The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-06-20

Tho announcement that vt. ?. J. Nc
CURE. OF Philadelphia, general sccfe-
tary Of tho carpenters brotherhood
and one Of tho vico.prcsidept; o. the
American Federation OF Labor would
address workingueo Uad people gOnoF'
ally on tho subject OF ,rade8-nniona
drew a considerable crowd to tho Grand
Oncra House corner last evening, Those
who came were dponod. to ~disappoint'
men;, as Mr.. =. L. Bauer, oithc local
carpenters, who had the affair in charge
held q telegram from Mr.. Mcclure to
the effect that no had missed a train at
Wcllsvillc and would not arrive here
until 9:l5 p. IN. There vas some IN.
certain ~ for q time as to what SHOULD
DO done, the proposition TO have local
speakers fill out tho time unpl iho ar
rival Of the engaged speaker meeting
with little favor. One man said:
"Naw, wc don't want my. local
speakers; We hear them chaw tho rag
Often enough anyhow"
Finally it vas decided that 1t would
Ge necessary to do something 10 bold
the audience, aud after Il skiemish
around, Mr.. $. c. Wills was impressed
into service, and did nobly as audience
holder.
Sir. Wills said he, like tho Others,
was greatly disappointed at the non.ar-
rival Of Mr.. MCGuirc. lie knew some.
thing OF labor, but TO talk about IL.
would not be Git, as most OF thu audi
cnCe could perhaps give him points.
Ho then introduced Mr.. J. H. Burt,
who, he said, is competent to address
the audience on the fruitful subject OF
labor.
Had Mr.. Burtt, he said, known OF the
complications OF the evening he would
have staid ut home. lie ielt that by long
and continuous service in labor mat
tiers he had nt.ajlGd the distinction OF
4 back number He thought under
the circumstances he nigh. have been
excused.
He had been asked il the present de.
preston would not crush out some OF
the labor organizations. Events OF the
past two mouths have given the answer
TO the question. lie referred 10
THE RECENT COAL STRIKE
and the causes that brought it about.
There was no trade so depressed as the
miners. The miners we're placed in the
position OF staryius, and were instruct
cd TO accept reductions. As oon rs
this was understood By the operators,
their cupidity was aroused, and in less
than four months aftcu the first reduct
ion, three o ,hers were forced, until the
average earnings OF the miners were re-
duced to eighty cents per day. II this
were divided anong all the miners il
wouldn't ainauht to but fifty cents per
day. At fifty cents the tul! winters
product was dug, and the mon were
compelled 10 eIist on that small wage.
The national ottiCere, came 10 the con-
clusion there was no heart in the oper-
ator. When the union mine. were re-
duced, the nou.union operators also re-
duCed wages; this vas done util.ihere
were three REDUCTIONS Oh each side
Tho non.uniop man discovered that
unions pSotect wages, something ho had
not before believed. When the general
strike was ordered By the m;nera' organ
ization it was addressed to union and
non-uuion miners. On the first day OF
May tile uon-union men laid down their
tool5, with the exception Of n district in
West Virginia, and refused to return to
work until the mincrs' organization Sc
cured an acceptance OF its demands.
The speaker referred to the local sit,
uation at the opening OF the strike
most OF them %noD.unlon mon. They
left work and soIidly joined tho unions.
The result ia that nearly every miner
in this scctiOu is q u%nionist. This ia
one OF tho points learned by tho times
of depression. White many unions