The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-07-15
CALIFORNIA,
THE MINERS SIDE OF The STORY
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT or rHe Ia
BoRERs' ASSOCIATION,

We have received the following COM
munloatlon, a duplicate Of which al.
pears in this mornings Chronicle, from
L. W. Byrne, President Anador Coun.
ty Labprer's Association, with the re.
quest that we dc him and the working.
men the favor to publish it:
SUFFER- CREEK, June 9th, 1871.
EDITOR EXAMINER the action tax
en- by the LabOrer's Association at this
place Ia regard TO establishing a rate OF
wages and refusing to work for less,
has been a fruitful theme for m,srepre
sentatiOn and false statements. The
owners of some OF the mines, by sub
9 died correspondents and sensational
dispatches, have caused the press to
TEEN with statements calculated to
create the impression that civil war,
with all its horrors, exist in this country,
when the truth is, a more peaceabIe
quiet and orderly community does not
exist in the State Of California. Why
troops were sent here is more than eau
tell, and the most subServient tools OF
capitalists (unless it is 10 lay the foun
,lation for
INTRODUCING CHINESE LABOR
into the mines,) are at a loss Tor reasons
TOR their presence. No Injury to pers. n
O. property has been attempted or
threatened. There has been 10 riotOu.
conduct on the part OF members of The
Association ; nor has anything unusual
tran~pired i'll the crunty since the tirsI
day of this mOnrh-the time the miner
stopped work. 1t is true that the mines
are not being worked, and the mills are
not running. but The only reason why
they are not, is that the owners and
superintendent refu>e 10 pay the wages
demanded by tile miners. But that Il
matter 10 be settled by the owners OF
the mines and the miners, aud is
NOT SUFFICIENT CAUSE FOR CALLING OUT
THE MILITARY,
especially as tile miners are will ng to
consider any reasonable proposition for
settlement from the mine owners out,
I
as yet, no proposition concedlng any
thing to the miners has been made ;
vet II is a we'll known fact in this sec
ton that several mines are willing to
pay the wages, and consider the de
mands of the miners reasonable and
Just. Some of the owners, too, have
been heard to say publicly that troops
were not needed, and that their pres
ence here, for the purpose they were
sent, was
and discreditable alike to those who
called tor them and those who ordered
them to the county. A prominent SUI
perlntendent and mine owner IN ANA,
dor City, when asked if he desired a
portion Of the trcups sent TO his mine,
replied that he did not need them iha
there was no necessity OF sending troop
TO this county that his Company would
not pay one cent toward the expenses
Of keeping them here, and that he
wished no better protection for his mine
than the miners rhemsel, es that their
demands were Just having employ ed
them, he knew their labor was worth
all they demanded Such is
TIE UNIVERSAL OPINION.
in this section, excepting a few per-
sons whose interests are temporarily
effected by the suspension of the MINES
and who have no interest in common
with workingmen. With two excep
Iions, every business man in this lace
and Amador City sympathzes with the
miners. The whole community was
surprised when it became known that
troops were to be sent here, but not
more SO than the troops themselves,
when they arrived, at finding every
thing SO quiet and seeing no use for
their presence. III justice to the sold
iers, l will state that they have con-
Quoted themselves in such a manner as
to gain the respect Of the miners and
community generally. Gov. Haight
was here, also Capt. Mcdonald, Pre>i-
dent of the Keystone mine, who know
that what | have stated in regard t..
the disturbances alluded to is true. and
that the dispatches sent to the Ala
ARE FALSE IN ALMOST EVERY PARTICU
LAR,
and although | have not spoken to
either of those gentlemen on the sub
ject, feel confident thai they will cor.
robOrate all that | have said Concern
ing the peaceable and orderly conduct
OF the miners. In CONCLUSION, the min
ers never have Threatened or cOntem-
plated violence. Thy rely wholly on
the justice Of their demands 10 accom-
plish their purpose, and they have AS
surances from other labor leagues of
SYMPATHY AND PEcUEIARY AID,
if required. And they have too much
confidence in the honor and stlfiBter-
est of the Vorkingmen in other sections
to think for one NOM mt that they VIII
take their places in the mines, though
ten thousand soldiers were to guard
them. have written this sole ~ for
the purpose Ct giving truthful state
ment OF affairs in tins county, that th,.
public may not be imposed on by he
untruthtul dispatches sent by few in
terested parties to the press, particu-
larly to the Alta, which paper, | am in
formed, is owned and controlled by cap
italIsts and nine-uwners, and never has
done Justice to workingmen.
l.. W. BYRNE.
Preside mt Amador County Labo :, rs
Association.
FROM CONNECTICUT.