,
and put them to work at almost moth
ing, and make the American laborer
work for less, and pocket all the tariff
themselves. He had never known a.
protective tariff put on any par
ticular kind of manufactured goods
without it was Immediately followed
by a proposition for a reduction of
wages. He asked if 1t was net right
that the majority should rule; that the
workiagmen of the United States COM
posed four-ffths of the population, and
had never had any representation yet.
He said eight hours day was enough
for any man to work. He knew that
there were certain cases where the eight
hour system would not be practicable,
but that special bargains could be made
in such cases; that the quill drivers" OF
the Government had only to work six
hours a day, but the poor mechanic, in
the employment ofthe Government, had
to pound ont their ten or twelve hours
and he wanted to know, if our rulers
were friends Of the workmen, why this
distinction was made; that they intend
ed to bringthis subject before Congress,
and have it settled there. Some mon
said that if the laboring man had
to work only eight hours, he
would loaf around beer shops
and be in all kinds of vice. He wanted
to know if Il check shirt had not as
much right to do what they pleased as
broad-cloth men. But this talk is all
false; the time would be employed
in learning, and trying to raise them
selves to high standard, &c.
Mr.. Armstrong, of Pittsburg, spoke
next in a short and spirited address,
which we have not room nor time to
report. Mr.. Armstrong is member of
the Typographical Union of Pittsburg,
and President of the Trades Assem-
bly, of that city. His remarks
were pertinent and well received.
He stated that he was sorry to hear that
the Typographical Union of Wheeling
had withdrawn its delegates from the
Trades Assembly of this city, upon
the grounds of the Assembly's taking
part in politics. In other cities theTyI-
Unions had taken the lead in
this great reform, and he regretted that
such was not the case in Wheeling.
After few more remarks by Mr..
Kreps. the meeting adjourned.