West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1886-02-17
Observation-Disclosures
FREEMAN TRIP NOTES.
Wheeling with the Blues-Tke
Nrike-The Strikers and The
Struck.
Canaeron'e Revolution.

In the face Of Boreas's bluster
and blizzard, the FREEMAN "Seout"
set out to reconnoitre the enemy
and inspect some of the Prohibition
eoutposts.
Wheeling was the first objective
point. In thissGibralter of Liquor
dom, this arch enemy of Home and
Country is just now suffering sore
ly at the hands of its best friends,
the laboring men. IT'S shame
THAT HONEST TOLL SHOULD FEED ITS
DIREsT FOE.
But SO it is, that hard working
daily laborers furnish the chief
support for all our saloons.
The prolonged strike among the
mill men, having stopped the wa
ges of the strikers, and paralyzed
the business,of all whom the strike
has SO fearfully Struck" has 80
curtailed the circulation of money
as to largely cut off the support of
that specially honored craft that
hold certificates from the State and
City, that they are men of sobriety
and good moral character.
1t was the common talk that
many of the saloons would be starv-
ed out of the trade, and would not
renew their licenses thet1st of May
by paying the State, City and q.
S. Government the very considera-
BILE sum ofsover $500 each, in order
to satisfy the conscience and greed
OF these several partners in the
Devils fayarite business.
So after all, the disastrous strike
may no. be without some compen-
sating blessings.
1t was quite manifest, to even the
causal visitor that he had found
,wHEELAKG WITH THE, BLUES.
That city whose foundation is
iron and oo1l, and whose super
structure is of glass, should tremble
for the future, and in her business
gloom, long for the light of day,
may seem very strange but when
it is told that labor stands by
the turnaosedoors, refusing to light
the fires, and that the strong lung
ed glass-blewers had loag refused
to blow, the situation becomes still
more a mystery to outsiders.
With the iron mills and glass
works going, Wheeling is all life
and hustle, business rushe9 along
and all ane happy.
There lisa strike or lockout mills
stop; labor letters and cate up It's
savings, capital lies ia blanks,
improvements cease, trade tis, paral-
yzed and gloom settles down on
business with all it's evil foaebod-
ings. Sod is in Wheeling.
Why man whose ayerage4wages
were above IS daily, should remain
in organized idleness for s months,
bringing al tkis calamity and
stagnatlon to business, and ak tn is
Loss and privatian to themselves,
seems harGquestion for the many
honest toileGs who are anxious to
find work at nauck less wages.
But it is not the purpose here to
discuss the ethics. 8r philosophy 4of
strikes, 'boycotts" and the Like :,
nor -adjudge who is .eight or wrong
in this struggle between mill men
and owners. SuHce it to say this
scout" is opposed to all rings, mon
sopolies, corners, strikes, boycotts,
and AZ these sorts of things, wheth-
: eer on the side of Capital or Labor.
He believes in the memorable
and imuutable law of supply and
demand-a free, open field and
fair show for every body that's
honest and industrious. t...
But to get out of the strike let
him take - .....
A RUN OUT TO CAMERON.
Here's a town, that, like some
other towns in the State, has been
cursed with illegally licensed sa-
looms. Here the former town coun-
Gil licensed lot of lawless saloons
in defiance of law, in the face of
the fact that the countv copo. |