The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-10-16
Workingmen's Meeting.

Workingmen's Meeting.
The meeting of the worHngmen
which was adjourned from last satur'
day evening until Tuesday evening
met at the Court House last evening
The purpose of the meeting was to nom
mate a candidate for the State Senate
There was not very large number OF
persons in attendance, there being
probably, about fifty workingmen. The
nomination of candidate for the State
Senate was dispensed with for the pres
ent. Arunning discussion took place
on the general principle of working
mems rights, and the meeting adjourned
to meet or next Saturday night. The
following platform was adopted by the
meeting:
woRKINGMES's PLATFORM.
WHEREAS, The industrial classes are
the creators of the real greatness and
prosperity of the country, and at the
same time are the chief bearers Of the
burthens Of government, fighting Its
battles in ii mes of war and sharing the
largest proportion of taxation in times
of both peace and war, and
WHEREAS, The rights and interests OF
the industrial classes have been serl'
ously and grossly neglected in both Ma
tional and State legislation, which ne
glect has been practiced in the interests
of monopelies and an oppressive monied
aristocracy, and -.
WHEREAS, A vital necessity exists fer
a thorough reformation of the various
abuses which for years have character
lied our State Legislature, in order that
the rights and interests of the mechanic,
the farmer, the artizan and the laborer,
and also the honest capitalist, may not
be subordinated to the schemes of cor
rupt politicians of the old political par
ties; and, believing that experience has
clearly taught us that the desired refor-
nation cannot be entrusted to profess
sional politicians of either of the said
political parties, therefore,
Resolred, That the industrial classes
of Ohio county, without regard to former
political opinions or associations
and speaking through their delegated
representatives assembled in Conven-
tion, to declare,
/. That we hereby organize perma-
nently the Labor Reform party of Ohio
county, in harmony with the cause of
labor reform throughout the United
States, and that we will, as working
men, support those and those only who
will advocate the principles of labor
reform, and use their influence in sup
port of such laws as will secure to the
laboring classes their just rights.
2. We declare that inasmuch as the
workingman depends upon his labor
alone for the support of himself and
family, and inasmuch as he contributes
more directly than any Others, towards
increasing the capital of his employer,
his unpaid wages should by law be made
lien on the employers property, and
then become a preferred claim, so that
the insolvency of his employer would
not, as now, result in defrauding him of
his hard-earned wages.
3. We declare that the present sys-
tenn of valuing property and occu-
pations for the purposes of taxation
whereby the cheap homes and small
incomes of the working man are valued
far higher, in proportion to their real
worth, than those Of the rich, thereby
throwing the burdens of taxation chiefly
on the poor, is, in the opinion of this
Convention, an outrage that should be
speedily redressed by appropriate leg
islation. 1t being still further the
opinion of this Convention that there
is nothing apon which taxation should
bear more lightly than upon the hum
BILE home and meagre income of the
laboring man.
4. We declare that the administration
of government should be marked by the
strictest economy, in order that present
taxation may be diminished as rapidly
as possible, and all additional burdens
upon the people averted.
3. We declare for equal taxation ac-
cording to wealth, and no favored
classes; every citizen should pay taxes
on what he possesses, whether his pos
sessions consist of lands, merchandise,
houses, farms, factories, bonds, or
money on hand. And we declare also
that tariff duties should be reduced
upon all articles of necessity, so that
labor may be rightfully taxed.