The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-05-11
TuELABoR QUESTION
Discussed AT "a Pittsburgh Sunday After
noon Meeting of workIngmen.

noon heetihE VI "oEAhh='hAs
Gazette Of yesterday.
Yesterday afternoon a large audience
assembled in the Opera House in response
to a general call for a meeting Of the
Knights Of Labor. The meeting in order
that Charles II. Litchman, Of Marblehead,
Mass, now in the city, might have an OPP.
portunity Of addressing the workmen OF
this community, Mr.. Miles McFadden
occupied the chair. The first speaker was
Philip Van Patten, workman OF Detroit,
Mich. Mr.. Van Patten said that it was
the first time that he had met the work.
men Of Pittsburgh, but was familiar with
them through the labor press. In refer
ence to the Knights OF Labor, he said:
"Our Order Is designed to be what Free
Masonry was intended to be. 1t starts
with the assumption that all men are
equal. Unfortunately Free Masonry is
afflicted with the same troubles that now
aftIict society. Money purchases the
honors and Free Masonry is sham. Our
Order OF the Knights OF Labor makes all
men equal. We should all attend to our
duties at the ballot box. In the pastit has
been lack OF charity that has broken up
labor organizations. The newspapers are
constantly attempting to misrepresent
labor organizations and their work. When
you see sensation In paper you may
know that either the editor is hard up or
else some reporter wants to make repu-
tation.
The next speaker was Mr.. Charles H.
Litchman, OF Marblehead, Mass. Mr..
Litchman began by stating that what he
had to say were the sentiments Of an
honest heart, and that he proposed to give
voice to the wrongs OF the workingmen.
He continued: ave stand to-day in
different relations to those OF years gone
by. ! am aware that the coming in the
brain OF laborsaving machinery has
changed the condition OF things. Two
hundred years ago il any one had spoken
OF the capabilities Of atelephone, he would
have been burnt as witch. (Applause.)
LABoR,sAvISG MACHINERY.
welcome labor-saving machinery as
boon to mankind. l would not take up
the iron track over which runs the iron
horse. 1 would not take up the cable
that binds two continents together or turn
back the hands oil the dial OF progress. l
only ask that a strong man OF work should
reap some OF the benefits OF this pro.
grcss. The wage labor system is wrong;
It is the half way station between slavery
Of olden times and the glorious;freedom OF
days to come, when the cooperative sys.
tenn shall become fact. One Of the re.
suits OF the introduction OF labor.saving
machinery, is the degradation OF laLor bv
the subdivision Of labor. There are six.
ty.iour subdivisions in the shoemaking
trade, and instead OF shoemakers to-day
we have the one sixty.iourth part OF
shoemaker Laughter 1t is an old say
ing that it takes nine tailors TO make a
man." well, the tailor can see the shoe
maker and go him seven better every
time.
In years gone by a man had to serve
an apprenticeship and master the trade
OF shoemaking. Nowadays II | had son
seven years old, and could not learn MIN
how to "puH" a shoe in three DAYS, /
would disown him. The cheap man is
used to-day as club to beat out the
brains Of skilled labor. Applause. ]
When you send men to the Legislature to
make laws, do not send men who will
legislate to oil the highways with tramps,
but rather men who will make tramps i'm
possible. have seen little children CIV
ing their hearts blood for dollars and
cents to soulless corporations. It would
be better that good days wages should
DO paid to the father that he may keep
his wife and children out OF the work
shop. would have all the inventions
the property OF the Government, and
make the manufacture OF patented ar
ticles free to all, and provide that roy.
atty should be paid, one-half TO the Gov. |
eminent and the other half to the in.
ventor who conceived the patent.
THE COMING STRUGGLE.
Sooner or later will come fight between
and the people for the control
II this government. There are three
great mOnopolies to-day, the railroad
monopoly, the land monopoly, the money
monopoly. There are Eve large large sys-
ems OF railways in this country to-day.
The Vanderbilt system, Pennsylvania sys-
EN-, Jay Gould system, Baltimore and
)hio Railroad system, Victor Newcomb
ystem which control every carand rail in
he country. Imagine the day when oil
hese railway systems are combined to-
ether. Then will come the struggle. $780, |
10000 ACRES OF land has been given to these
You have in your own State gigantic
known as the Standard Oil
to which your citizens have had
0 pay tribute in the shape Of extra freight.
sc.
believe that land Is common heritage
ust the same as air and sunshine, and
'elieve 1t would be Just as proper to shut
II the sunshine and sell the air at ten
ents quart as to give such enormous
and grants to the railroads. The ma.
lonal banking system is an outgrowth OF
he national debt, and the peFpetuation
I the former means the perpetuation OF
ne latter, The volume Of currency h