The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-07-27

To-day the eyes Of the country VIII be
turned toward Wheeling.
The executive officers of the thirty
eight labor organizations that own allie
glance to the American Federation OF
Labor will meet at noon in the hall of
the Ohio Valley Trades and Labor AS
sembly to devise ways and means to
bring the great coal mining strike to a
termination In which the miners will
achieve victory.
The call for this meeting was issued
last week by President NJ. d. Ratchford,
Of Columbus, president of the United
Mine Workers Of America, and received
the approval OF President Samuel Com
pers, OF the Federation. After stating
that peaceable assemblage has been
forbidden and free speech suppressed In
West Virginia, the call continues as fol-
lows:
II therefore call upon you In behalf of
the struggling miners to convene all the
chief executive officers of all national
labor organizations at Wheeling, w.
Va, on Tuesday, July 81, for the pur-
pose OF meeting this crisis and achiev-
ing victory for the cause OF labor. No
duty which any labor official may have |
at this time Is to be compared in impor-
lance TO this great demand. and II is |
therefore hoped and expected that each |
and all Of them will attend in person.
This Is not the time to consider differ
ences between organizations, II differ
ences there be, and no man who has our
cause at heart Will raise that question.
The call to duty is to all organized la
Dor, and the chief executive of each-or-
ganizatiOn Is expected to give the con-
ference the benefit OF his personal pres
ence. II this battle is won, organized |
labor In every department will be i'm |
measurably strengthened, but II lost,
the cause will be set back at least ten
years.
Never have the American people so
unanimously supported labor strike. |
Eighty per cent are with us and will |
support our cause to the end. This Is
the supreme opportunity to strike the
blow for industrial liberty, and II ig-
nOred. the doom of labor is sealed and
we, its trusted leaders, must bear the |
odlum Of our cowardly inactiOn. The |
very presence OF the combined leader |
ship OF labor in this state will awaken |
the hosts to duty. The down-trodden |
miners will take heart, and as II by ma
gic will stand erect and assert their |
rights as men. The unity or labor is all |
that Is required to decide TINS contest |
In favor OF the miners, in favor OF Jus.
tlce and In favor Of humanity"
From responses that have been re-
celved from many OF the executives II Is |
believed that to-day's conference will |
be attended by officials representing |
over thirty organizations. First on the |
scene are Eugene " Debs, the former
head OF the American Railway Union: |
President Mahon, OF the street car
workers; Vice President Rea, OF the |
painters and decorators, and Vice Pres |
ident K, A. Askew. OF the Northern
Mineral Workers Union. President
Ratchford, of the United Mine Workers,
and President Samuel Gompers. of the |
American Federation. were expected TO |
arrive late last night. This mornings |
arrivals will include President James
i. Sovereign OF the Knights OF Labor, |
and President VI. NJ. Garland, OF the |
Amalgamated Association of Iron and |
Steel Workers, and many Others
There remains some uncertainty as to |
the outcome OF the meeting to-day The |
event that called forth the conference |
little town In the Norfolk e. Western |
coal region In declining TO allow Sover- |
eign TO speak. but the scope Of the |
meeting has wldened and measures that |
will bring about successful termina-
ton OF the strike are to be considered.
Among other matters, will be the con-
sderation OF the scheme for calling |
upon the flremen, brakemen and conduc-
tors to refuse to man trains carrying |
West Virginia coal. This step. how
ever, will hardly be taken unless II is |
shown plainly to-day that the effort to
bring out the West Virginia miners has |
little or no chance OF success. Late last |
night an Ihteliigencer reporter called |
upon Mr.. Debs at the Stamm house. He |
was In conference with Messrs. Rea, |
Askew and others. He says he has au
thentlc information from the Falrmont |
district that 1000 Of the 1000 men about |
Fairmont and on the MononEahela rlv-
er road have Joined the strike; that 5000 |
Of the 10000 miners In the fields along |
the Norfolk & Western railroad, In the
southern end Of the state. have quit and |
that large proportion OF the miners In |
the Great Kanawha district along the
Chesapeake & Ohio. have thrown down |
their picks. II these reports approach
anything like the truth, there would be
little necessity for the calling out OF
the rallroaders. According to Mr.. Debs.
the intimidation that he alleges has
been practiced by the operators nj and
near Farmont has been the cause OF
Antntnu ufFiLa