Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-06-20
?. ]. ACQUIRE.
his ADDRESS AT TIE GRAND OPERA HOUSE
LAST NIGHT.
He Did Not Arrive Until HalfPast Nine, and
]. L. Burt and Oilers Preceded him.
Summary Of the Addresses.


called for last evening, at the Grand
Opera House, to listen to the address
Of p. j. Mcclure, Of Philadelphia, met
with sad mishap at the outset. Mr..
Mcclure was due to reach the city at
1850 p. IN, and then at 4:45, but he
missed d train at Welsburg, aud at
p. IN. teiegr am was received stating
that Mr.. Mcclure would be in Bridge
port at SIS, western time, or 9:15
Wheeling time. This created much
disappointment among the large num-
/ Der OF people who had assembled in
and about the hall.
At s:35 Mr.. A. L. Bauer
CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER,
stated the circumstances leading to the
absence of Mr.. McGuire, and added
that he regretted that Richard Robert
son and one or two other local speakers,
VINO had been suggested 10 address the
| meeting until the arrival OF Mr.. Nc
CURE, had ether engagements. IN
closing, MIR. Bauer called upon Mr.. ). c.
/
/ then called upon Hon. j. Ii. Burtt.
Mr. Burtt began by saying he had
been asked, within few days, If ne did
not think the labor organizations of the
! country were getting the worst OF the
present depression in industrial circles,
and ii they would not be set back a
mum Der Of years, if not crushed alto
/ gether, in some cases. In replying to
this query, he said he thought the re-
| cent coal strike furnished a conclusive
/ answer. Notwithstanding the number
| of non-union miners, the great number
/ Of foreigners, and the importation into
| some sections, by greedy corporations,
| of large numbers Of colOred miners
from the South, he thought the miners
had
CONE OUT OF THE FIGHT VERY WE'LL,
No trade in the country was so embar-
! raised as was the miners, not only by
| the things he had mentioned, but by
/ reason OF q number Of others, yet their
| solid organization had won decided
| increase OF wages. Mr.. Burtt gave a
| concise history Of the strike, narrating
| the successive reductions until the
working miners were making an average
Of but about so cents day, and If all
the miners in the country were counted,
\ to an average OF q little less than so
cents day, and from this traced the
| determination TO strike. The sue
! cesSive reductions came about largely
! through operators using non-union
| labor as lever TO reduce the wages OF
! both union and nOn-uniOn miners, and
| the result showed the union man that
| his union tended 10 keep wages up,
while il proved to the non-union man
| that not only was he working at lower
wages than non-uniou men, but that he
! had no power whatever TO protect him
selves. This prepared the non-union
| men TO listen 10 any proposition looking
! to restoration of wages and hence the
order of the national officers to the
miners drought the country was
| listened to and needed by nnion
/ and non-union men alike, and all
the miners in the county, except in one
! district of West Virginia, laid down
! their tools and agreed not TO resume
work until settlement had been
reached. Nearly all the miners in this
union, on the West Virginia side Of the
/ river, were non-uniOn men,
But THEY JOINED IN THE STRIKE,
and in two weeks Afterwards nearly all
| had Joined the organization, although
/ previously they had no use for unions.
/ The value Of unionism had been DEM
onstrated to their satisfaction, and
| these new recruits were in the union
TO stay.
Proceeding, Mr.. Burt held that the
employer had no other interest In his
| EN- ploye except to know that he had
| enough TO eat TO enable him to do what
! the boss was pleased TO call full days
work, and il therefore behooved the
workingman to look after his own inter-
eSts.
As to the present system Of employ
| ing labor, the speaker said it was not
what ii ought to be, bat whenever agi-
tation for change wascommenced, the
| workingman was told be ought 10 be
cOntented with the established order Of
! things, and not seek TO revolutionize
/ society. The wOTkingman certainly had
| a right to raise his voice in regulation
| of those things which concerned him
most. The declaration Of independence
guaranteed the right OF the citizen TO
| life, liberty and the pursuit OF happl-
ness Domestic happiness was tue high
/ est form of human enjoyment, and the
American citizen had right 20 expect
| a certain standard OF domestic comfort.
/ This he tried TO maintain by his indus
try, but suddenly the employer decides
upon a reduction Of wages. Naturally
the empioye would
LIKE TO DISCUSS THAT POINT,
and goes into the Office to see his boss
about it, He tells the employer that his
/ former rate II wages are necessary to
/ his comfort and happiness, and that a
reduction means a disturbance Of his
economic affairs; and the boss says:
/ - have been paying you Sl2 week;
/ have now decided to pay but SO. II
YOU don't like II, I've got another man
10 take your place" And the working
man has either 10 submit 10 rate Of
wages fixed without consulting him
or lose his job. "IS 1t fair, ~
| said the speaker, THAT the en-
ployer should have all the rights before
/ the law In such matter, and the en-
/ plOye have no rights, aud he held with
/ the recent decision Of an Allegheny
! Judge, that an investment which tend
/ ed 70 disturb the standard OF living Of q
| considerable number OF citizens without
| their consent, was not in harmony with
/ the declaration Of Independence or in
coasonance with the best public policy.
! This sort OF trouble generally came from
( class OF speculative investments
/ By men who had more money than
/ brains, and who, in their efforts to
compete with men OF more ability or ex-
| perieuce, ground down their employees 10