Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-06-18

TO the Editor of the Register.

a tftAlt NE TO say u lew WofuS III reply
to the action of the Chamber of Commerce
and the remarks of j. c. Brady. Mr..
Brady, with the attitude and language of
a demagogue, paints pictures of our city
| that would make the onlooker believe that
we We're a band of uncivilized barbarians
or that our city was giving a reproduction
of the Haymarket riots. He refers TO an
article in a New York paper which he
knows was untrue, and has among other
| like articles been denounced by all of our
newspapers. The men involved in this
strike, and all other men connected with
| labor organizations in this vicinity, have
not, during this struggle, done one single
act that would bring discredit upon our
| city. If our city is getting bad reputa-
| ton abroad some one else is responsible for.
/ it, other than the organized tyrants of
| the Sunday legislature.
| don't want to reflect upon Mr.. Brady s
veracity, but 1 must say that his speech
| was a mass of misstatements. He says
| that organized labor was responsible for
| the ruination of the nail industry in this
| city. Any one acquainted with the facts
| knows that this is untrue. Wheeling, pre-
| vious to the strike, was manufacturing
| iron nails, and after the strike they con-
/ tinued TO make them until they were SUI
perseded by wire and steel nails, and Mr..
! Brady, if he knows anything at all about
/ the matter, knows that is the reason why
! the nail industry left Wheeling, and it left
/ every other city in like manner that did
not keep up with the times and go into the
/ manufacture of wire and steel nails. Col.
| OBrien told him why the glass industry
| left Wheeling, and he can't dispute it. and
1 he should not lay the lbame on organized
| labor. He also tries TO blame organized
| labor for the strike at the North Wheeling
| glass house. This was a strike by a
| crowd of unorganized boys, who knew not
| the first principles of organized labor. Or
| gained labor was not responsible for the
| strike, but it was through the efforts of
| the representatives of organized labor that
| the difficulty was adjusted satisfactorily to
/ both parties. There is no truth in his
statement that the glass house is going to
move. He evidently made the statement
| TO incite prejudice
| If the Chamber of Commerce wanted to
! be fair in this matter why did they not
adopt the policy of Col. O'Erien and show
| equal justice to all parties? Do they think
| that the men have no rights or that their
| claims are not worthy of consideration?
| You denounce our methods and boycott
| system. but what about our cause? You
: consider only our method and not our mo-
| tive. Conditions prove that the laboring
men is not fairly compensated for his la
: bors and is unjustly dealt with in other
matters. Our aims and objects are to Sc
! cure fair compensation and better condi-
/ tions-an ignoble aim / suppose! We are
! not in the labor cause for the love of the
| methods We are there for the accom-
I plishment of our purpose. If our methods
are wrong, we are willing to be taught a
| method that is right We do not claim
| that our methods are infalliole but we do
| claim that our cause is just But what
! other means under heaven can we employ +?
/ Only during this strike we are told by a
I federal judge that the law gives us no pro-
| lection, and you business men now say
! that these men must submit TO the Tor
( ganized tyranny of the Wheeling Railway
| Company, or YOU will espouse tine com
| pany's cause. and help to crush their cries
| for justice and for bread
| You run to support this corporation that
! denied their employees the right to organ
lie for mutual protection-the right to ex-
; ercise their American liberties This cor
! poration that refuses TO submit it's case to
! an impartial tribunal and has cast insult
/ after insult upon our city and made ii the
! dumping ground for the refuse of other
/ cities. Is ii any wonder that men are
driven to desperation? Your actions cause
them to lose all confidence and respect for
mankind, You would make them bite the
bitter dust of injustice. Yea, you would
make them curse the very God that gave
4 them life! Col. O'Brien stated that he
could show that the industries of Wheel
I ing were making money hand over fist
! Mr.. Brady agreed with him, but was sorry
/ there were not more here to make money
4 but he gives not one word or thought to
I the condition of the lowly to.ler
! You business men. let me ask you why
you don't act fairly and impartially in this
matter? The men long ago announced
their Willingness to arbitrate: the Railway
/ Company refused. Then tell me what JUS
/ tice is there in such action? You say that
you will try to defeat the cause of the men
\ If the strike is not settled by Tuesday. but
/ you let this arrogant corporation go I'M
molested. What a spectacle to behold.
/ You men helping to bind the shackles Of
/ tyranny upon the weak and oppressed.
| You teach the lesson that the world
| "Crucified its Christ forever.
| Placed its PLATE in the chair:
| That it cursed the right forever
! And forever crowned the wrong,
! Keeping for the weak its shackles.
| And its sceptres for the strong"
| Mr.. Brady calls the remarks of Col.
| O Brien ''demagogic claptrap." I would
/ like to ask if he could call the actions Of
! himself and the Chamber of Commerce
| anything else but despotic arrogance. Col.
upheld honorably the reputation he has
/ always borne-a man with the courage of
| his convictions. respecting every one but
! fearing none, desiring to give justice to all.
| claiming the same for himself If all men
were like him we would have no need for
! labor organizations. strikes would be nm
( called for. and boycots would be IN
known My congratulations to Won.
| eGGE0. WARslCk & co.