The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer

CONSOLIDATED.-A movement has been on foot for some time back looking to the conjunction of the two branches of workingmen's societies in the city known as the National Workingmen and the Labor Reformers. There were several very potent and cogent reasons for this consummation: First The community of interests. Second The objects for which they were striving were not attainable under separate organizations, as they were nearly identical in this direction, and working separately, neither could accomplish anything, and Thirdly-The consolidation of the two societies would give them a respectability so far as numbers, strength and influence were concerned that they would not otherwise enjoy. With these obvious facts in view the executive committees of the two societies met at Hope Hall Saturday night, and after a canvass of the situation determined to conjoin and to be known hereafter as the United Workingmen's party. The following officers were then elected by the representatives: President, S. A. Kepner; First Vice President, L. W. Stephens; Corresponding Secretary, C. P. Hamilton; Recording Secretary, C. M. Rathburn; Treasurer, J. H. McFall. After the election the following resolutions and platform were adopted unanimously, as exemplifying their peculiar ideas upon their objective points: WHEREAS, We, the workingmen of the city of Wheeling, county of Ohio, Commonwealth of West Virginia, have nothing to hope for, or expect, in justice to our demands, from the present class of legislators; and WHEREAS, We, the bone and sinew of our commonwealth, have prayed and petitioned in vain, for redress and relief from laws detrimental to our interests, and detrimental to the interest of society; and WHEREAS, We have repeatedly warned these legislators that unless our petitions and prayers were heard and our grievances and wrongs were redressed, we would choose from our own ranks men and legislators whose pledges would be to our interest alone; and WHEREAS Those same legislators, in view and face of our solemn warnings, have failed to keep their promises, scorned and insulted our petitions, braved and dared our warnings, betrayed our interests, and thus forfeited our support and confidence; and WHEREAS, We have been deceived, betrayed and humbled beyond all endurance. Therefore we, the workingmen of the city of Wheeling, county of Ohio, State of West Virginia, have Resolved, That we pledge our undivided support to good and true men who will be pledged to maintain, defend, further zealously and never consider secondary the principles contained in the following: PLATFORM: Following is the platform of principles: 1. The abolition of the present system of convict labor in our penitentiaries. 2. The establishment of a bureau of labor statistics. 3. The abolition of the present system of feeing public officers; paying in lieu thereof a reasonable salary. 4. The enactment of efficient sanitary regulations for factories and workshops. 5. The periodical inspection of mines. 6. The enactment of a law making the wages of all laborers and mechanics first lien. 7. A law providing for the payment of laborers' and mechanics' wages. 8. The semi-annual inspection of stationary steam boilers. 9. A law requiring persons having charge of such steam boilers to be competent by reason of age and experience. 10. A new law in regard to the attachment of wages for debt. 11. The official branding of all mining cars, and the testing of scales, weights and measures. 12. The abolition of the contract system on all public works. 13. That no public official be allowed to be a party (personally) to any public contract. 14. The enactment of efficient building laws in our towns and cities. 15. A law to prevent any person, against whom no crime has been proved, being imprisoned as a vagrant. After the adoption of the above the meeting adjourned to meet in the same hall on the evening of the 7th at 7:30 o'clock.