The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-12-20
TEE MINERS NATIONAL ASs0CI-
ALTON.
BKArDwooD, Dec. IL, 1873.


keenly their effects than our miners To
suggest a remedy, or anything that will
lessen the distress that must inevitably re-
suit from the want of work, seems almost
impossible. One idea, however, occurs 10
me, which is perfectly practicable to every
man among u.s. which if adopted, would
tend to save good deal Of suffering. 1t
is this No class Of men are given to NOV
ing from one place to another to such an
extent as are the miners. The nature Of
their work, and the fluctuations Of trade
in the different localities at the various
seasons Of the year, has had good deal to
do with making this habit of transition
profitable to them under ordinary circum-
stances Now, the present time is an ex-
traordinary one, and every place is dull. |
have correspondence with no less than one
hundred districts local mining) over the
several States, and know there is little to
choose between them. From the average
reports received there is not at present
more than two out every five miners work
ing IN the whole country. No doubt the
same feeling exists with many in other dis
tricts which is exhibited in my own-that
Of moving elsewhere to find employment.
Did anv one ask me where shall | 90
where work is to be had, and | can be bet
ter than | now am = | would simply an
swer, ''Stay where you are, my friend,
there is no place in this broad country
where you can by better than where you
now are To my certain knowledge there
are men drawing together the last dollar
they can scrape up, to enable them to go
to another point, where they imagine
things are in "A much better condition than
where they now are | would say to those
''Do not go eve1 though you have your
mind made up, for IT is only 10 experience
disappointment and regret. The money
that will take you from Pennsylvania to
| Illinois or Indiana or rice rersa, will sup
port Jon, if you are single, a couple Of
months if married, something less, where
you are Where you are now you are
known. and nave friends and acqnaint-
ances. Where you 90 Ia YOU possibly have
none. How can you hope TO make things
pbetter-a stranger and in strange place,
when you failed to do So where You left
and was well acquainted Ii These things
YOU want to consider and | believe when
you have done So, you Will act with dis
cretion end Judgment, and stay al present
where you are until trade assumes health
Ter and brighter tone.
Another phase TO be considered is the
fact that there is violent competition 60
ing on in the several markets with the
mime owners and dealers in coal This is
reducing the price Of the article, and in
some places they are falling back on the mi
Nor. and reducug the ct'st Of production
4Eili ss tetsos ~, 'l,- sgi'-Y 1res sA l'i
ners IL some instances are resisting Nv nav
INC struck worh. For such districts the
bosses have elsewhere advertised Miners
Hunted ~ while il Is only % till the places
of your fellows who are resisting a break
in prices. Do not be beguiled ~ any such
notices. for there Is moi 2 mining village "a
the whole country that cannot foot M a
roll of Idle men that would surprise Won
and your gong to those places will only
make Won the instrument ~ adding misery
! 10 YOUR lfitiiN nfll NllA flN'l NbhTSflNtS
Some mcn may tsk '~uat Would Mr..
James have rs do , We have no work -
We have no bioney-Wc cannot steal-we
must have bread Yet u, asks as IL stay
still where We are IT, this dilemma
believe there Is a solution. II the proper
spirit be felt by the men The way the
bosses have taken IN the matter Is, az the
sales decrease, they discharge many men
to correspond. This is the ease at least III
many places giving all the work that Is
going to a portion Of their workmen. !
have suggested that the portion thus favor
ed give full share Of their work to those
Of themselves " no have none. do not
mean by tins that those who have the work
to do should do it all aud then hand over
half Of his wages, at the end of the week,
or the month, as the case may be-but if
they have four days work to do in the
week, that they will arrange to let those
who are idle work in their places a full
share Of the time In times past this has
been done, and served the purpose well.
think this can be done now IN many places
to advantage, and would be pleased to see
it or some other plan Of kindred charac-
ter adopted TO alleviate and prevent suffer
ing among those Of us who have or will be
thrown ont of employment OF the dull
times.
am glad TO be able to state that the
National Association" keeps growing on.
On Monday had lodge of l3S from
Lawrence county, Pa, and one of 30 from
kimberly's bank, Mercer county, Pa, and
| have letters Of advice saying more are
coming This is encouraging, considering
| he dianaac thara tha dltf.arant
mining districts shall be able about the
middle Of January, 1874, to make my re-
port as to the standing Of the Association.
1t, am positive, will be gratifying to our
men and to all who feel interested in its
progress. All who are intending to Join,
and who are able TO do SO, shall be very
glad tn hear from between this and the
first of the year, as shall take much pleas
ure in being able to take many yourself
Mr.. Editor, included) by surprise, at the
exhibit we shall make at that time. Let
every man who has any pride i'll seeing
this movement 60 forward, constitute him
self an agent in its interest in his own
community, until We have a majority Of
our men within its ranks This done, the
rest will be easy, for the minority will then
follow. Giving my whole attention now
to the business Of the Union, am prepared
to receive communications from all the mi
ming districts on questions Of interest to
them and it, with large rolls Of names, till
we are numbered by the tens Of thousands
Hoping to have many responses before !
90 TO Cleveland on the first
] remain very truly yours,
john JAMES,
Sec'y Miners National Association
| Connellsvllle News