The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-12-21

PHILADELPHIA, RA.I Dec' E9'-G&-
President Benjamin Harrison was the
chief guest at dinner given in his
honor by Thomas May Pierce, at Belle
vue, this afternoon. In the evening the
ox-President delivered an address at the
commencement exercises Of the Pierce
Business College at the Academy OF
Music. The address was in main con-
fined to advice to young men, but there
were portions OF it which dealt with
public questions, of strikes and labor
agitation, on which the speaker said:
at is a sad and dangerous fact that
capital and labor are organized to fight
each other; that the Iaboring man is
taught to regard his employer as an an
tagonist-too ofteu as an enemy-and
the yexed and impatient employer, re-
sentful OF what he regards as unwar-
ranted interference with his business,
is sometimes too ready to treat a work
man with q grievance us he would treat
a iolting, unbalanced machine-throw
it into the scrap pile. Like the armed
peace now maintained in Europe, this
situationi is costly and dangerous.
Every benevolent and thoughtful
man is anxious and distressed. sup
pose Just and perfect peace will not
be established until the kingdom OF
elder brother is set up throughout the
world and the golden rule becomes the
law Of human lie. The right to acquire
is more important to the poor man
than to the rich. Many reforms are
weakened by their exClusiveness-the
invitation is not wide enough. Men are
put on the other side, because OF their
surroundings or the color OF their skin,
without chance to make their own
choice.
at is wholesome and savoring TACT
that the working people OF the United
States so generally reject the teachings
OF anarchy. The workman is a pro-
duccr, the anarchist a destroyer, and
fellowship is impossible. How shall the
poor be helped? BY the destruction OF
other mems property, or, by assassina.-
tion or riots-when doors are barred
and the streets are full OF tumult and
mems hearts of fear? Is there any har-
vest for toll?
"rhere is only one good thing about
these evil times and that is good will.
They give men M opportunity to show
their concern for each other. The will
OF the largest brotherhood Is being
called and men see with great wonder
how great the family is. How many
idle workmen now see that it is not
sale to assume that the employers in
terest and theirs are wholly antagonis-
tic or that one umbrella may not shell
ter both"
Concerning trusts, Mr.. Harrison says
that these endowed corporations in
many pranche1 OF business become the
competitors OF natural persons, and in
all powerfully affect and influence
trade. They have been perhaps the
greatest factor in the rapid development
OF tho national wealth-they are in
despensable, but the magnitude and
multitude of these corporations-the
enormous powers they possess and the
often elusive character OF thelr owner
ship and managementsuggest restraint,
control and Limitation. We have been
most proAigate in our grants of these
special powers; but the mistake will
not be corrected, but duplicated, by q
policy OF destruction. Here, as else
where, passionate epithetS hinder the
truth and retard reform. Persecution
has so strong d reaction that il may
even popularize corporation.
"The capital error in our legislation
has been the failure to limit and to
supervise corporate securities; to re-
quire that the stock shall represent an
investment, and that the Investment
shall be adequate to enterprise, that
creditors may be secured, and that tho
public may not be tolled or the labor
ers' wages cut to pay dividends on
securities that do not stand for invest
ments.
The ex-President severely condemns
lynching.
"These frightfuI lynchings," said he,
"that the daily papers record with their
shocking incidents OF cruelty, bring
shame upon our civilization.
''The victims arc the poor and the
weak, and the adequacy of the courts to
punish such has never beon i'm
peached."
Tomorrow evening the ex.Presldenps
reception at the Union League will take
place. Two thousand invitations have
been sent out.