Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-05-02
A BIG MEETING.
Last Evenings Gathering on City
Hall Square,
Under the Auspices Of the Trades and Labor
Assembly Of the Ohio Valley
The Speeches Made.

Assembly Of the Ohio Valley
The Speeches Made
In accordance with the call Issued few
dsys ago, by 8 circular, printed in these
columns, for public meeting to give ex-
preston to the sentiments OF larger pro- |
portion of our citizens, relative to the at
tempted introduction of foreign cheap
labor into our midst, about one thousand
ueople assembled st the south tfont OF the
Civ Hall, at 8 o'clock last night, to listen
to what might be said by the speakers who
should address the gathering. As was
torsshadowed in the REGIsrER OF
yesterday, the oriainsl purpose to
be accomplished by the meet
ing hsd been happily adjusted through the
mediation of q special committee OF the
City Council, and instead, it had been ar
ranged that the occasion should be made
one of general rejoicing at the unexpected
out none the less welcome solution OF the
difficulty. nj,
II was lust 8 o'clock when Hon. Edward
Robertson called the sssemblsge to order
and nominated for President Mr.. w. ;.
Mack. The nomination was unanimously
approved, and then, at the suggestion oil
Mr. Robertson, the following list OF Vice
Presidents was elected. Michael Fndley,
President of the Trades Assembly; John
W. Armstrong. 9 printer; Michael Gill,
gan President of the Miners Union;
PAuiek Butler, of the Amslgsmated Asso'
citation. and Abraham SEamm, glass
worker.
tsries.
ident Meek to the sssemblsge, and on
coming forward be was received with
chesrs. When order had been restored,
Mr.. Meek said
SPEECH OF PRESIDENT MEEK.
GySrLgNEx:-This is my Grst appear
suce as the presiding officer Of public
mee,ing ike this. appreciate the honor,
and hope to discharge my duty 30 ss to
rrasct credit not only on myself, bat also
upop the great cause which represent. In
rSe Tght OF the statements in this morning 8
pspers au torcioly reminded Of the quo
tsriou: Peace hath her victories no less
renoRncd than war" Cheers When,
lew days ago, the public read OF the employ
ment of Italian lsborers on the trench 10 Dc
dug for the pipe line Of the NATURAL Gas
Company of West Virginia there was au
intense feeling OF disgust on the part OF not
only the idle lsborers of the city, but
among the community at large. We talked
;he matter over IN our organizations, and
came 10 the conclusion thai 1t would be
good thing If We could get the people OF
ihe city together aud have an expression
Of ouiniou as to the matter at issue. We
| accordingly issued call, and toe call &C
eomolished q good result. We are not
mere to vent our Indignation upon any one,
but this meeting is rather one tor Jolhhcs-
non that our object has been attained 80
effectually and 60 quietly.
The question Of imported labor 10 not q
neW one to this country, bg sny means
out it is new to the people OF Wheeling,
and the mention OF its presence among Us
At once caused intense interest among all
cIasses We all remember how, just after
the war was over, and the old soldiers had
re,urnsd 10 their homes and set TO work IN
our shops aud factories, thar there was not
enough LABOR to supply the demand. The
great internal improvements growing
directly out of the war, and the impetus toe
strCyyIs gave to al classes OF manutsc.
tures' not only gave employment 70
| All our own CIuzeus, but also
| % thousands OF workmen ICON
Europesn countries. But in few
Years there arose greed among employers
for cheaper labor, and ss a means OF sup
olying thu demand food OF Chinese were
let loose upon toe States and Territories
bordering upon the Pacific. Sill there was
enough work for all, and no one suffered.
Later inpelled again by this unsuitable
| yreed for gain, the coolies were brought
over in ever increasing Numbers, and ex-
,rsordinary efforts were made 10 secure
the cheap labor of other countries as we'll
Finally the market for labor began to be
clogged, the impetus given to trade by the
var gradually fell away and
the cheap labor brought here by
manufacturers aud capitalists began to
displace native born workman. The first
| conflict brought about by this state Of at,
fairs was the California riots of 1871,
| shich most of rs remember, and It was
then that The words imported labor" fest
found place in our vocabulary, anu there
they have since remained.
By aud by Congress passed a bull re-
stricting the importation Of Chinese labor,
but the law IVES No sooner enacted than
greedy employers began to bring to our
shores vast numbers OF lsbcrers
from Belgium, Italy, and other
EUROPEAN countries, aud efforts
Eere made 10 introduce the Chinese al
ready in America into he factories aud
shops of the East, an example OF which
can be pointed out at North Adams, Mass.
| Later Hungarian labor was introduced N
the coal mines Of Pennsylvania, and In
the coking district, and so, step by step,
he system was kept up until we OF Wheel,
inc were brought face to face with the evil
\ IN the shape OF Italian labor.
Il is true Italians had helped to build
The Ohio River railroad before this in-
stance, but they did not come so immedi,
stsly into contact With our people, and
tbey were not 90 located as to enable the
=orkmen of oar city to bring
pressure to bear upon those
instrumental in employing them. But the
o.her day, when these people, imported bY
an enterprise which expected patronage,
snd which had received favors az the hsuds
| of our people, made their appearance, We
rhousht il a favorable time to make sol
emn protest, and did so. The result Of the
simple announcement Of that protest Gauss
as to think that We were in she right. We
are glad of the result, and We know tbst
many and many lsboEer Who has had lit
lie work to do IN the past twelve months
Gill have abundant cause to rejoice with
rs. >.
We are assured By the Nsisral Gas
Company of West Virginia that all who
apply for employment on their pipe line
| ~, IL all ~ IL 1r