The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-10-11
THE MINERS NATIONAL CONVEN
TON.

It is with unfeigncd satisfaction We re-
\ fer Co the coming meeting II the miners u
the United States IL general council, the
\ ensuing week, in Youngstown. OHIO.
7 FIR the Last siN years ~ have strcnu-
\ ously advocated tins step, and notWith-
standing We have been told that We we're
y Iaburiug IN VAIN, We had confidence in their
intelligence, and still believed that they
would, one day, wheel into the line
/ OF moral progressive revolution. and that
/ our labor would not b. lost
1t is now ascertained beyond a doubt
| that the convention will meet, and unless
We are misinformed, that there will he a
good representation IF the miners Of the
country present. L is equally certain that
! Those sections that have elected delegates
/ have selected their best men to represent
them. so that We may expect tn, grievan-
ces of the miners from all sections of the
country will be fully presented, and the
redress for such grievances suggested.
! Iu an large assemblies OF men. gathered
together from the different sections Of the
country, there is always a diversity Of
| opinion, and tins diversity Is more apt
aye, We may say, it Is certain T. display it.
self IN their first meeting.
This diversity Of opinion IS the rock up
on which many bark has been wrecked.
There are some men Who come to con
ventions to rule W rum; and when they
find they cannot do the former they inva-
riahly try p a. the latter We have no
fears, however, OF any such result at the
! Youngstown convention. We are satisfied
that the miners have but one object IN
vlew the formation of a national organi-
zation; and We feel sure to the accomplish
ment Of that end all personal feelings will
he sacrificed. 1t is true the interest of one
section may apparently conflict with that
of aa"ther, as for instance, The interest 81
the anthracite region with those Of the hi
luminous regions, and while the same laws
''iANt AtlAo libL ttls Ct t4iC tltu-
minous sections that would suit the anthra-
cite, and rtcecersd,yet there Is a common in
terest pervading the whole, which makes, or,
at least, ought to make, the interests Of the
one identical with those IF tie other. As
for example, miners of all sections must be
united for common defence. and OFFENCE,
when necessary. That is 10 say, the min
ers Of illinois, Indiana and Missouri must
be ready to stand by and assist the miners
of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia,
should he latter be forced to make issue
with the operatives and coal owners
Of the latter section; or should the
miners Of the West or Northwest,
through the force Of circumstan-
ces, be compelled to assume the
defensive against the aggressions of their
employers, the miners Of the North and
the South, and the East, should stand
ready to lend helping hand, and this
principle should be carried out and made
applicable to the States, and the counties
Of each State, because the common or gen
eral interest Of the miner Is alike, no mat
ter whether he is delving in the mountains
Of Nevada or blasting in the mines Of
Pennsylvania
The great Importance Of enacting gen
eral laws that will apply equally to all the
States, will suggest to the delepates the
necessity Of compromising with each other
for the general good Of all The minor
affairs of each State or district can be left
to the State OF district council. except
when there would be danger Of the State
OF district law conflicting with the national
Law but in all local or district affairs the
State or district council should have juris-
diction. All matters Of a national charac-
ter or pertaining to national affairs should
be left to the National Executive Com
mittee or Council.
In view of the manifold advantages to
be derived from such an organization it is
to be hoped that each and every delegate
will sink all selfish or sectional interests,
and personal ambition, and that their every
act will be prompted from a sincere desire
to place the Miners National Union on an
equal footing with the other national or
CARNATIONS of the United States, and in
this good work we bid them God speed.