Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-05-03

A REPLY TO THE COMPANY.

To the Editor of the Register.
Strive would kindly ask permits
sion to correct, through your paper, the
false statements made by the Wheeling
Railway Company and others. Mr..
Conderman, President of the Company,
makes the statement that the strike
would have been settled but for the in
reference of the Trades Assembly.
Others, through the newspapers, have
stated that the Trades Assembly-"an
irresponsible party''-has prevented
settlement.
To Mr.. Conderman and to all others
who make this assertion, we say most
emphatically, that it is a lie. We were
not the instigators OF this strike. We
did not persuade the men to ask for an
increase in wages. They themselves
did that voluntarily, because they
thought that justice commanded them
to do SO. 1t was through no other in
fiuence but their own conscience that
the men decided to ask for this in
crease. To this we defy contradiction,
and challenge anyone to prove different.
Why do they say that we (the Trades
Assembly,, are responsible for the fail
ure to settle the strike? We did moth
ing but our duty We gave these men
our endorsement, and at their request
we promised to support them in their
efforts to secure the rights they are
striking for. And it is to us the great
est pleasure to be able to say at this
time, that we have given to them all
the support at our command. 1T these
men desire to go to work at Is cents
per hour they are at liberty to do so,
the Trades Assembly will not prevent
them from doing such, as we have
nothing to do with the regulation of
wages. But this we have to do, and
this we want all to understand We will
do,-and that is, that, if these men ask
for twenty cents per hour and we think
they are justly entitled to it, (Which we
do, we will spend every dollar avail
able among the Trades unions of this
vicinity, and use every other honorable
means at our command to assist them
to gain their point. There can only be
one reason given in substantiation of
the charge that the Trades Assembly
prevented settlement, and that reason
is, that the officials of the Trades AS
sembly were true and honorable enough
to stand steadfastly where duty bid
them stand, by the side of those men,
to prevent other irresponsible parties"
from influencing and forcing them to
make settlement on terms which their
conscience forbid them to do. And if
this is why we are criticised and CEN
sured, we wish to say to our censurers,
that we thank you most sincerely for
bestowing upon us compliment which
We highly appreciated compliment
upon the fulfllment of our duty. Do
you want us to prove ourselves cow
ards and traitors? Do you not know
that we are organized for the purpose
of lettering the condition of the work
ingmen? Do you not know that the
strikers asked for our services, and do
you expect us to finch from duty in
order to satisfy the avarice of a few
apathetic capitalists? We would rather
have the reproaches of such people rest
upon us for life, than to be told by the
lowliest toiler in the land that we were
towards or traitors. Every citizen in
this community agrees with us that the
demands of the men are fair and just,
this they show not only by expression,
but by actions, and if these citizens
think it their duty to suffer inconven-
fence in the name of fairness and JUS
tice, should we, the flag bearers" of
labor's cause, stand idly by and allow
other committees to try and bring about
settlement on any terms and then tell
us to keep hands off, A Council COM
mittee or any other committee that tries
to bring about a settlement of this
matter at 16 or IS cents, is an insult
upon all citizens in this community,
who have unequivocally proclaimed
that 8 hours, and 20 cents per hour is
fair and just. Why should the strikers
be blamed for this inconvenience, when
every one is willing, and does admit
that they are demanding only what is
right? And if the strikers are right, as
all admit they are, why should we be
asked to settle on any other terms?
Some of the people who are "hollering"
SO loud about the Trades Assembly
are probably not aware of the fact that
the Board Of Directors of the Street
Car Company met the officials of the
Trades Assembly together with the
street car workers committee, and at
that meeting arrangements were made
for the same committee to meet the
directors on Saturday last. At this
meeting Mr. Peterson stated that he
would arrange for the conference and
notify Mr. Tighe or Salisbury of the
exact time. The company at this meet
ing seemed to recognize the Trades AS
sembly as responsible Then what are
these people 'hollering" so much about
irresponsible parties?" Words cannot
express our appreciation of the manner
in which the public has treated these