The Jamesburg record., 1897-07-31

Wheeling, July 29.-That the confer
ence of national labor leaders held here
planned far more than was given to the
public is now demonstrated. The
strike, which seemed to be a fiat fail
ure in West Virginia and which every
one expected the mine workers to give
up, has taken on new life, and move
ments have been set in operation which
are expected to change the entire as
pect of affairs within a few days. The
first act was the employment of John
J. Davis, an ex-eongressman and one OF
the best lawyers in the state. to defend
the injunction cases brought by the
NIonongah and Watson companies at
Fairmont to prevent parading and as
semblages on the public roads of Marion
county.
The second move was the departure
of President Ratchford and Mr.. Com
pers for Charleston to meet Governor
Atkinson and discuss with him the posi-
ton which West Virginia's executive
will take with reg2rd to local courts,
constlbles and mayhrs suppressing free
speech and peaceable assemblages.
Labor Organizations In Harmony.
REPRESENTATIVES of the American Fed
Grafton ard the Knights of Labor an
nounce that the meeting has resulted
IL the unifcation of the two organiza-
tons so far as the present fight is con-
cerned and that they will go hand in
hand
Yesterday, when the new men at the
Monongah mines went to work, they
were assaulted by the wives and daugh-
ters of the striking miners The women
were so violent in their demonstrations
that the miners fed precipitately. Stones
and clubs were used effectively.
The strikers made great gains in the
Wheeling district yesterday and there
will not be man at work in any mine
in the district within the next "a hours.
In the Kanawha valley work has not
been resumed yet, but that region and
the Norfolk and Western will be at
tackled by the organizers this week.
Gompers promised that 200 agitators
would be in West Virginia next Mon
day.
Gompers, Ratchford and Sovereign
arrived in Charleston last night and
We're received by Governor Atkinson.
The governor explained that he had no
authority over the judicial and legisla-
tive departments, but said that he rec
ogniZed that the injunction of Judge
Mason at Fairmont was too sweeping
and that no man could be denied the
right of free speech or assemblage in
West Virginia unless it We're made with
the view of creating riot and insurrec-
ton. The governor may be depended
upon to do all in his power to secure to
the miners their full rights and lfber-
ties.
Labor Leaders Appeal.
AS an outcome of the conference of
the labor leaders the following appeal
has been issued:
A wall of anguish, mingled with des-
peration, arises from the bowels of the
earth, and the miners cry for relief for
some degree of justice touches the re-
sponsive chord in the hearts and con-
sciences of the whole people. Drudging at
wages when employed which are made
quate and portend misery, starvation and
slavery the miners are confronted with a
condition by which their scant earnings
are denied them except through the COM
pany pluck me stores, which outshy-
lock the worst features of the nefarious
system and is a stigma on the escutcheon
of our country and blot on our civiiza-
tion.
We. the representatives of the trades
unions and of all organized labor of the
United States, in convention assembled
to consider the pending struggle of the
miners for wages sufficient to enable them
to live and TO enjoy at least some degree
of the necessities of life, are determined
to forever put stop to a state of starya-
tion in which they are now ingulfed.
The deplorable condition of the miners
is well known to all of our people. They
live in novels, unable to buy sufficient
bread to ward off starvation, in many
cases not sufficiently clothed to cover
their nakedness and their children unfit
TO attend school because of lack of food
and clothing, making them a danger to
the future stability of our republic. We
feel assured that all men and women who
. love their own families or who have one.
"a spark of human sympathy for their fell
lows cannot fail to. give all the aid in
their power to enable the miners to win
siitheir present battle. The representatives
of the miners have been restrained by in
junction when exercising their funda-
nasRfRl right of public assembly and free
speech to present to the world their
grteVenceS. We as American citizens re-
seqa, this interference with the rights
guaranteed to us under the constitution.
In .sbe ordinary affairs of life all en-
JOY privileges and rights which consti-
tutF0f5T1either confer nor deny but the
guaranfSe Of the right of free public as
sefnbly and free speech was intended to
give opportunity to the people or any por-
tion, Pf them to present the grievances
frohi wRsth they suffer and which they
We de9oShce the issuance of injunctions
by theJua gsffOf West Virginia, Pennsyl-
fed, unIstsTakted and unprecedented
more more especist4+s-it4-t il absence of any ex-
part of the 6hss4 esed miners. We call on
the government nfAest Virginia and up
on the goVernoEs. Qf all other states and
OIl all puDIC ClIICId1S LOT Iull ana ample
protection in the gTercise of our rights of
free speech and public assemblage. We
have no desire to trelsiass upon the rights
Of any one, and we demand protection in
the exercise of those fights handed down
to US by the founders OF, the republic. We
recommend that indignation mass meet
ings be held throughout the entire coun-
try to. give expression to The condemna-
tion of the unWarranted intuhttion, inter-
fering with the free rights Of, free assem-
blage and free speech, and we also extend
sympathy and support to the Hnhle work
ers to the utmost extent
We hereby call upon the national and
international organizations of labor to