The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-06-11


urging independent political action
At the othar stand, Mr.. Homsighansen
WINS hOnored with the chairnanship
M. Adolf Donai delivering the address
which was heightened and SQUAD il
every particular. The festival was .
complete success. It's numbers and
it's enthusiasm, convince me that the SUD
of the money power must soon set. A
portion of Tuesday was spent with our
tgood friends Troup and Browning, and
in the evening I took the cars for Phlla'
delphi& 49,. !,
In that city called upon friend,
Walls, Myers, Kunksly, johnson, and
others. In the afternoon we opPor-
tunely encountered John Siney, the
honest energetic head Of the miners
movement in Schuylkill county, in
whose company we left Philadelphia on
Friday morning for the coal regions
The frst point stopped at was St. Clair,
MIR. Siney's home, and the headquarters
of the w, B. A.
Here spoke to q very large congre'
CATION Of miners on Saturday evening
Ny listeners paid me the most deter
entail attention and evidently sPpre-
ciated my homely efforts to enighten
them upon the plans and purposes OF
the labor movement at the close OF
the meeting. they passed resolutions
indicative Of their distrust ofpoliticlans
and the old parties, and willingness to
enroll themselves under the banner OF
the National Labor Union. On Sun
day I attended divine service in COM
pany with Mr. Siney. The congrega-
ton was principally miners, and their
families. The choir which is in charge
Of the superintendent Of the co-oPers-
tive store, was remarkably good, rs
good in fact, as any ever listened to
outside of large ciiy. While in St
Clair, choperOned by Messrs. Siney,
Nc Carthy and others, paid a visit to
several of the collieries. One shaft /
descended extended $50 feet below the
surface. l CO -fess that while being
lowered into the pit, / experienced a
feeling of what, to tell the truth, was
close akin to fear. However, we reached
bottom in due time, and traversed a
considerable distance, in what to me
seemed impenetrable darkness, though
my companions were apparently ut
home in it. /" picked" Eve pieces of
coal from a breast" to preserve as
specimens, some of which included all
the beautiful colors of the prism, and
others containing pyrites Of iron in
much profusion. As we progressed,
an advance guard with the assistance
Of their Davy lamps prospected for FIRE
damp, which in one or two instances
that sent perceptible tremor throug b
my frame, they discovered. Though
well pleased with my researches under
ground, l was quite glad when we
emerged again into fresh air and day
light.
On Monday morning in company
with Mr.. .Siney, / went to Ashland, at
which place that gentleman and myself
spoke in the afternoon, from the
balcony Of the Repplier House, to an
immense audience. have not time to
detail the particulars of my trip as /
should like, beside my letter is already
prosibly long, for length is always sure
to be prosiness.
On Tuesday afternoon We spoke at
Girardsville, and on Wednesday after
noon at Mahsnoy city, in densely
packed hall. Here l heard the most
lusty cheers it was ever my fortune
to listen to, given for Mr.. Siney and
others, and equally lnsty groans for
the imbeciIe editor of the Miners
Journal.
At Lost Creek, at which place we
found ourselves on Thursday after
noon the,@insSs spnlaxsd in Congress
man Cakes collleries were all az WORK.
The meeting which was held in the
evening, was a very large one, and
equally an enthusiastic as its predeces-
sors. A delegation from Mahonoy
attended, and the proceedings were
enlivened by songs and recitations, in
GLIDING one composed that day in the
mine by Mr.. Morgan jr. At the house
of Mr.. Price, of the w. B. A., we
were treated to string, organ, and vocal
music, from which we acknowledged to
have derived much pleasure. At Cum
bala, which we visited on Friday, we
found the men employed at the old
basis. Here the miners marched in
procession to the meeting, headed by
a fife and drum. At its conclusion,
some Of the daughters of the sturdy
workers, presented me, through Mr.
Siney, with a beautiful bouquet, for
which token / could scarcely express
my thanks. A portion of Saturday,
spent in Tamaqua, with Messrs. Siney,
Parker, and others, whom left with
regret for Philadelphia, where had en-,
gagged to address a mass meeting Of
Germans in the evening.
1t is the popular belief that miner
is but one step removed from the
brute. His enemies delight IN repre-
senting him as vile, uncouth, and
ignorant. The best refutstion OF these
libels. consists in the fact, that notwlth
standing the present strike has been OF
four months duration, in all that time
there has not been single breach o.
the peace accredited to the partlcl
pants. Some Of the more INSCRIPTIONS
operators, have vainly endeavored to
drive the men to outrage, by the
circulation of "cofin notices" and
other threats, but without avail. In al
my experience, and it is by no means
uncomfortable, have never mingled
with more decorous, sober, law abid'
ing and generous people, than these
miners. Total abstinence societies
prosper with them, the churches are
well attended, and taking into con
sideration the miserable stipeuds they
receive, they are neatly housed and
attired. They are open handed, al
most to a fault, and though some Of