Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-04-12

$3.50. The hod-carriers were organized,
and q man could not stick up hod in that
city without some one saying: Say, has
you got o card, sahw By and by the
carpenters took advantage Of the way
blazed out by the hod.carriers, and il
was not long until they were
getting S. so as well. Now the nine hour
system was established in Gle hundred
cities of the United States and Canada,
aud eigh: hours is the rule in Chicago
Mr.. McGuire Thought the labor question
ives only oqusled in importance by the
question Of slavery, which required such
en- expenditure of blood and treasure 10
settle King Gotten, who stood behind
slavery, found his counterpart in King
Capital, who stood over labor. Capital
was swsyipg all things in America, with
out any restraint save that offered by
labor organizations. The legislative, the
executive and the judicial branches Of the
governments, State and National, were
completely under the influence of the
monied interest, and 80 serious had the
genuine alarm in the minds Of thinking
men. 1.-THE public be damned" YVES a
sentiment heard every day from the
monied class, and the only
salvation Of the people lay in
what efforts the intelligent work.
ing classes were able 10 make. In the
history Of the world, all genuine reforms
and all enhanced freedom had come from
the common people, and this case was no
exception.
The speaker referred to that libel upon
the working class-the assertion that il
was uuduly given TO drink, -and hurled a
scsthing rebuke at those who originated
and circulated the untruth. Instead OF
shorter hours of labsR resulting in the
workmen spending more time in the saloon,
the reverse had been found the case in all
cases where the, eight and nine hour systems
had been given fair trial. Shorter hours OF
labor had been an inestimable boon to all
to whom the new system had come, and il
had great possibilities for both the cm-
ployer ard employee. But he desired to
assure his hearers that shorter hours, with
with all it's attendant benefits, could
only be secured through the efforts
Of the men alone. If they waited
for nine-hOur or eight-hcurlegislation, they
would wait until they died of old age.
Legislation Of that sort was given for the
benefit Of capital but not for labor. Lei
the wOrkmen unite, and they might
throw legislation TO the merry winds.
Mr. Mcclure then turned his attention
to historical sketch of labor organization
in America, and reviewed the eally at
tempts in this direction in a very interest.
ing way, going back as far as 1882, when
the carpenters first organized in Boston,
and in doing this, he warned all trades
uniouists TO beware of attaching them.
selves as tail to any political kite. Party
politics always had and always would be
fatal to the cause of labor.
In closing, he said the Carpenters Union
had grown to three hundred aud seventy
Eve local unions and Dc. 600 memberP, and
the causc was still marching on. Union.
ism paid. In the past year 500, 600 had
been paid from the general office Of the
order in Philadelphia for benefits of various
kinds. In Chicago carpenters used to get
twenty cents per hour for ten hours day
now they get thirty-five cents an hour for
eight hours day. Elsewhere the benefits
derived had been in proportion, and be
hoped all would fall into line, aud aid in
the great and good work which was being
accomplished.