The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-12-11

Hon. John 7. McGraT appeared at
his best in thGt splendid assemblage:
whole Hon. S. l.. Ballengic, of Blue
Ileld, Col. a. Il Winchester, of Buck
harmon, lion. George A. Laughlin, Of
the Wheeling Inteliigencer, w. H. RI
ley, Of Wheeling, and Fred c. Bishop
Of Morgantown, and others were repre-
sentatives of the business interest Of
our State.
August Belmont, the representative
Of the RothschiIds. and of large bank
ing institutions of New York, acted as
chairman and called the convention to
order in an appropriate speech.
Upon the platform at the time were
men representing at least five hundred
I4illlons in property, Andrew Car
negie, of the great steel trust, Oscar s.
Straus, a member of the court Of arbi
tration at The Hague to establish the
peace of the world; Charles W. Elliott.
president of Harvard University; Arch
bishop ireland, Of the Roman Catho'
lie Church, Hon. Frank B. Sergeant
commissioner general Of immigration
for the United States; Hon. Prescott
II. Hall, secretary Of the immigration
league; Congressman Adcott H. Hall,
secretary Of the immigration commit
tee; Samuel Gompers president OF tie
American Federation of Labor; and
many other distinguished men, includ'
ing governors, congressman, business
men Iaborers, presidents Of universe
ties, and laymen in general, for three
days and three nights discussed this
rlomentous question, which is at the
present time affecting our body polite.
either for better or for worse.
Each State and Territory was under
the rules entitled to one representa-
tive on the resolutions committee. The
delegates from West Virginia saw
proper to elect your humble servant
to represent West Virginia on the
said committee. This committee, con-,
posed OF 50 members representing the
States and territories, and ten mem
hers at large for the United States, Tor
enc whole night and part OF day
discussed and argued among them
selves as to what was the proper pos
ton to place the convention before the
President of the United States and
Congress. The chairman of that COM
nittee was Hon. Albert Shaw, edition
of the Review Of Reviews, one OF the
best If not the greatest publicists OF
this country.
II made no difference to the com
miitee or to the convention whether
the speaker was a millionaire or a
great editor, or q humble representa-
tive of labor, if he desired to present
his views OH the subject of imEligra'
ton, it was an open forum for all In
fact, to the surprise Of many, the most
telling speeches, which we're given the
deepest consideration, were made by a
Young editor from Idaho and another
| Ntz..l
Freedom of speech vas unclaimed
and Mr.. Carnegie, the Belmonts, the
Rothschilds ard other millionaires
either present or by their representa-
tives, simply had to take the plain
language often thrust at them by the
tongue of some representative OF labor
who in defense Of the man who carries
the dinner bucket, presented in mos
telling words the side of labor, in or
der to see that wealth should not over
shadow It.
The report of the committee on reso
buttons vas unanimously adopted with
out dissenting vote When reported tt
that great conference
1t will be impossible for me to give
the details thereof. But suffice it t
say that both capital aud labor are II
favor Of the immigrant who is honest
has sufficient pleans to not become 3
public charge, and who win at once
settle down, especially in the sreaI
States Of the west and south, to be