Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-09-18
Jas. w. Newman's Position Uncquiv-
ocaily that of the Laboring Mans
Advocate and Friend.

Advocate and Friend.
Two years ago many of the working
men of Ohio who desired to know how
Hon. Jas. w. Newman stood with re-
lation to labor, inquiries were sent to
Portsmouth by them, from different
parts of the State, addressed to work.
ingmen here.
In reply the following extracts from
the Portsmouth Times, Mr.. Newman's
paper, were collated, printed in the
form of a circular, and sent to those
places. These articles were published
at time when Mr.. Newman was edi-
tor of the paper, and no candidate for
office.
But few of these circulars were dis
trihuted then, and that was near the
close of the campaign, but those who
read them are beginning to ask this
year that they shall be reprinted and
more widely circulated. The extracts
were written, and, as may be inferred,
at time when but few newspapers in
the country were championing the
workingmen's cause during the period
of the very bitter warfare made against
labor organizations in Southern Ohio,
and are as follows:
EARNED EVERY DOLLAR THEY WERE
We have seen the same rollers, heat
ers and their helpers going home in the
evening, when theirslow step, and their
weary look told too well that they had
earned every dollar they were paid!
earned it by wasted energy and wasted
strength! and they have earned it from
the time the crude ore was discovered
In the bowels of the earth, where God
paced 1t TO give man employment, un-
I'LL to-day. Such class of men, whose
occupation is so very hazardous, so
strength-consuming, who work, from
dawn till sunset, amid the rattle and
cash OF machinery, and flying sparks
OF the red iron, without holding con-
verse each with the other who are COM
PEELED to take tlleir meals in their little
tin pals, denying themselves the pleas
ure OF sitting down to the table with
their wives and little ones-this is the
class of men that are misrepresented
by the hired emissary of corrupt Or
gan Times Jan. 81, 1874.
AN INSULTING ORDER To wORKMEN.
The Ohio Valley Iron Association
having passed Resolution threatening
if the men did not go to work by GER
tain time their "names should be pub
lished, and furnished other members of
the Association, arhO aDiU mt emplOu
Meua," the Times of February IA, 1874
said: Though the Association, with all
the studied instincts of the demagogue,
say they "do not desire in any respect
to do injustice to any workmen in their
employ" yet they declare that they
will not only discharge faithful and
honest workingmen, but that their
names shall he sent from mill to mill,
through the Valley of the Ohio. So
the name of thief is sent from one po-
lice station to another. Does not long
and continued, and faithful service de-
serve better treatment at the hands of
men whose fortunes have been made
by these workmen they would brand
with the mark of CAIN? Is this to be
the reward of men who have grown
gray in the service of these velvet
lined aristocrats? Out with such hy-
pocrisy! 1t is grinding despotism ofa
set of men whose wealth has been made
by those whose labor they seek on a
false theory.
Why did the second meeting of the
Association convene and adopt sterner
measures? 1t was to frighten the Ia
borers. 1t was to force them to work.
Their former alliance extended to the
10th of March,
Why did they meet one month SOON
er to promulgate this insulting order to
workmen? 1t was cowardly piece of
intimidation. 1t should be treated as
the miserable piece of huffoonery that
it is. Times, Feb. 14th, 1874.
DENoUNCING THE "HLACK LIST"
Following swift upon the late finan-
cial panic, the Ohio Valley Iron Asso-
citation met in Cincinnati on the 18th
of November 1873, and promulgated an
order that the workman should only
receive ten per cent. above Pittsburg
prices, and day labor was to be reduced |
from fifteen to twenty-five per cent
To this, the workmen replied that they
could not accept, bnt they would ac-
cept reasonable reduction. Meantime |
the effects of the panic were just be-
ginning to be felt in the Valley of the |
Ohio, and the money grabbers compos-
ing this Iron-master's Association, feel
ing that the pinching times would
bring the worknen to their knees, as
ready suppliants, without attempting
to arbitrate, on the 10th of December
following, issued an edict withdrawing
the first proposal, and offering only
Pittsburg prices.5 This order was treat
ed by the worknaen with the contempt
it should have met, and then these men,
better fitted for monarchy than re-
public, met at the Gait House, in Louis
vile, KY, on the 10th Of February,
1874, and issued q coWaYI,y and threat