The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-09-15

~ we'll " GulAAG AIIluAAk u elAlu tAAA VI
in developing the resources which a
wise and benehcent Providence has be-
slowed upon US. which are open to all
comers
West Virginia, my friends, is the
first oil and gas and timber state in
the Union. She Is second in coke and
thi.d In coal She has more coat area
than any other state. and 1t Is only a
matter of limited time for her to be
first in COIL and coke production, as
she is now frst in oil and gas and tim
Der. because the coal and coke business
Is, after all. only a question Of the sur
vival Of the htteSt. With more veins
Of coal than any other state, and all.
or mostly all, Of better quality than
any Of our competitors, especially for
gas and steam and heat and coke. we
are bound to hold our own. and in the
end come out on top OF any and all
competitors. Hence. again say Mr..
President. that West Vlrginlans gem
orally are friendly to corporations.
and we will and do Gladly welcome
men Of means to come among Us, and
thus help them and US not only to
keep the wolf from the door," but at
the same time aid US to lay up a sur
plus for a "rany day" which will sooner
or later come to one and all. We wei.
come, therefore, capital and corpora
lions, because they help US, as West
Virginans, to build for both the pres
ent and the future.
Tho La or Problem.
Now. I take 1t. Mr.. President. that
all present understand how I feel to-
wards capitalists and towards corpora
tons which always represent capital
and capitalists. The next point to
which 1 desire briefly to allude is the
labor problem. am now and always
have been a staunch friend of the toll.
Ing masses. 1 stand for the working
man, because he alone produces wealth.
BE takes the iron ore. the coal. the oil,
the gas, the precious metals, the lead,
the zinc, ETC., out of the bowels of the
earth, and by his skill transforms them
from the natural to the finished pro-
duct In this way he produces wealth.
In the same way he brings out of moth
er earth the necessary articles for the
sustenance of mankind. He alone
therefore, is a wealth producer. Why.
then, should he not have our honest,
earnest support? I say unhesltating-
ly that he has my best wishes.
Labor and capital are lnter-depend-
ent. One canot get on without the help
OF the other. The laboring men have
the same right to organize for their
advancement and protection as have
the capitalists. The same privilege
must be extended to one class as to the
other. So long as the laborlng man
does his duty, and keeps within the
limit of the law, he will have my SYM
pathy and support. But I have never
yet favored q strike or a lockout so
long as 1t was possible to prevent It by
Just and friendly arbitration; and I
have never yet known. and 1 say it
boldly. a strike or lockout, In all my
experience and observation, that did
not result In injury to both labor and
capital. Therefore. Mr.. President, I
favor arbitration to settle oil disputed
problems between capital on the one
hand and labor on the other.
Labor Arbitration.
While I stand here as a representa-
tive OF the common people, and insist
that they should be properly treated.
yet I confess that there are other
trusts in this country than money
trusts" Laboring men have their or
ganizations, as have already stated
they ought to have. and are entitled
to have. But, somehow. however.
portion of these organizations have not
properly taken Into account the strife
and loss OF time to themselves and
their employers occasIoned by strikes
which they have seen 1T to bring upon
themselves. There are. therefore, not
only capital trusts, but there are some
times labor trusts also. wish to
place myself on record against both,
and especially so when the demands OF
either or both are not in accord with
the well established rules OF political
economy and common sense and COM
mon honesty between man and man.
whether rich or poor. white or black.
Laboring men have no more right to
combine for the purpose OF sustaining
that which is unjust and unreasonable
than capitalists Hence, I wish to de-
clare here and now That arbitration
alone can properly adjust controversies
OF this sort. and the man who opposes
this kind OF adjustment is wholly out of
Joint with the spirit Of the times in
which he lives. Capital and labor
should deal fairly with each other, and
II they cannot at times agree. let the
controversy be arbItrated by Just,
unbiased and honorable tribunal. No
conservative. honest man, In my Judg-
ment, can or viii oppose such ADJUST
ment.
Not a Party Question.
This brings us, Mr.. President and gen
tiemen. to brief consideration OF
trusts" which Ia the main question be.
fore this Federation. In all OF my pub
lie and private acts In the past my
"muskct" has always been pointed to.
ward trusts. and II know myself to-
day It is Etill pointing the same way. It
seems that our country has, within the
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