Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-02-14
HUNGARIAN CHEAP LABOR.
A Protest from the Coke-WOrkers I
the ConnellsviIle Region.

the ConnellsviIle Region.
PIrTsBBRG, February 13.-During the
past few years the Connellsyille coke re-
gion has been flooded with Hungarian
cheap labor by the operators. and now the
works in the vicinity Of Mount Pleasant
are for the most part run by the foreigners.
The native wOrkmen have shown signs Of
discomfort, but, while chatting under the
infliction, have refrained from committing
any overt act, and have thereby won the
sympathy of all classes of the community.
Forbearance has almost ceased to be vir-
tue, however, and it has been decided to
open a crusade against further increase of
the Hungarian element. The region is
flooded with circulars, OF which the follow.
ing is copy:
Open Letter.
An appeal 10 the Christian Pubic:
One of the most degrading influences
brought to bear upon our community IS
the indiscriminate importation OF Hun
garian serfs and their employment on pub.
lie works, in preference to good citizens
who are willing and can perform more and
better labor for the same pay. 1t has been
the custom of certain coke operators, not
living among US, to import and furnish
these serfS and these Magyars employment
in preference to good citizens. Yet they
have the audacity 10 cry out to US to pro-
tect them from ruinous free trade or
their business will be destroyed and there
will be no employment for our working
men. Little do they cale for our working
men or our business men. They are
running both, and well they know it. Their
love for these serfs is far ahead of that Of
their country and that Of their fellow
men. We now appeal for protection. Our
causes are many. The following are few
of them: Go to any Of the coke'works
where these serfs are employed, and you
will find women and children at work fit
only for the stoutest men, women at work,
with infants lying promiscuously on the
cold ground; girls under 10 years OF age
fOrking and drawing coke, extreme hlthi-
ness in their houses and in their habits,
extreme promiscuity in their marital rela.
tions, carrying on an illicit whisky traffic,
and hundreds of degrading habits which
space cannot afford to enamer-
ate. Can we, as Christian people,
stand idly by and tolerate such wrongs?
Every operator who sends these beings
among us knows he is doing us a wrong
Every boss who gives employment to these
females knows he is violating the laws Of
morality and is bringing his people into
degradation. II it really takes men, wo-
men and children at hard labor to keep a
family which lives on the cheapest and
filthiest of fare, what will other American
citizens do for a living? Can you, our
Christian ministers, be silent in your pull
pits in regard to this gross immortality, and
yet condemn some OF the more innocent
pleasures? A few years ago prayers went
up from every pulpit and pen for the AL
mighty to release the Southern slaves from
bondage, and our citizens fought until our
land was drenChed in blood. Can you be
silent and see our citizens who are born
and raised among us go to seek employ
ment in mines too hard for the Hungarians
to work. Speak, or your silence gives con-
sent, and the homes that once knew US
shall know US no more. CITIZENS.