Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-03-20
aouID AND TaE SrRIKERs,

Bill ARP in talking about the strike on
GoUID's Southern Railroads struck it rich
when he said Money is King aud poverty
the subject" His eloquent talk upon the
hardships Of the woskngman will be read
with deep sympathy and interest by all
classes. What he says in condemnation OF
Mr.. GoULD'S methods is not sensational or
unfair; it is reasonable aud true. In writ
ing to his paper, the Atlanta Constitution,
he says this is the FIRST strike he ever saw
aud it gives food for thought. Here along
the he Of JAY GOULDS great railroads are
over 5000 men in rebellion agsins; the
tyranny of one man. Money is the king
and poverty is the subject. This is not .
strike for higher wages, but a desperate
resolve against any further reduction.
What is to become of the poor mechanic
the man who was born poor and raised poor
and had to 90 10 work Ia the shops where his
poor father worked before hun. here are
hundreds OF them, the hardy sons OF toll
who have no hopes beyond their dahy bread
and humble clothing and a shelter by nigh
AID every few months another slice OF their
small Nsges is taken off. The average la
boIer in the shOEs or along the line has al
ready been rsducsdt to one dollar and fifteen
ceurs u day and now the fifteen cents has
hsEn taken of aud hence the rebellion.
These workmen are forced TO board in the
company's boarding houses at nifty cents q
day. Many OF them have families near by
and they could board at home at twenty
cents q day, but il they do they are never
rheltss locked the fifty cents. They are
forced to buy coal from Jay Gould s
coal yards at eight dollars a ton, for
Gould owns the mines and the cars that
carry the coal and has no competition.
Some of those master mechanics begun
years ago at FIVE dollars a day and have
gradually been reduced 10 two dollars, aud
now have been cut down 10 one dollar and
seveniy.fve n But there is no reduc,
ton Of the salaries of the higher officials,
the pets of the company. They still receive
from 81 900 10 500 900, according to posi-
ton. The result is that these lsborers and
mechanics are nothing but slaves and ma
chimes. Human toilerS for the rich, with
no hone Of advancement, no hope of being
able TO lay up something for a rainy day OF
Tor sickness or old age or tor au invalid
wife or child. But men can get hardened
10 anything. | used to look upon a corpse
with awful solemnity but during the wal
the sight became so common that | could
almost step upon the dead to avoid a ditch
or a mud hole.
Gould says his roads are making nj
money and be is obliged TO reduce. Bat IL
these times Of depression he ought to sup
plement bis losses from his own private FOR
and let these men live. Oae thing /:
to be observed pnd that is he never advance
wages, even when his roads are prospecting
when once cut down they stay cut down
This is the sixth reduction in FIVE years
The strike is hurting Jay Gould badly and
he will have 8 thousand lawsuits on nj
hands. Every stoppsge Of freight gives tn,
consignee an action for damages and tn
lawyers are harvesting a heavy crop OF lega
business. There is no sympathy for is,
Gould in Texas. These people are yer.
Jealous Of one man power, especially whel
that power is used tyrannically.