Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-09-13


invested in q valuable franchise which was
conferred on them by the city and State.
After prolonged struggle with all the IN
huence that capital can employ labor
secured victory in the Legislature, only
to be thwarted by veto in the Executive
Chamber. They sought the adoption OF a
law which would at once prevent the prison
authorities of the State from contracting
criminal labor so as to bring it into COM
petition with honest industry. The measure
passed the assembly, but was defeated III
the Senate by an
Unholy Combination
of Republicans and recresnt Democrats
who ignored the pledges made in their party
platforms. By the efforts of Tammany,
through one of its Senators, an act was
posed and signed by the Governor to sub
NIT the question Of the abolition of the con-
tract system in State prisons to the voters
of the the State and the people sustained
the measure by majority Of l3S,OOO
votes, Notwithstanding hundreds Of thou
sands of ballots against the proposition
were secretly distributed by party managers
and members of the Democratic State Cen
tral Committee in order to defeat this Dem
ocratic measure. A bill limiting the hours
of labor of car drivers and conduc ors passed
the Legislature. 1t was met with an execu-
tive veto and killed. thereby continuing
the hardships of an honest overworked
body of men. The laborers and
mechanics of the State sought to protect
themselves from loss at the hands of dis
honest contractors and employers, and
caused to be passed an act by the legisla.
ture, giving the lien of the mechanic and
labOrer priority over all others. This
also suffered the same fate We might
add and enumerate other instances
but we have shown sufficient to have war,
ranted even stronger opposition on our
part to the nominee of the Democratic party
than we made at Chicago. Being an in
tegral portion of the great Democratic party
we have always in our capacity as delegates
exercised the right to advocate
men whom we know could be
trusted by the people or oppose the nomin-
alton ofthose who were not and it was in Il e
exercise of his right, and in the conscien-
tious discharge of duty that we took
occasion at Chicago to advise
against nomination which was made by
the National Convention. Our opposition
was without personal feeling, and arose
from our intimate knowledge Of the senti-
ments of the toiling masses of our State as
Il e cour.e of Gov Cleveland in reference
0 their labor bill.
The Most Charitable View
% take of his course is that he was ignorant
and uninlightened convincing the nation
and working of these Ilaws, which would
have occasioned so much'real benefit to the
workingmen and could not have result
ed in loss TO the employer.
We do not impugn the governors motives
or the views which he has expressed on the
subjects. They doubtless were conscien-
tiously considered in the discharge of his
official obligations and duties. We simply
expressed our knowledge of the antagon-
ism against him which excited
in the minds of the working men who COM
pose the bulk Of the Democratic voters Of
the State of New York. That the eXp ession
of our ideas as to the policy of nominating
as candidate for the Presidency a man
against whom so much opposition
existed was correct and justified
by the existing circumstances
let the occurrences which have transpired
since the adjournment of the National Con-
ventiOn determine Ii was apparent, how
ever, that the majority of the delegates were
not of our way of thinking. The most con-
scientious of them were actuated, no doubt
by his election as Governor of New York.
and without reflection and sufficient inform
alton deemed it the part of wisdom to
nominate a man who was elected to the
highest office in the State by the phenomenal
majority OF 1872, ,9S4. Those prejudiced were
probably governed by an anti-psrty that ex-
isted unreasonably against the members OF
Tsmmany Hall organization. That this
prejudice existed must be
and that it still exists even
among men who in other respects are open
10 conviction is equally true.
Whence comes it? To the unre asoning
hatred of partizan opposition we do not
seek to offer any argument or state any un-
disputed facts which might perchanee have
wei ht with thoughtful candid mind. In
deed IT would be
Useless Labor,
but we deem the present a most appropriate
occasion to reach the latter and disbuse
heir mind of any lingering doubt
which may exist as to- the
integrity Of this organization. 1t is not
unfair 10 claim in approaching this subject
that the Odium properly is chsrgeable to
Tammany hall organization, as it was in
ring times, should not attack to the present
Of ,he existing organization
and the present leadership Tammany hall
dates from 1874. The acts, depre-
latiOns and corrulfiOnS committed by the
lefe net ring and its Republican
Allies. preceded that date. When
samuel j. Tiidcn,
Oswald OttendOrtrr john Winthrop Chan
Her Augustus Schell, John Kelly, its pres
ent leader. and others succeeded in driving
Is corrupt leaders out OF rhe organization.
hey found Augean stable which, indeed,
.eauired Herculeah strength and executive
ability TO cleanse and put in order. These
workers for tha Democratic
partly succeeded in the work of restriction
)rder was restored and system of fair
primaries introduced in every assembly dis
rict; new general committee was elected
md again Tammany Hall became a re-
,pectable, lsw-sbiding Democratic organiza-
ion. selfrespecnng and respecting the
rights of others Its strength as Demo
ratio organization was increased to $4,000
,otes, which number were cast for that
Honest Old Dem ocrat,
Augustus Schell, now dead, as candidate
or Mayor, when he was defeated by Ed
ward Cooper. under a combination made
1y Democratic opposed TO Tammany Hall
With the Republican party OF this city on
division of offices which polled 10000 votes
against him.
At this point the address reviews at great
ength the part taken by the organization
n the campaigns OF 1876 and 1880, seek
ps to prove by figures its loyalty to the
Democratic party. At the close of this
chapter of the address, the Repubh-
,an party and its nominee, James
3 Blaine are arraigned in the most caustic
anguage. Page after page is devoted to
showing up its corruption and corrapang
Influences. The action Of Mr.. Blaine IN
he McSW Weeuey case is reviewed AMI his con-
emptible course laid open. In conclusion
he address declares for an unqualified sup
port of Cleveland and Hendricks as in all
hings superior TO Blaine and Logan. lac