Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-04-27
ORGANIZED LABOR.
Yesterdays Mass Meeting IN <. o.
-. Hall,
Presided Over By 7. ]. Irwin, Of Martins
Ferry---Addresses by f. N. Giess-
ner, John Howard, and
N. R. Hysell.

The mass meeting held at K. Of L. Hall.
Yesterday afternoon, under the auspices OF
the Trades and Labor Assembly OF the onio
Valley, was q success beyond the expecta-
tion of,he most sanguine promoter OF the
meeting.
The two halls in Beck's block were
thrown into one by the removal OF the par
tition, and the seating capacity was IN,
creased by placing long, cioth-eoVered
boards upon three chairs. By this means
seats we're furnished TO all who attended.
At three o'clock, the hour named for the
meeting, the large hall was completely Tiled.
Richard Robertson called the meeting 10
order and named T. j. Irwin, of Martins
Ferry. as chairman, which selection was
ratified BY the assembly.
Mr.. Irwin, on taking the chair, invited the
reporters for the press present to act as
Secretaries, and introduced the orator OF
the dsy, Frank NJ. Gessner, Of Plttsburg,
editor Of the Glassworker, and Secretary OF
the international Window Glass Workers
Union.
Mr.. Gessner took the stand amid ap-
| plause; and after warning the audience not
10 expect a grand speech, calculated to
| awaken enthusiasm and applause, but
rather cold, solid facts, food for mental d.
pestion after the audience had returned to
their homes. He delivered an address last
ing a little over an hour. The speaker
| dwelt on the fact that the workingmen
themselves were in great part responsible
for the misery which existed in their ranks
at present, and which they proposed to al
leviate by such f~oolishness as boycotting
the steel nail and natural gas. Nothing
could be gained by this. The boycotting
| should be put in force on those manufac'
turers who refused to pay Union wages
and upon those excuses for men who
we're willing to work for less than their
fellows. If the men composing the working
classes were thoroughly organized-state
national and Observation-Disclosures would be
no necessity for strikes. A scab workman
could be boycotted to such an extent as
would make life unbearable in a community
and the sale of q scab employers goods
would be so restricted as to make him glad
TO return to the way of righteousness. The
speaker referred to the money spent IN the
TWO strikes Of the glassworkers-a sum suti
cient to build a dozen glasshouses and
provide work for the greater part Of
the men who were locked out Mr.. Gessnel
re minds one of Francis Murphy from the
manner in which he changes from the grave
argument to place the subject in a huuor'
GUS light-a trait which adds immensely to
| the interest of his discourse.
Mr.. John Howard, the well known Eighth
" I'd glass worker, was then introduced
Q d spoke for over half an hour in the most
in eresting manner, his argument dealing
W III the labor problem in a way which
s. owed him to be well posted as to the
g ievances of labor, and the remedies to be
applied.
Mr.. N. R. Hysell, Vice President Of the
Ohio Amalgamated Association of Miners
! then made q short but most satisfactory ad
dress, and the meeting adjourned.
Future open sessions of the Ohio Valley
; Trades Assembly will be held as follows
| May Sd, B~ellaire; May 10th, Martin
Ferry; May 18th, Wheeling, probably in the
Academy Of Music.