The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-10-25
Protected by Governor Atkinson,s
Veto Ct House Bill No. 172.
HANDBILLS BEING CIRCULATED
By the Democrats, Insinuating That
the States Chief Executive is IN
friendly to Labor-The Veto is
Fully Explained in tho Text and
Should DO Read by All Laboring
Men and Those Who Deal in Coal
and Lumber.
Special Dispatch 10 the lntcllIgonco or

i ~ i VI. ) y III . g. = = j Il
Special Dispatch 10 the lntcllgenccr
CHARLESTON, W. Va, Oct. ga
TheDemocrats IRE circulating hand
bill with heading. THE Pledge" at
tempting to make capital out OF Cover
nor Atklnsons' veto of house bill No.
172. Y {.
The following copy OF the bill is self
explanatory, as the governor gives good
reasons why the bill should have been
vetoed:
~ VETO.
By Governor CIV. Atkinson, of house
Dill No. ia bill 10 amend and re-
enact Sections Z and s, OF Chapter IS,
of the Code OF West Virginia. +
The intention and purpose OF the au-
thor of this bill are absolutely right.
When one man works for another, he
should be compensated for his toll, for
two reasons speclally: First because
he. earns his wages: and, second, he Is
presumed, under the law of political
economy. to have added to the wealth
OF his employer as much or more us the
amount agreed to be paid to him for
5 his toll. No man will employ another
unless he expects TO receive more In
return than he contracts to pny-to ths
one he employs for his labor. II I en-
gage man to work for me, and agree
topny him $50 per month, the presump-
ton Is, under the laws OF political econ
otny. that he adds to my Accommodations
or wealth, as much or more than l
agree to pay him.. otherwise, my pur-
pose In employing. him Is to defraud
one or, more of my fellow citizens. The
laws OF common sense and common
reason. and, indeed, the law OF God, de-
clare that 'the laborer Is worthy: Of his
hire" No man should give to another
his time and his energies, without be-
Ing properly compensated for the same
Evidently the intention of the author
Of this bill is to require every employer
OF labor to pay the wages Of the man or
men he employs toad him In carrying
on his business. This is 'right-forever
right. No honest. well-meaning man
can question this propositions and no
honest citizen can. or will attempt TO
controvert the same. But this bill, as
understand 1t. does not wholly,rest upon
this principle.
Stands For Working People.
IfHit stopped here, no one could induce
s:e motto approve 1t heartily. believe
In The principle and the duty of pro-
tectins the rights and the interests OF
the working people. Labor produces
wealth. and wealth can be produced in
no other way. A ton Of iron ore In the
mountain side Is worth but little. per-
haps not over ten cents In real value;
but when labor takes hold OF 1t. digs Ii
and smells 1t, value Is thereby added TO
1t. A ton of this ore Is dug and smelt-
cd, and bar OF iron Is produced, worth
say %, which when worked into horse
shoes, will sell for $780, Tho hand of the
Skilled laborer Is again applied to this
same bar of Iron, and II Is made into
knife blades. anu the product Is found
to be worth $1,000 Other skilled la
borers take hold Of this same bar OF
IRON. and they work It Into cambria
needles, and II Is worth $4,000, Still
others apply their skill. and toll. and
they transform 1t into halr-sprngs for
watches and 1t Is worth $50. 0O0 All this
increase OF value Is the result OF labor
So, no one will presume to say that Ia
Dor. and labor only, does not produce
wealth. Who, then. will undertake to
assume that labor shall not be proper
ly paid? rs
Two Kinds of Employers.
There are two kinds OF employers Of
iubslt ltAhl ili W pIaissN A'Ife Is .nOnHSl-thn
other dishonest. This bill IS an effort 10
mike all men honest. That Is to saw.
the purpose OF the bill js to require
every employer of labor. by state law,
to pay the salaries OF the men he en-
ploys. This, In principle Is right: and
all honest, we.l-meanlng people VIII
not attempt to controvert II. But an
other principle is involved. which EVIL
IDENTIFY was not forcseen by the author
OF the bill before me. viz. the rights OF
Innocent purchasers OF the products Of
the laOorers, who. under this BILL are
given prior lean upon The. real and
personal property o. their employers
for the articles they produce. Proposi-
tion No. l: No man should work for
another without being paid for his la
Dor Proposition No. .: The man who
does the work for his employer, should
have first lien upon the real and per-
sonal property of his employer. These
propositions are absolutely Just But
what about the interests OF the lnno-
cent third parties. who may become in
VOWED? can readily sec how this bill
WIN require ill employers to pay their
: laborers- every dollar that they owe
them. land this Is right. but there Is
another paramount question upon
which | am compelled TO pass. viz, In
ncccnt purchasers Of the products Of la
Dor.
An Apt Illustration.