Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-10-19
A WORD TO LABOR
Tn NY Fellnw Wnrkmen.

the welfare of the workingman? They
had no such absorbing anxiety for our
welfare in 1877. I failed to notice it be-
tween 1877 and 1892. I am sure it was
not in that year of the Buffalo strike and
the Homestead crime, and l can find no
evidence Of the fact anywhere until I
striks the present political campaign.
But now in these last months Of the year
of grace, 1886, am suddenly confronted
with a strange, well-marked and general
disposition on the part of the employees
of labor and the very rich TO take the
workingman to their BREASTS, teach him
how to cast his vote, and generally to
exercise an active interest in his wei
fare! Has the millennium come upon us
unawares. that the lion and the lamb
shall lie down together? Has human ma
ture changed in the twinkling Of an eye?
Is history 10 be disproven and recollec-
tons nullifed in this year of our Lord?
Have the days OF miracles come again?
Is it fact that the capitalist, the officers
of corporations, Of railroads and of trust
companies have at last outgrownHhei in
herent and hereditary tendency to grind
labor down TO the last notch, getting as
much work for as little money as posi-
bic, or do I but dream? It surely cannot !
be that The factory owner, the mill pres
dent, the railway director and the bond |
clipper have at last experienced change !
Of heart, mat they are taking real dis
Interested interest in the welfare of the
poor; and that, actuated by that fellow
feeling which makes us wondrous kind, I
are taking their time and spending their
money to uplift the toiler from the low 4,
plane ne has heretofore occupied and
make him something more than a mere
newer Of wood and drawer OF water, re-
ceiving for his reward a r5compense Of
Just 50 much as the employe has TO pay
him and not one penny more; and yet this
is wha. hundreds-perhaps thousands
Of the erstwhile oppressors of labor are
doing at present. We had one Of them
with us Saturday night, at the Terminal
depot a large employer Of labor" he
described himself, and he came clear
from New York, to Dle glect of his
private affairs, TO talk TO The working
men Of Wheeling. so so..ci.ious was he
for their welfare. We have lately had
an address by a mill prssid Mt to his
employees. full Of advice as TO what they
should do TO better their condition; a
local railway general manager has been
untiring in mis- efforts in the same direc-
ton, even proceeding 10 extremes in MS
great anxiety TO point oul The way to
better things, and a quiet, bu, none the
less powerful influence has been exert
ed in the same direction by other rail-
roads, by banks, by corporations, stock
holders. corporation lawyers, and corpor-
atlon agents. It's a most marvellous
thing, appearing more like a f5n.esy
than reality.
Lei M say a word Of sober earn St
ness % my fellow workmen: The hon
eyed words. and apparently disin,erest-
cd advice Of hes men is no, for your
advancement. bur for ,helrs. They have
the same contempt for you now thai
they had year ago. and they care no
more for your interests than they did :
when they forced you to strife against
the last reduction Of wages. or resisted
and refused Your last appeal for an
advance. Their sole and only aim is 10
have you cast your vo,e in such way
as to benefit themselves TO the greatest
possible extent and when elec-.en day
is over you will have been dupel once
more. and they will be more strongly
'ntrenched in their position as ,ne
holders Of the visible wealth OF the c0un-
try. Their sudden interest and concern
for you will collapse with the setting
Of the sun on the .h.rd day of N0yem-
Der. and thencef0rl you may eat grass
and chew ths cud of reflection. as Of
yore. Make no mistake on this point.
The mere fact that the corporate in
terests Of this country is on one side in
This political fight is abundant reason
why every workngman should b. on the
other side! Stand together in this mat
ter. The men who hired Pinker,on's
against you at Homestead in 1892 will
hire them again in 1897 for like cause.
The men who now pirate to You about
your Interests, on the eve of election.
will lock you out of the factory after
election day. if they can thereby cut
another ten per cent off your wages.
The men who now travel many miles 10
10 give you advice, and who con-
tribute of their means 10 secure tne
triumph OF the policy of he money
power az the polls, will ge- il all back.
with full interest at your expense. if
possible. and these same men would wipe
from the face of the earth every labor
organization If ,hey had the power or
the chance.
lie. no workingman be deceived bv the
sophistrLes of the gold-bug, or be in
huenced by the Osrcion or advice OF
great corporations or their agen.s.
Look o our own interests and vote
accordingly The money power don't
care copper ior you. Il is looking on.
for itself
WORKMAN.