The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-01-16
FROM ILLINOIS.

y BRAEDW GOD, jan o. 1909
To She Editor Of the woRKHsAAH's ADvecArH:
n was with feelings at once Indignant and full
of sadness, that / read in the ADVOCATE Of last
wtAk, the account Of the i'll treatment Of Mr..
MDonald by the Scottish coal miners, during
hrs recent efforts to Obtsin seat in the British
Hguse Of Commons. In every case, both in
nerics and in Great Britain WOrkinemen have
prEved themselves the dupes OF demagogues,
auA shortsightedness. But in the case Of Mr..
MDonalj, il was not only that, for be was not
orsy candidate presenting himself, merely be-
caase he had espoused the cause of labor, but
heshas been q life long servant to the iaborers
o(aGrest Britain and more especially the coal
apj ironstone miners. To them he has been a
gratituous one, nay, philAnthrOpist, who has
desOted his talent and bis means to their social,
No DIAL and intellectual elev4 ion. For them, he
by his tongue, his pen, and his better Judgment
hst achieved many victory over their Oppress-
orli He was the principal in instigating ihs
psIsIge of DILL amending the laws relating to
tbs ventilation of coal miners-the system of
weighing the coal miners material, and prOvid-
ine tor the better education of their children in
Scotland. He acted prominent part in hav-
Ing, the law affecting employer and employed, in
thc.matter Of cortracts-she' breaking of which
beisg criminal IN the one case and not in the
otI5r, altered an adjusted. Indeed his life has
BETA spent in benefting him only, who earns
hisoread by the sweat of his brow-atA sacri-
Zee of his own time aud interest For with his
EDUCATION and abilities applied to other purpO
ses, might not he soon revel in the enjoyments
Of heaIth's luxuries, instead Of being, but a
very poor man. Oh ye coal miners Of old
Scotia. sadly will you rue this last act of ngrat-
itut.e for 4 believe it viii be the last-never
again can you have the hArdihood TO ask him to
setYc you, as be has done, after such migrate
full conduct, and who is there to fill his place
none, none.
! say felt indignant on reading it. / did.
What miner knowing his services and HIS
worth could feel other wise, to think, they had
uoAthe self-respect or manhood, to do him
acttof Justice he who had served them so faith
f1le aud 50 well, 10 thus 50 cowardly desert
hiuig And nov to heap upon his head infa-
mOts culamnies is too cruel In the extreme. IL
Is }stardIy, il il shameful.
Inc siE-pence, or at most one shilling from
eaC miuer in Scotland would have paid his
electioneering eKpences. And what was that
10 -le benefit they would have gained by his
beiag taeir Representative. Such represent q
TAwlo was 20 aeryicabe outside the Parlia--
med. VIA. w0ul1 he not have be IN insider
81 1 Is best pernlp-. IS il is, men whose so uls
we 1 .oo little 70 E.rea siLpence TO serve hem
sel 3as-for II wa serving themselves, to one
~hS rad obtained 50 many for them, are not
Al his services. ! truly pity those no BILE
h that are amongst them, for here are still a
s A day OF retrhutiOn fear viii soon over
4 them, whea 10 voice shall be heard TO en-
ceuRage, or plead, and no hand 70 succor, or de-
iena ,.....-
selt sad too, for said, where is the man Of
sons mon Intellectual powers, who would At
4. net to labor 10 the field, as he has done.
ah4re was his reware2 Was il repnoAch If
suQ1 were to be the hire, where would the lead-
ID come from, for who shah labor 70 be Sian
ie4dl Again, they have in setting out to bat
lie ,3gainst the OppressOrs, but TO look al the
sEsyhples Of the past, and shall it not deter
theA, when they see such noble efforts all Of no
avail. Much fear is the injury such conduct
eatstls Ibave great deal more | would wish
% say, but fear it would be OveFstepplng the
hmas assigned me. Yours respectfully.
JOHN JAMES.