The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1889-07-17

One our exchanges speaks right
out, and in the following article is
lots Of food for reflection: aCarnegie
& Go. s men are on strike. Rhe
strike commenced on the LIST inst.
against the scale proposed BY the
firm. The strike is not for higher
wages, but against reduction of
wages. Isn't it somewhat peculiar
that all the large strikes this year
land the small ones, too, for that
matter-are against reduction.2-
The poor, delnded worlSmen have
learned enough in the few brief
months since the Democrats were
defeated, to know that they dare
not strike for more wages-that
they must be content with what
they had and not attempt to put to
test the oft repeated promises made
by the lying tools of tariff robbers,
that the Republican doctrine of pro-
lection was was a panacea for pow
erty's ills, and Mr. Harrison, the
physician who would administer the
medicine. They know now that it
is better to hold on to what they
have than to run the risk of drop
ping it to get more.
This Carnegie strike involves
2, 400 men employed, and effects di-
rectly the means of subsistence of
from four to six Thousand people
Poor creatufesl This is right on the
eve of the anniversary of the glori-
GUS declaration of mans equality
and ringing protest against class
rule and despotism. We can mag
inc the heartlessness with. which the
Indiana miners, living off public
charity-scant at that-in a land of
plenty; the Hooking Valley work
ingmen, whose strong arms find not
stroke to make for furnishing little
ones; how Carnegie's men just en-
tering a long and bitter struggle
against injustice regard the celebra-
ton of the day which gave birth to
Liberty, Equality and Independence
on the shores of this new worldI 1t
would be a good time for them to
get out copy of that old Declara-
ton and study it in the light of this
the 18th anniversary of that day.
The application of its principles to
the present methods would make
them wiser men and better Ameri-
cans; and the true american idea"
would be diseerned to be not plan
and purpose of making a few men
rich and all the millions poor; not
the creation of a paternal Govern
ment favoring some and mistreating
the rest. Those fifty-six bold pat
riots who, with unshaking hands,
appended their names to that glori-
GUS manifesto against class distinc-
tons, kingcraft and despotism, did
not design to transfer the lives and
liberties of those for whom they
dared so much, from a hereditary
Monarchy to a parvenu Plutocracy.
The inaIicnable right of all men to
life, liberty and pursuit of happiness,
excludes the idea that this or any
other Government can lay its hands
upon the fruit of one mans toll and
place it in the Golfers of his fellow
citizen. 1t excludes the idea fsthat
Providence had sent few men into
tho world, ready booted and spurred
to ride, and millions ready saddled
and bridled to be ridden"
OF course, Messrs. Carnegie & Co.,
and every other employer has a
right to raise or lower wages as to
them seemeth best, but then it seems
pretty hard to spend millions of dol
lars in the purchase of Presidency
and then seek to make the victims
of their lying promises pay for it
out of their blood and muscle.