The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-04-22
A REPLY TO TIE COMPANY.

To the Editor OF the Intelligencer.
SlR:-The reply OF a representative OF
the Wheeling Street Railway Company
to the citizens committee, which APP
peared in the daily press last Saturday.
looked very much as though It cmana-
ted from lawyer of the company. How
the writer labored to juggle with facts
to mislead the public was as brazen as
1t was dAcetful. The mutual love and
interest" part of II IN It's relations with
the citizens committee and the public
was n molasses plaster to heal the in
suit the officials Of the company gave
the citizens meeting for not having
some one present, after making prom
Use to do SO. Gall and insolence Is, and
always was, a formidable weapon at the
command of this corporation, and It
used this weapon to an advantage In
not being represented there. Its officials
were too crafty to be found In such
company. They did not wish to be In
duced or requested to offer compromises
or discuss the trouble between the rail-
way company and its employees. The re-
quest Of the latter was considered too
important 10 be trii!ed with. as the fol-
lowing part Of the reply clearly indl-
Gates. II says:
"a communication has recently been
received by different members OF this
company, which throughout Is courteous
In tone and which requests 4 reduction
In the hours of labor and an Increase IN
the rate paid per hour. II II had been,
as on It's face 1t appeared TO be. 4 direct
no ,1,,, ,tFnf frA,, 10
the company. 1t certainly would have re-
celved 4 direct response. II Is signed,
however, Local Union No. lO3, Ameri-
can Street Railway Employees follow
ed BIZ the names of six officials with the
designation OF their offices In such I'M
ion."
This was the elephant that INSTRUCTED
the way of the cunning officials from at
tending the citizens meeting. Now. on
the face o. this elephant, a blind man
could see the deliberate falsehood which
the action OF the board of directors In
their meeting with the citizens and en-
ployeS' committee on last Saturday full
~ confirms. Did not Mr.. Condcrman,
president OF the company, make his
chief fight on the Increase In the rate
paid per hour and the reduction of the
hours OF labor? Does not this faIslfy the
legal lights statement, where he said.
III 1t had been Chat Is. the strikers
communicating, as on Its face It op-
pcnred to he. direct communication
from the employees OF the COMPANY, IL
certainly would have received q dlrec,
response" 1t Is presumed from this Jug
Rlcr's way Of writing that II the en-
ploycs went Hingly and alone to the Of
flee ana asked the chief official there for
q reduction OF the hours of labor and
IN Increase In the rate paid per hour,
that they would get n direct response
by telling them that their services were
no further required.
The representatives OF this foreign
corporation would 20 to the chamber OF
commerce to meet with n committee OF
business men or capitalists. but to go
there TO meet or confer with commit
Tee Of the Wheeling Street Railway
mems union WINS beneath their dignity.
II Is well enough 10 take wage carncrs'
money In over Il bank counter or to fec
n lawyer. but to ask for just rights and
living wages Ms union men was intoler-
able and lmpudent.
Every true American citizen knows
that wage workers should have as much
right TO organize labor unions for mu-
tual protection and be recognized and
tolerated In the same manner by en-
ploycrs, as trusts and combinations are