Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-03-12
RESOLUTIONS
Adopted ~ the KanaWha Valley Miners
ar Montgomery, March 9, 1894.

Adopted " the khnaWna NaAio' N-oA'
ar Montgomery, March 9, 1894.
WHERD9s. We, the miners Of the
Kanawha District have been grossly
misreprssented through the press and
have been denied the privilege OF Civ
ing our side Of the question in dispute
to the public, while the operators have
controlled the press to such an extent
that anything they or any Of their
officials sent the press for publication,
no matter how slanderous CT ridicnions
it NAV have been, it has always oeen
published with flaming headlines to
cause excitement and if possible turn
public sentiment against Us. There
fore we deem our duty TO once more al
tempt to get ourselves fairly represent
ed before the public.
1t will be remembered by the public
that when the proposition Of reduc-
tion was made to the miners. mass
meeting of miners was held at Handley,
on January 18th, TO consider the propo-
sition, to avoid acting hastily on the
question. 1t was deemed advisable for
all miners TO return 10 their respective
mines and call meeting OF all miners
and mine laborers, and elect delegates
TO attend a delegate meeting at Mont
gomery, on January 18th; SAID delegates
10 come instructed as TO the wishes OF
/ their constituents on the reduction.
When the delegates met on the ABOVE
date, aud after discussing the question
for some time, it was suggested that we
endeavor TO get joint meeting OF op-
orators and miners TO discuss the QueS-
ton of reduction at as early date as
possible. All the delegates present
we're highly in favor Of such move
ment, and delayed taking vote on the
reduction until January %, the date
! proposed By the miners for such joint
meeting Of operators and miners. An
! invitation was extended to the opera
! tors TO meet the delegates OF
! the miners, but much 10 our sur
prise, when the delegates met, on
! January %, not one of our employers
/ saw fit TO attend the meeting and ignor-
ed US entirely, then the delegates voted
according TO their instructions, aud
we're unanimous against accepting any
! reduction whatever. The miners are
! still in favor OF joint meeting OF oper-
ators and miners, or are willing TO sub
NIT the question in dispute to arbitra-
ton, the operators to select one man,
| the miners another and those two TO
select o third, all disinterested persons,
work 10 be resumed at once and abide
] by the decision of the arbitrators. Had
/ the operators met the delegates OF the
miners on January % we are confident
| that all OF this trouble could have been
avoided and a satisfactory settlement
| could have been arrived at. We regret
very much that any lawlessness or any
violence, such as recently happened at
Diamond mine, ever occurred, and IL Is
an evident fact that it was much against
the wishes OF the better element Of the
| miners and we condemn it, but we do
not consider it fair that we should be
held responsible for the action OF the
unrulv element. While we acknowl-
edge that there is an element
among the miners that is hard
to control, yet We Justly
| claim that there Is an element among
the operators that deserves censure
equally as much or more so than do the
miners. It is a well known fact that
William Wyant, through his domineer-
| ing and tyranniCal methods since this
trouble has come about, is deserving OF
I censure by his fellow operators. lie
has at different times threatened and
used very insulting language to miners
passing on the public road, and by doing
so provoked and brought on the recent
trouble at his mine, and we believe be
did it for the purpose OF having the
! troops ordered TO the scene or the riot.
He has repeatedly exasperated and
Iritated miners by displaying TO item
Winchester rifles, when they were In
the public highway and by ordering
them off the public highway and onto
the railroad and by sending them In
sultinR and threatening messages that
if thew come to take his miners, tc
bring their collins, etc. And we de-
pounce the ISLANDERS circulated against
US and this community.
Finally and lastly we desire to assure
the public and His Excellency, Governor
MacCorkle, that there is now no longer,
II there has ever been, any necessity for
trooCs to preserve the peace and enforce
the laws OF the State in this commu'
nitv. and we condemn all acts OF ylo'
lence TO person and to property and
unreservedly pledge ourselves IN mass
meeting assembled to obey ana uphold
! the laws OF our country.
Resolved. That we request the press
throughout the country at large 10 pup
/ Dsh these resolutions.