The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-04-19
LET Us HAVE A MINERS Ma
TIONAL UNION.

The coal and iron interests OF the United
States, from present indications, promises
to be one of vast importance in developing
the resources of this great continent.
In this age Of progression, when iron is
so extensively used as building material,
and the inventive genius Of men is revo-
lutionizing the machinery Of the world
and when we further consider that the
producing power of the United States is
equal 10 nearly four hundred millions of
human beings, the increasing, constant,
and almost perpetual demand for coal
must be evident to every right-thinkihg
man.
To supply the coal which is to give vi
tally to this gigantic manufacturing body,
will require the labor of thousands Of men
who will have to work under corporate
bodies or companies. As yet, this element
of our greatness is but in its infancy. The
immense coal fields of Illinois, Indiana,
Iowa and Missouri, can hardly be said to
be under way /; they are merely in their
incipiency, 50 far as their development is
concerned. The great mines, in these To-
calities, are little more than tapped or
sounded to find where the richest veins
are lying. The mines of Pennsylvania and
Ohio, and those further east and north,
are in a more advanced stage. Yet, it will
require the labor of thousands of men for
centuries to come, before any perceptible
change will manifest itself. To develope
and utilize these great coal fields of Amer
lea will require capital This capital will
be furnished, controlled, and manipulated
by and through corporations. Corpora
tiens, with few exceptions, are conscience
less bodies, without hearts-lost to ali feel
ings of humanity, and like " Shylock,
must have their interest or pound of
flesh"
Already the miners of America have felt
the lash, and know the power and influence
corporations WELD. Ii Is the labor Of the
miner that is specialized on it Is his labor
that is to reimburse the broker. pay large
dividends t. stock holders, and maintain a
set Of supernumeraries who never knew
what it was to do an honest days toll. To
extort the means Of doing this from the
miner is the constant study of the capital
ist To unfold this mystery, and facilitate
the operators Of the ring, all agree to work
on one principle, and follow one system,
and whatever Is requisite tocarry out their
plans is readily, and cheerfully contribu
ted. Hence, we have perfect system Of
commercial education, telegraphy, insur
ance, and with all the Incidental trappings
requisite to complete and perfect the work
ing Of the system.
We would ask our miners, especially
those of the Northwest, if there is not food
for reflection in the foregoing facts. How
is it with them-ths men who utilize the
coal fields of North America-how are
they prepared to enter the race, and con
tend with those cormorants, for a just
equivalent for an honest days toll I The
experience Of the miner, like that Of every
other workingman teaches this great less
on That isolated and alone, he is power
less to combat with any Of the great inter
ests of the country to which he may be sub
| iected. What is true Of individuals, is true
also of communities in their relations one
to another.
At no period Of the worlds history was
the necessity for the unitication Of labor
greater than at the present. Capital, like
bird Of prey, soaring aloft, is watching
an opportune moment to descend, and tear
the tendrils out of the farmer, mechanic,
the miner, and the common day laborer
Ave and even the widow and the poor
seamstress, have tocoRtribute their mite to
this never.satiated tyrant.
1t becomes a serious question to the mi
ner as well as to other workingmen, what
course must be pursued to meet this great
combination of cspitalists They must
obtain power-that power which UNITY
AND CONCERTED ACTION gives to all
well regulated bodies 1t is true there is
partial organization among the miners IN
certain sections Of the country. which in
their sphere, are very effective. But as a
whole, it lacks the essence of effectiveness
"a representative body, or what is known
as a NATIONAL UNION" 1t is highly
essential to the interests of the mining
community Of this country, that proper
understanding and . mutuality of interests
exists between the practical miner and the
buyer of his labor, and operator Of the
mines an end % desirable cannot be &C
complished by disintegrated bodies. Cor
porations will not reason, only with those
who have the power to force reason from
them. They prefer TO dictate. The mi
ner of the east must be united with the
miner of the north and the northwest in
one National body. The reasons for be-
ing thus united are obvious. The customs
of ages cannot be eradicated in day. 1t
sometimes requires the labor of years to
bring about needed reform. Among the
many absurd customs which have prevailed
for centuries is the exercise Of . supposed
right, BY the employing community, 10 hx
the price of labor, and this assumption Of
power they win continue to exercise until
they are restrained by the strong arm Of
unity. The miners Of this continent in
this contest cannot expect to be more sne-
oessful than their fellOw-working men in