The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-08-07
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
NEW YORK, August 8

NEW YORK, August 8
Correspondence Wheeling Intelllsenctr.
The feeling on the great strike has en-.
tirely passed away in this section. The
roads aro all running, or preparing to
run again. Passenger cars are running
on all the roads, but freight trains are
not regular yet. The great difference in
the business OF transportation is seen
and felt in this city. Along the piers Of
North and East rivers, where go daily
IN the line OF my BUSINESS, see places
which before the strike employed hun.
ireLs OF laborers, but few men are now
a! work, and a truck wagon ia scarcely to
be seen. 1t will take some time before
the great business Of railroads will be on
i;s feet again.
Mr.. Vanderbilt, the millionaire Presi.
dent of the New York Central and Hud.
son River Railroads, has directed tho
distribution Of 100000 among those
IAborers employed on his roads who did
not engage in the strike. This looks like
magnificent donation, and it il; yet
when you consider the fact that there are
about 5000 employees on these roads, and
only 800 OF them struck, the net gain to
each one Of the men will only average
SIS So. The question, however, is not
mainly one Of dollars and cents. 1t is
one Of principle and justice. 1t proves
that 1t pays to do right under all circum.
stances, and that good conduct will al.
ways meet IL proper reward.
Now that the strike Is over and past, II
looks to me like the true inwardness Of
the case demands that each one OF the
railroad companies have full under.
standing with its men and with each
other. Let the process OF cutting under
each be stopped. There is no use for one
railroad to try to DO all the business Of
the country. It cannot do it. Neither
could it afford to do it, hit were at iIs
disposal. In the outset OF this contest |
made the observation that it was unjust
and unfair for the different trunk line
railroads, in order to monopolEe all the
business, to put freight and passen ger
rates down 80 low that the wages Of the
day lAborers must be continuously cut
down so IA to make the stock in the 70 ads
pay a dividend. The business men who
use the railroads in freiHhting their mer.
chandise, and those who travel on bust
ness, and especially those who summer
At the "seA.sideS," are the ones best able
to pay such priced for their freight and
passage as will enable the railroad COM
pAnies to declare respectable dividends,
aud At the Same time pay their
trNnmen respectable, living E1gss. The To-
direct cause Of the strike was the cutting
under process INDUCED in BY all our great
trunk lines for year or more past. Itis
clear case that il they carry freight
and passengers for half what they used
20 charge, that they must cut down all
expenses in that same proportion, other.
wise their dividends would only be half
what they formerly were. The point l
wish to make ia, that things should be-
equalized on an equitable basis. Stop the
process Of cutting under in prices for
freight and passage, and am very sure
that there will never again be a strike by
the trAinmen.
The New York papers are growing
quite Justify over the TACT that this State
alone proved itseli able to put the
strikers down without Federal aid.
There ia no denying the fact that its mill.
tiais in thoroughly organized condi.
ton, and can be put In the field BY few
hours warning. This should be true Of
all the states. The Sun, a few days ago.
went Tor the governors OF the different
stateS who called on the Presiden, for aid
almost az the very outset Of strikes with.
in their borders. 1t says that a Govern.
or who called for military assistance from
the Government, before first calling ont
allot the able-bodied mililiamen in his
State, and trying them, is and should be
termed an idiot. That Ia rather main
talk; and what is stranger still, II hits two
simon.pure Democratic Governors
.Quarely between the eyes. II Is true that
opposition to Federal aid is cardinal
principle OF the modern Democracy; but
modern Democracy as rule Is not sound
OF in any way reliable. 1t is my opinion
that Governor Mathews, Of West Virgin.
ia, did right in calling for Federal inter.
ference, and I commend him for II, aud
20 should all good citizens, regardless Of
the imputatiOns and slurs OF the Sun or
any other paper.
As might have been expected, the New
York people don't ike The Republican
platform adopted at Cleveland LAT Wed.
hesday. They are down on the "double
IKE li6eratiug tho people from the grapp
OF the bond.hOldsrs. Nothing but
hard money (gold) aud bonds suits
New York, She has no pa,ienee
With any other class men
or money, and nothing else could carry