The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-07-09


"Well, dear me, what am TO do !;
my man cannot work without food,
neither can my children at home. You
would oblige me by giving me an order
to some other store for such articles as
] need most 2"
At a window stood clerk 1t his
0e,k. "Mr. Boecock," he asked, "can
you give an order to this lady 7"
With a curl of his lip and few
shifts Of the nose, and face as disdaln-
full as an ape, he spoke thus; Madam,
orders, these days, are at very heavy
discount, therefore, | cannot give you
one"
The lady had to depart with des-
pondent look, without having either.
| was Informed that this lazy was a
coal-digger's wife, who has to work six
weeks without settlement, and that
these oncroaching, burly demagogues
reap the benefit thereof before he gets
his pay.
The statement given 10 me by the
coal-diggers, in my last, is true. 1t is
the most unprovlded establishment in
town. Preparatory to leaving coal
digger endered and inquired for differ
ent articles, but failed in getting them.
Entirely out, the coal-digger wanted an
explanation as to what course they
were going to take towards their men
in future.
"Well," says they, "Our diggers
owing to no sale of coal, are but doin :
very little at present, and our stock is
out. We do not consider it worth
while to rcplenish anew until fall.
Therefore, all men employed by us are
at liberty, for the present, to get their
goods wherever they can get them. !"
The miner says: lis this the treat
ment we are to receive at your hands
for patronizing you by leaving all of
our earnings in return for goods receiv-
ed from you, and at extorsive prices. !"
1t was useless to expostulate with the
evssive and delusive Jacobins, whose
cOnsciences are branded and remorse-
less to humanity. This is the manner
in which the hard workingmen have
been inveigled by them; now they are
at the mercy, or sympathy, Of other
merchants in town for the necessaries
Of life, who, | am told, have responded
nObly to their wants. And let the mi
ner not forget this, but remain true by
patronizing them in future, needless Of
the operators threats, when the good
times come. Yea, and make them bite
the dust in the struggle. | inquired Of
some of the leading merchants, even to
the humblest business men in town, re-
garding this firm. They were all down
on them. One merchant Of high stand
ing, told me that he would credit the
miners eff this firm in preference to the
company. 6 am sure" he said, = to
get the money promptly from the mi
ners as soon as they get it, but not 50
with the company, they are too fond Of
the indulgent process in paying us. The
miners, if they are not paid on the 18th
of every month, suspend work until
they are paid"
Bully" said /, "for the miners
why not make them toe the mark in ev-
cry thing else pertaining TO their
work :"
Says he: q have heard the miners
very bitter in their denunciation against
them, i ing SO irrational and invidious,
so much as to be ANONYMOUSLY in the
sight of every man employed by them;
not only the miners but the teamsters
also, who, by their deceitfulneSs have
left them, and the few that remain are
in perjury, and pensive over their situa-
ton. Also the miners suffer materially
owing to the pusillanimous actions Of
The operators"
| am informed they are not the men
for the business. The general manager
of affairs being his lifetime farmer,
knows more about planting corn and
pumpkins than the business Of mining
for coal, and is antagonistic to every
counsel given by the miners, the major
ity Of whom are practical and theoreti-
cal, in the business of mining coal from
childhood. But there are, / am told,
others making strenuous efforts 10 learn
to dig coal, which they never saw nor
knew anything Of until very lately.
These are duped by them to do, with
such dutifulness, whatever they want
them to do, and take whatever their
dignity will please reward them with.
Well could they say TO one old, expe-
rienced miner, 1--WE want no intelligent
labor" That is. they did not want
miners that knew their business; their
legitimate rights-a fair days work for
fair days wages.
Having not intended to intrude in
taking up too much space of your va
liable paper, / shall conclude, promis-
ing that you shall hear from me again.