The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-11-15
MY LORDS AND CoAL-DIaGERs.
The Controversy Between Two Oppo-
sing Glasses in Scotland.

The Earl Of SALISBURY, having made
some remarks upon the high wages paid to
miners, and the extravagant habits Of that
class of people, a number Of the miners
addressed his lordship the following letter.
MY LORD: We, the undersigned repre-
sentatives Of the working miners, from va
rious districts of Scotland, have read with
surprise the statements made by you in
respect to the habits of some cf our num-
Der in an address you recently delivered
at Weymouth. First, you stated that a
coal and iron master told you that he had
raised his wages to the rate Of guinea
per day" second, that they, having got
that, determined that they would ''Only
work three days per week, and that they
spent their time in dog-fghting, gambling,
drinking and sleeping" These are c0ndI-
tions III themselves that certainly give lit-
tie hope for the future Of our country, and
but poor return for the efforts put forth
by you and others for the welfare Of the
miners, were they true. We, however, az
representatives of the working miners, beg
to give the statement the most unqualified
denial; and, further 70 affirm JAat they
are utterly untrue when laid at the door
OF such large number Of men as you
mention. That there may be individuals
earning the sum named We will not at
tempt to deny, though wc do not credit it.
That there may be parties Who fight dogs
We cannot deny This vice is NOT confined
to the miners. thonnh now, as a cri1.s, It
is rarely heard ot. The last charge cxhlt-
its state Of sensuahty too gross for us to
contemplate. More than forty years ago
700 cot truck bill passed that struck off
the fettcrs that bound the working miners
Of this part Of the country worse than
even slaves Thirty years ago, by your
phIlanthropic labor, females were expelled
from the Di:;4es, and the working OF chill
dren Of very tender years was prohibited.
Legislation on behalf Ot the miners has
taken place i'll the years 1880, la00 and
1860, directly and relatively. Every one
OF the acts Of the Legislature has had the
tendency to improve vastly the condition
Of the miner and his dependents. ln the
crowning act Of 1862, which protects the
young and does justice to the workman in
the execution Of his contracts as regards
weighing, you did lasting and never-to-be-
forgotten service. For these and many
other acts Of your long and hOnored pub
lie life your name has long been house
hold word among us-mentigned " tho
adult with honor, and heard by the young
men with respect. Let us plainly state
10 you that there are not few among the
employing class that have ever looked up
on your labors as mischieyous and wrong.
who, If they get profits ample, cared liutle
for the condition of the people, willing at
all times 70 take take largest results from
labor, and ia proportion 70 these gains to
villify the laborers. We know it Is not In
your nature to calumnlate us or any other
body Of men; our fear is that you may
have fallen into the hands Of those We
have Just described. In justice to your
sell IN fairness to us, we ask you To drs-
close the name of your informant, that We
may know who il the real author OF such
gross misrepresentation. Further. we
would court the fullest inquiry into the
allegations and the denial of them. Should
a tithe Of them only be true, Ill proportion
as they exceed the conduct VI the other
classes Of the community let them receive
the reprobation Of all well-thinking citi-
zens. The same words uttered by almost
any other person would have given Us no
concern; but the charge, when made by
one so Justly honored by all Of US, carries
with it such weight that We feel eonstrain-
ed TO challenge it, giving them all a fiat
contradiction, and at the same time crav-
ing an honest inquiry into the facts.