The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-08-06

speak. So far as Wheeling where the
idea gave birth, was concerned, the
mass meeting was a disappointment
President Samuel Gompers, OF the
American Federation OF Labor,who was
chairman OF the conference, and had
charge OF the speakers for the meet
ings. granted the request OF the Ohio
Valley Trades and Labor Assembly,
which wanted President w. d. Mahon,
Of the street car workers, TO address the
Wheeling meeting, and there was con-
siderable regret at his failure to show
up last night. The local committee
could get no communication with Mr.
Mahon for several days, and yesterday
afternoon he sent a brief dispatch from
Detroit, stating that he couldn't reach
Wheeling in time,
AS stated, this was great dlsappolnt-
ment, for Mr.. Mahon's fame as a speak
err upon the coal strike is general, but
the immense crowd that gathered In
front Of che stand at Seventeenth and
Chapllne streets, was n sterling test-
moniai Of the sympathy there is for the
miners, and OF the great Interest that Is
taken In their struggle for better con-
ditions. The meeting had been well ad-
yertlsed, and Melster's band furnished
good music previous to the speaking.
The crowd was as large, II not larger
than that addressed at the same place a
few days ago by Eugene V. Debs, and
they We're doomed to sore disappolnt-
ment II they expected To hear an ad-
dress upon the cause OF the miners, and
It Is natural to suppose that that was
their expectation.
The committee hurrledly secured Col.
C. l.. Poorman. editor Of the Bellaire
Tribune, 10 make an address, which he
kindly consented to do, although he had
arranged to speak last night at Bel
laire. The doughty colonel must have
failed to apprehend the idea Of the
meeting. He devoted his remarks In a
general way to everything else but the
coal miners and their grievances. He
didn't even attempt to do so, which
makes It seem probable that the Min
ers' Day" idea was kept away from
him. His address, considered In all
charity, was synonymous with those
heard from every silver stump last fall.
His audience heard him through, think
ing that the next speaker would be Mr..
MNhon, Mr. Michael f. Tlghe, who pre-
sided, not stating otherwise, when in
PRODUCING Colonel Poorman. The latter
spoke for nearly an hour.
Col. roormhn Higgins.
Colonel Poorman in opening, traced
the growth Of strikes In this country
Previous to 1850, he said, the strikes
were very few. Strikes are the result o.
conditions, chief OF which is the une-
quail distribution OF the products Of toll
At present there is u tense etraining Of
every nerve to gain wealth, and CAPT
tai in It's greed thinks not Of the SUI
ferings OF the larger, yet weaker ele-
ment. There Is no true happiness in the
world as a result Of this strife between
capital and labor, and there never can
he until there Is more equal dlstrl-
button Of wealth.
In all his experience. said the speak
or. he had noticed that conditions SEEM
ed to favor the enrichment OF the few
at the expense Of the many. Such n
condition was not intended when the re-
public was founded, for equality OF
man was one Of the fundamental prin-
clples of the government. II is not as
1t was, or as 1t should be. Modern times
have produced the great inlmical
trusts. Modern times have also pro-
duced labor organizations, organiza-
lions which didn't exist prior to 1869.
Colonel PoOrman then elaborated up
on the Increasing number of million
aires, about the per capita, and other
remarks In a similar vein, which strong
~ smacked Of one OF his campaign
speeches. He quoted an imposing ar
raw Of statistics 10 snow that the rich
were getting richer and the poor get
ting poorer. and finally denounced tho
conditions which have, as he alleged,
In the past thirty years, established an
unequal distribution Of the profits OF
toll OF the profits OF industry
Coming to the issue in question, the
coal strike, he said II was fraught with
grave portent. All labor organizations,
all men who wished to do unto others
as they would be done by, were in SYM
pathy with the struggling miners, and
prayed Cor their success. Upon the sue
cess Of the strike depends the better
education, better living and more in
telligence of the great labor population
of this country from whom have come
all the beneficial inventions. And no
greater parody upon Justice could be
quoted than the Wrestling OF the patents
from the Inventors by the capltallsuc
class. The machinery which was de-
vlscd TO lessen labor has been used to
lessen the numbers Of labOrcrs, IL was
devised to give workngmen shorter
hours, hut again the inventive genius
Of man had been misconstrued, The
capitalists seized the inventions, and in
stead OF using them for good, caused
them TO be harmed In n sense. Inven-
tIons should bless mankind, instead OF
In many cases proving almost the re-
verse,
Another condition Of the past three or
four decades brought out by Colo
uel Poorman. was the way the law was
stretched by the supreme court TO him
der the liberty Of the worklngmen. He
said the supreme court was strongly
partial 10 the capitalist and comblna-
tons, and that were poor man to
plead In plteous tones for protective
measure. like nm injunction, at this tri.
bunnl, his Plea would have not the
slightest effect. The Judges, unwlttlnu-
~ maybe, the colonel remarked, were
always on the side Of big salaries. his
reference to Judge Mason, Of Falrmont
was not received by some Of the nu-
dlcncc In a manner complimentary to
the Judge,
Popular Government.
Tho people nrc the government said
he. but they will never be the govern
mcnt until they ind It out, They must
learn not 20 vote tor mcu who logl5lutc
against thclr interests He said II IS
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