The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-02-29
LABOR uNIoYs PROTEST
As.ln,, the Expenditure of 500, 900, 900
for Coast Defenses.


NEW YORK, Feb. 2s,-Members Of
the Central Labor Union, sympathlzers
OF organized labor and others filled the
large hall OF Cooper Union TO protest
against the proposed expenditure OF
800. 100000 for Coast detences as wei
as more millions for an Increased navy.
Jerome o'NeIll, secretary OF the Cen
trai Labor Union. acted as chairman.
He made a brief speech explaining the
objects Of the meeting. The hrst speaker
was then introduced in the person OF
Charles W. Hoadlev. secretary OF the
Building Trade Association. Mr. Hoad-
ley declared that nobody wanted war
except perhaps the inventor OF q new
rife, the smokeles powder, or the maker
OF the bunting used on land and sea.
John McLuckie, OF Homestead, who
was connected prominently with the
strike nj he CarnnVie works, followed
Mr.. Hoadley and spoke Of the hrinor
plates manufactured for the navy. He
said that the belt line armor plate KS
now located on the Monterey had one
hole in Il as large as the face of an ordi-
nary eight-day clock, and which was
filed with forty plugs. What reliance,
he asked, could be placed on such ar
NOR.
He mentioned as other ships on
which fraudulent arnor had been plnc-
ed the New York, Oregon. AfnphstFtte,
Terror, Massachusetts, and others,
Ernest Howard Crosby said he wish
cd TO congratulate the Central Labor
Union in having inaugurated a Strug-
Gle against militar1sm. An appropria-
tlon OF fSs, ,000, 900 for coast defenses. he
said. meant war. whatever some people
might say TO the contrary. lie asked
why American workingmen should be
INn0IIoI tuOFkin0mnn. for il-
stance II The wage earners here and
in other countries would only say the
word, he said. there would be no war.
We need protection in the country from
the faults. vices and impcrfections OF
our social System rather coaSt detenses.
he said.
Mr, Crosby asked II. after q hun
drcd years without coast defenses, any
ration would not begin to attack the
United States. Cries OF yes came
from the audience. and when moment
later he asked X we should build up our
navy because England was building
hers. the same cry came back.
\ letter OF regret from General Mas
Ter Workman Sovereign, OF the Knights
Of Labor. was roundfy hissed.
The secretary then read set OF res
olut!OnB denounclng the proposed hp-
prcpriatIOns which were adopted with
but few dissenting voices.
Henry George. who followed. asked
that those in favor OF the resolution
and those opposed should rise In turn.
Those opposed amounted TO hnrdlymore
than two dozen, nnU Mr.. George, nfter
saying that he respected the antis for
N" courage OF their convictions, said
that he had no doubt that the proper
ton shown In the hall very fairly rep
resented the great body OF the working
people In the country
The proposed appropriation. he said. he
considered 10 ne u carefully laid plan
70 build up a standing army which VIII
tru8h labor whenever II ddres 70 raise
It's head "AH citizen Of the United
sairf. and from thought study, ren.
s0u and conviction" he said. Il would
rather zee every locomotive thrown
from the rails. every car broken, every
rall torn up, than 10 zoe order rres1 rvn'l
hy The bnyoncts OF the standing army.
Order ~ hCnvon'a itr"t law, m IL
i oDe thing prize before order and
nat Ia liberty.
Tho other speakers were ilonrr Nc.o--
mann Daniel Harris and James Fltz-
goud.