The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-04-20
Ole ~Gtttdigfmm
waHELlS0, W, va, APRlL co. 1886
IN. Press undtnS labor TrOuDl'S.

labor troubles WHICH HANe N'S'
country ought not to escape notice. 1t is
a reminder to employers Of the Jay Gould
class that they are not to expect the sup
port Of the press in any effort they may
make to take an unfair advantage OF men
In their employ. It's a reminder to men
who work ior wages that in any peaceful
effort they make to secure q redress o.
grievances they will have the sympathy
aud cooperation Of the press
There are, 1t is true, y few newspapers
which express no sympathy for the mil
lions who toll, and probably have none
being directed by men who never knew
what it is TO get down to the hard pan O.
life, or who, in their own success, have
forgotten that other men arc still stTng'
Cling, Newspapers OF this kind are few
For the most part they have given a fair
hearing to the toilers and wished them
Godspled in, every movement to secure
Justice.
They do rot, perhaps, 20 to the extreme
that would satisfy the professional labor
aIltatoA, whose buainessit is ta-ses but
oae side Of Il question, set employers and
employees by the earsand divide commun'
tiles on artificial class lines. But it Is pos
s!ble that the true cause Of labor has
friends who are as sincere and as wise and
az capable OF benedtting the cause as those
who live by agitation.
In the Southwestern troubles the men
on strike have had the good fortune to
have for chief officer a mar who Is not
a professional agitator, though the inter-
ests Of his order require his whole time
and lie is paid u salary for his services
who Is not an extremist; who has been
e~ndeavoring to preserve the peace and
TO compose the difficulties rather than 10
"apgrayate them. II would have been still
more fortunate for the railroad strikers II
they had asked Mr.. Powderly's advice be-
fore they struck failing that, II they had
taken his advice after they did strike.
Mr.. Powderly has had strong backing
from the press in his efforts to bring Mr..
Gould to consent to q reasonable settle
m mt through arbitration.
The press has condemned the double
play Of Mr.. Gould and the arrogance Of
Mr.. HoxlO. Approaching the emba'ass'
ments under which MIR. Powderly labors,
the press criticised him only mildly,
when he said that right or wrong the
strike ought to be maintained now that it
was on. This did not sound like the
wise and conservative Powdetly, and ifthls
one utteranCe had been disconnected
from all his other utterances and acts, 1t
would have deserved, and doubtless
would have received, different treatment
But the press recognized all that Mr..
Powderly had attempted in the right
direction, realized what he had to contend
with from within and without, and had so
little sympathy with the Gould tactics,
that It was not driven from Mr.. Powderly's
support because 1t thought that for once
he had gone wrong.
In a careful reading Of a large exchange
list, representing oil sections OF the Coun-
try and all currents OF thought, the INTEL
1loEScER:.is convinced that workingmen
have a strong friend in the pres. We
speak, Of course, Of so much OF the press
as owns itself, controls Its own opinions
and does not hesitate to express them In
such ways and at such times as 1t thinks
right; and this part Of tho press is by far
the greater part.
Newspapers Of this character will not
always say the thing which w%orkingmen
may desire to hear. They may utter
unwclcome thoughts, believing them to
be the truths. They will not profess a
special friendship for the workingman
over the capitalist, except as the working.
men may have right on his side, as he
may suffer by reason Of oppression, or
have some other claim to special consider
alton.
The aim Of a FREQ press ought to BIO TO
counsel justice, moderation, %forbearance,
between all the elements Of a community,
that business relations may be friendly,
social relations %unstrained, and the gem
eral welfare promoted. This Is the course
pursued by newspapers Of character.
THOSE that 60 the other way represent
only 50 much good white paper spoiled by
good black ink. They are in no proper
sense part Of that mighty estate called
The Press.