Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-01-31
SOUND WITHOUT SENSE.
The Indignation Meeting Not VOx Pop.
aIi, but GOx. ct Pretera Mill.
TO Me Editor Of We ReytSt

~ cue LSNN" " tftS Ae'yt~tt'-
Demagoguism is the property OF a
large majority OF those men who like to
keep school BOYS away from their schools
for the purpose of turning the grindstone,
so that they may grind their axes, and al
ter that is done, they have no further use
for tlem. This Indignation movement
does not represent the people; it does not
represent the capital of our city; it does
not represent the interests OF the working
or laboring classes; it does not represent
the intelligence and social standing OF our
citizens to the same extent that the ''citi-
zens movement" does. Now, what does it
represent? Simply, nobody-a sound
without sense or reason. The cry or the
demagogue is in it. 1t is capital trampling
on labor they say. Let us expose this
glaring demagoguistical delusion.
For illustration, will employ the facts
rs furnished by the Riverside mill: That
mammoth establishment employs about
500 men, and pays city water tax OF s., 500
annually.
Like all OF our mills, this mill has been
pressed with orders in advance OF its capac-
ity to fill them, and every day, and every
hour lost to the mill, because OF the city's
inability to furnish all adequate supply Of
water, was not only a loss to the stock
holders, but to the 800 men working i'll
that mill. While the stockholders and
managers of this mill, and all the other
mills and manufacturing industries of our
city, depending on the city for water, were
willing, and ready to give employment and
wages to their employees. yet, because OF
the want of water, they had 10 disappoint
their patrons, and tell their employees to
90 home and wait for water. How many
thousands Of dollars have mill owners lost
during the last year for want OF water?
How many thousands of dollars have the
employes of those mills and factories lost
because of stoppages caused by the failure
of the water works? Look at this question
of change in the light of figures and
facts, and reason, and pause awhile in your
dcnunciation.
This effort to array class against class is
the bone that the demagogue knows, is
his only capital stock in trade. | would
like to know how to separate capital from
labor. and labor from capital. Does not
capital produce labor, and does labor pro-
duce capital? How are you going TO sep
arate them? Is there not an indestructlble
relation existing between them? Is not
that relation arbitrarily and peremptor-
lily mutual?
Will some of the "IndignationistS who
are putting up the demagogical howl about
this citizens movement as they are
pleased to call it, tell us wherein this cit
izens' movement Injuries single working
man. men or class in this city? 1t does not
disfranchise anybody or class. The capi-
tslistS and prOprietOrs of our mills, &c,
cannot vote any more frequently or cast any
more votes than their employees, and yet
the demagogue says the citizens movement
is capital depressing labor.
For the good name and interests OF the
thousands of wOrkingmen in our city, who
receive employment and their daily bread
from that very class of men, who are now
being held up to public gaze by these dem
agogues. who couldn't give an hours work
if left To their own resources TO any OF you
men. who know that their doom is sealed
already; men, who represent no interest
but their own. il any they have outside OF
their demagoguism. say, il is to be
hoped that they will not throw their in
tiuence in favor of this indignation move
ment," but will sustain those who sustain
them and their families, in their effort to
so change our city government so rs TO
meet the wants and supply them, as rep
resented by the citizens movement. |
have no censure to utter against those
members of Council who represented the
majority sentiment OF their wards, out
those who voted against their constituents
by voting against the proposed, change are
certainly liable to the censure OF their con-
stituents. Ifany OF the anti-reformers will
show wherein this citizens movement
takes away a single right from labor, and
gives it to capital, would like to see it.
Workingmen of Wheeling, you are ex-
pected to play the part of the truant school
boys. while the demagogueS grind their axes
tgratifv their sordid ambitions and after
that YOU can take a back seat. Let those
men who want to indignate to doso to their
hearts content; but don't let them draw
YOU in their coils. You represent the vox
populi of the city, but those who are now
Striving to deceive you by the cry of class
legislation. represent the vOS ct praetera
Mill of the city. That is nothing at all
but an empty sound. Beware of them.
REFORNGg.