Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-09-29
PUBLIC SENTIMENT.
Bears Heavily for a Start OF the
Mills.
The Voice ofthe People Calls Loudly for an
End to the Stagnation, and Gives
Potent Reasons Therefor.

operatives as HOulu IeSuit HI OH iAe
ate start of all of the mills and when, yes
terday morning, it was found the end was
no nearer, the disappointment and chaSrln
were general. The interest in the mill sit
uation completely overshadows everything
else in the city and vicinity and the lockout
is the one absorbing topic. By tomorrow
evening il will have been four months since
the mill fires we're allowed to die out Since
the last yestige of mill smoke drifted up
and was lost in the heavens the summer
has come, fingered and gone again and the
autumn begun without a change. And
such a summer as it has been, Long will
the workman and the storekeeper OF Wheel.
ing remember the summer OF 1857 as one OF
the gloomy and panicky times when money
was money and when each shop felt the
necessity Of book-keeper.
Interest and feeling were intense when
the strike was general, but since the Pitts
burph war has ended and Wheeling has
been left to fight alone, the excitement has
Intensified and spread. Not alone is the
iron worker interested and concerned in
the lockout, but every branch OF business
and nearly every citizen of Wheeling is in
directly identified. 1t has become matter
which concerns the material welfare OF the
CITY and which enlists and compels the at
teDtion of every trade and profession, prl-
yate or public. When the situation present,
ed the aspect OF body of men striking and
Standing out for an advance of wages, the
manufacturers had the sympathy OF large
number of disinterested people; but since
the change has come and the situation re-
yeals the mills closed down until the men
shall agree to work for less wages than be-
fore the strike, there has been q strong re-
yulsion Of public opinion and the over
whelming sentiment of the city, in general,
is with the men.
In their rounds through the highways
and byways of tine city, ably and a-down
the avenues OF business and the lanes OF
private life, REGISTER reporters have op:.
portunities of gathering up vast deal OF
the expression of public opinion, and 1t IS
drawing the case mildly to say the popular
will cries loudly for the starting OF the
mills Among the citizens at large are two
distinct sides OF people, those who judge
from their own immediate feelings and
those who speak only after careful study
of the surroundings and effect, and both
Kinds are almost universally down on the
mill owners With the first, the belief Is
that the present status OF the lockout shows
the manufacturer, now that he has defeated
the workman, is determined to crush him;
with the other, men and manufacturer are
individually overlooked, and the effect
upon the city and its trade and commerce
alone is seen. And the verdict OF both is,
let the mills 60 on.
A prominent business man OF the city,
and one largely interested in mills said
Yesterday: a am confident that not only
a majority OF the holders of mill stock, in
this city, but even majority of the direc-
tors favor start of the mills. They, are
held back by one or two owners, whom
they allow to lead them about by the noses.
| can pick out dozen directors OF my per-
sOnal acquaintance, who will vote, any
time for a cessation of the disputed %
cents"
Then why do not the mills go on
81 think il has simply resolved itself into
a question of pride and endurance. In the
beginning, several manufacturers said their
mills should rot before they would pay the
price, and now, having gone Oh record,
they won't change. These same men be-
rated the workmen for not acknowledging
their error, like men, and yet they fail to
exhibit the same manhood they preached
How do YOU think the general public
views the lockOut"'
The sentiment is overwhelmingly in IA
vor of the men. People believe that the
manufacturers, having won the strike, are
and crush the workmen.
verify believe that should the mills be
idle month longer there will be such a
current OF public indignation that it will
be irresistible
A merchant, who said his business was
being greatly damaged by the lockout, was
of the opinion the commercial reputation
of the city was being endangered; You
NAV look about YOU" said he, land see the
.lnln in atatp
of prosperity. North, south, east and west
il is the same way. But when you come to
Wheeling, how is it? OF all the whole iron
world, Wheeling alone is idle. And why?
Because her mill owners will not pay the
same prices to their workmen that they were
able TO pay, and still declare dividends
of from Is to 90 per cent
"But," said the reporter, "a manufacturer
says they will pay last years wages
Then" said the merchant, ~ know the
men will accept mat. But the mills will
not do that, 0r this strike would not have
lasted a day after the arrangement was
made at Pittsburgh. This whole matter
hangs on the boilers pay, and when that is
was calling particular attention to was
the effect on the city. The retail trade may
be seen by anybody. Grocerymen and dry
goods houses are keeping great many poor
people now, and it is very hard on them.
Wholesale trade is languishing in every
direction and nothing is being more jured
than the iron business itself. While
Wheeling is idling along western mills
are enjoying the boom aud are building
up trades and making markets that Wheel
ing will feel in the future. When at last
soErmills start, the market will be supplied
and diverted into new channels, and If the
strike continues much longer, Wheeling
will lose the prestige she now has OF being
a great nail center
The great trouble about adjusting this
strike" said a by.stander, ''is that men
and owners do not meet in the right
spirit. Instead Of coming together as
friends, with a determination to do the
most to bring about an agreement, they
meet as enemies, each suspicious OF the
other and neither willing to begin concilia-
tory measures"
There isa tremendous pressure" said
millst ckholder, yesterday, being brought
to bear on directors by the outside stock
holders who want to see the mills in opera
ton. Those who hsye not been warmed
up by the controversy are not anxious to
see their money lying idle while other mills
are coming money. l am one OF that kind
myself, and this is no time for the mills 10
be idle. When the strike began we werein
condition to stop. Had the mills run reg
ularly We would have all cut on nails and
perhaps lost a great deal of money, but
now nails are bring good price and there
is not mill in the city but could make
$4,000 between this and January l. The
stockholders know it, and are the more
anxious for the mills to 60 on"
A well known manufacturer, when told
of the pressure of public opinion, said he
knew it well enough, but it made no differ
ence to him. 1T is my money invested"
he said, and can do as please with it.
Men may talk about the interests OF the
city, until they're home. but when / see
my way, can be bull headed as the next
one"
When last nights conference had ad-
journed. without altering the situation,
further than to make it apparently more
desperate than ever, the hope of the morn
ing was entirely dissipated. A great many
business men ana store keepers had lin
eered about wal ting 20 hear the result and
learned it with profound discomfort. Sew
eral said they believed it would produce
such an exodus of workmen that in ten
days there would not be enough to half
run our mills, should they start.
e 81. -. k,-sl L.