West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1900-10-25
"wAGEs MUST GO DOWN,
Declares Senator Elkins Who is on
Record Against Union Labor.

Spe ciai contribution to The ARGUS
New York, October I5-"Some
of the statements recently made by
Senator Hanna, chairman of the
Republican National Committee,
are a reflection upon the intelligence
of the wage-earners of this country"
said an officer of New York Typog-
raphical Union No. 6. day
SIN September and October
every four years the Republican
leaders are hysterical in their pro-
testations of friendliness toward the
workingmen. Many of these same
leaders are on record, in black and
white during the remaining forty six
months as opposed to labor organ.
izations.
"Senator Hanna recently stated
that he liked to talk to workingmen
because he understood them and
they understood him. The wage
carriers certainly do understand the
chairman of the Republican Nat
ional Committee, as will be proved
later on.
"By what authority does the Sen
ator from Ohio presume to pledge
the Republican party to the arbitra-
ton of labor controversies, or to
any other proposition for the ad-
vancement of the interests of labor
The Republican National Conven-
ton, held in Philadelphia last June,
did not deem the labor interests of
enough importance to even deserve
mention in the party platform. I'm
less II is admitted that Senator
Hanna constitutes the Republican
party, which impression prevails in
the minds of many men, his dcclar-
alton will be received with extreme
caution by all wage earners.
"Senator Stephen b. Elkins,
Secretary of War under President
Harrison and one of President Nc
Kinley's chief advisers, in an inter
view published in the mont union
New York Sun, on April IS, 1897,
answered the question, is the
black labor settled in the mines ? as
follows:
" Firmly. II is not as effective
as white labor, but it does not form
labor unions, does not combine and
conspire, and the negro spends all
he makes.
"In the same interview the SEN
ator from West Virginia declared :
wages inevitably must go down, as
everything else has gone down.
Wage earners do not wish to see it
or believe it, but it is so. Wages
in America stand against any re-
vival of business
"Senator Elkins, it will be re-
membered, is one of the largest coal
operators in West Virginia, and
his treatment of union miners is a
matter of history. 1t will also be
recalled that Senator ElkinS had
some coal to sell TO the Navy De-
partment during the early months
of the Spanish American war. If
newspaper reports are to be be-
lieved, Senator Elkins finally did
dispose of his coal, despite the
protests of the proper officials, who
objected to its poor quality.
"When Senator Hanna attempted
to settle the coal strike in Pennsyl-
vania he knew the one man to see.
That man was not the President of
the Miners Union, nor was he a
representative of the National or
State Government. The ethics of
the Republican party admit and
insist that the coal operators have
a perfect right to combine for the
purpose of advancing the price of
coal or reducing the wages of their
employees, but when the miners select
man TO represent their interests
the operators Immediately decide
that such officers shall not be recog-
nized.
"Instead of treating with their
employees representative in bust
ness way, they have offered bride
of 10 per cent. for the sole purpose
of disrupting the Miners Union.
"Scnator Hanna is shouting for
a rope TO hang the man who pre-
vents the settlement Of this contro.
, versy. The Chairman of the Re.
publican National Committee will