Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1857-12-15
THE COAL DIGGERS.

'-# THE COAL DIIGERS.
Last week, as an item of news, we pub
lished the following paragraph, word fo
word, letter for letter-no more, no less
on the subject:
THE Mi"ers of Pomeroy and surround
ing towns still hold out, refusing to 90 tc
work aC the prices offered The prospect
il that they will remain idle all winter
They number about seven hundred, and
are principally Welsh and Germans We
learn that many are anxious to work, but
are not allowed to by others, who happen
to be in the majority. We think they had
better reconsider the matter, and 20 tc
work AT the present prices of provis
ions, the amount offered is as good, if not
better, than that paid last year"
Now, can any reasonable person find an
thing terrible in that paragraph?-any
thing offensive? If so, he must possess
keen optics. Yet, i, seems to have reused
the indignation Of at least one individual,
who has forwarded communication of a
column in length, which he asks us to pub
lish. We decline publishing it in full, for
the following reasons:
l.. 1t is evidently dictated by improper
feelings, and is couched in very uabecom-
ing language, as few sentences will de-
monstate. 1t opens thus: ... b..
"Sir,-As you have thought proper in
your last weeks papers to offer us the coal
diggers your gratutous advice, 1 expect
you will give US an opportunity to reply.
AS we did not ask your advice, we do not
feel disposed to act upon it, for several rea-
sons. You stated that large number of
the men would go to work at the wages
offered. if it was not for fear of the major
ity doing them some injury"
This is about a fair average of the style
and temper of the article; and if his state
ments come no nearer the truth than the
one last quoted, they can hardly be relied
on-to say the least, they are highly co..
ored.
E. The article makes personal attack
upon gentleman who is necessarily ab-
sent from home. This is taking an unfair
advantage of an adversary.
8. The author is afraid to let even the
editor know his name. He says:
IL would freely give you my name; but
having suffered from the tyranny of en-
ployers, have no wish to set myself par
ticularly in front of them at this time, IS
target to be shot at. AS am not per-
son that comes prominently forward to de-
bate questions IT. our public meetings, l
will not be suspected in exposing their tyr
amy. send this IN behalf of the coal
diggers."
So you wish to stab your enemy in the
dark, and then have US punished for 1t,
while you sneak away, and congratulate
yourself that you are not suspected of the
murder. We believe the coal-diggers of
Pomeroy have too high sense of honor
To sanction any such cowardice. We have
no idea Of burning our fingers. by raking
every monkeys chcstnuts out of the fire.
If the coal-diggers have any thing to say
TO the public, they must come up like men
and "face the music
4. The author tells us, in q postscript,
that he has retained copy, and feels quite
sure that if we do not publish it, he can
find publisher elsewhere. This looks
little too much liksta child's threat to suit
us, and if every other objection were re.
moved, this alone would deter US from
publishing it. Get publisher elsewhere,
by all means, Mr.. Coal-Digger.
Having given our reasons for rejecting
the communication. we now propose to
have little plain talk with these miners.
Aud we shall treat them as men, capable
Of reasoning calmly upon any subject af-
fecting their own interests. Neither their
numbsrs or strength shall deter us from
dealing frankly with them, for we neither
fear them or their employers.
L. We have all our life been aOoyking-
man, and associated with men of that
class-our interests being Identified with
theirs. No class of workingmen in the
country are as thoroughly organized as are
Journeymen Printers-the class to which
we belonged. We have attended their
meetings. joined in their strikes, and been
an active and prominent participant in all a
their proceedings, representing one Of the t
largest societies at the formation OF the Z