The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-12-05
GO GOVERNOR 5 MESSAGE
7lconea uded from sixth Page.)

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&sub3sctE to the command of the sheriff
sssOn The 6th$ day of May Major Simons
was ordered by the sheriff to proceed
which he did. reaching
3 there on the evening OF that day. and
\ was placed in command of the town
SpyEthe sheriff, thus showing how dam
%ger0us were the conditions in the opin-
stonEof the sheriff. The presence of the
troops ut Graham prevented the pro-
ssposcdf meeting from being held In Po-
Scahontas. and instead thereof. 1t was
& held just across the line, In West Nir-
q Elnla about thrce-quarters of II mile
q from Pscahontas, Mt which violent and
81 denlinciatory speeches were made by
4 the leaders of the strikers.
For three months the peace of the
miners at Pocahontas and the safety OF
( life and property We're threatened.
Meetings Were held almost daily at the
s point just mentioned, and threatening
+ Speeches made against the working
Z miners, the military, and Virginia Oft
4 Gals. a military force. which was
gradually reduced, was maintained ut
PocRhontas from the 9th day OF May
the opinion of the Sheriff of TaZewel
county, all danger had passed.
y l am convinced that the close proX-
y Unity of troops on Sunday the 9Th day
1 of May, prevented not only the coer-
4 cion OF satisfied worklngmen to stop
peace ana most probaly loss of life
and destruction of property. II can
} not be conceived that such Il meeting
for the purpose avowcd could have
been held in q town with feeble
police and weak sherilfalty force, with
out causing personal collisions and
: serious troubles. and placing the town
at the mercy of mob which Is always
u monster, with the hands Of Brlareus
BAT the head of Polyphemus-strong to
execute, but blind to perceive"
1 am further convinced that IL the
D troops had been ordered away at a
date much anterior to the time of their
withdrawal, the Virginia miners would
have been driven out of the mines, and
the mines closed. This was the case In
West Virginia, where there were no
troops to protect those who desired
to work in mines at which there had
been no cut in wages. There. when
persuasion failed, force was used. and
4 for nearly three months terror reign
cd.
vs., To summarize. the presence of troops
9 at Pocahontas prevented probable
bloodshed and destruction Of property.
preserved the peace, kept the mines in
operation, gave employment to hum
dreds of miners--the number increas-
ing daily until It had run up from
LOO when the strike commenced to
about 1900 when the military was
withdrawn. 1t enabled many Virginia
for coal, to continue operations. fur
\ nishinE labor to thousands OF their
employees, protected the Norfolk and
y Western railroad against threatened
s. danger, secured every man in his right
Z to pursue his daily work without mo-
lestation, and infringed upon no right
OF person or property.
N# The entire cost of supporting the
troops at Pocahontas was less than six
M cents on the thousand dollars of the
u value of the real and personal property
81 OF the State. Considering the dangers
averted aud the results accomplished,
who VIII complain of this paltry eX
& penditure?
Sl{ y great fundamental principle OF gov
s eminent was involved.
maintain that Il Is the duty of Vir-
( ginia 10 preserve personal liberty. No
rs man should be compelled to work.ui,-
E8less Ii he for penal punishment. If he
i is not satisfied with his wages he has
y the right to stop work, and whoso-
4 ever forces him to continue is n law
breaker and abrIdger of personal lib
4 erty. On the other hand no man should
be compelled, by menace, threats or
force. TO withdraw from his work.
When that is done, he is no longer Il
free man, and whatsoever thus deprives
him of his right to labor and To earn n
livelihood robs him of that which Is
guaranteed to every man in this land
of equal rights and freedom.
l maintain, further, that II is the duty
OF Virginia to protect alike all property,
regardless OF its character. Much capt.
tai has come within our borders; we are
inviting more. We have railroads. fac
tories. mines and innumernble indus
trial enterprises, giving employment to
our skilled workmen, artisans and me-
chenics. as well as our humble Iaborers:
we are encouraging the building and
\ opening of more. VIII more capital
come and more Industrial enterprises
3. Tpring from it, II the capital and enter
pTises now here are subject to the fury
or lawless men? No. Let 1t once be un-
derstood that property rights are at
d the mercy of mobS, and that investors
Z, nave no security in Virginia and can't
tai will fleet from us as from n land of
y plaques, and We will retrogYade more
y rapidly materially than we have ad-
Sanced
IA ! will state that. in addition to the
81 security given TO the laborers who de-
& sired 10 work at Pocahontns the great
= virginia mines, in which wages We're
not cut, whose miners were satisfied
& We're enabled. as already stated. to con
SStlnue their operations and double their
"a output, and give employment 10 thou
&; sands OF workmen, and the Norfolk on6
}F'Western railroad. with 1854 miles Of nor
system in Virginia, and paving S73 Tax II;
State taxes. 500 ,4a5.00 county taxes. and
7 S33sH9.S2 CORPORATION taxes aGgreeatine
Sz00,2O1.7S this year, and nearly as much
Z last year, was saved from probable seri-
& GUS injury.
g On still another occa sion the mill
i tary was called into service In tho
i summer of 1894 n body l<oou,p -