The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-06-06
SPEECH OF JOHN SINEY
at Union Hall, Johnstown, Pa, on the
9th of May, 1874

1t Is well known that at the last meeting
refused to say anything to bias the secret
vote which was taken, and although thir-
teen Of those men voted against a strike,
yet some of them are still out, and be-
lieve will be the last to 20 in. don't
think any Union man struck Mr.. Walton.
] am not acquainted with him, but think
that he ought to have kept away from this
place until the trouble was over. do
not think Mr.. Morrill, is as bal as the lit
tie fellows, the bosses, editors, and others
who surround him, and If left 10 him
and the men, the strike would not last
one week but the BOSSES and others
know tho; there Is 50 much that IN damag-
ing to them that they are anxious to ingra-
tiate themselves into his favor IL possible,
pretending they are his friends by pr Dlong-
ing the strike as long as they can This
trouble, ii | am rightly informed, is not
altogether a question of wages, but of
principle. The rebellion lasted for years,
and in defence of a principle sacrificed
nearly two millions Of lives, besides billions
Of wealth, for the purpose Of emancipa-
ting four millions Of the human race.
The editor Of the Tribune calls me a
demagogue, the English called George
Washington demagogne, and he is to-day
considered one Of the brightest characters
Of American history, but had George
Washington proved unsuccessful, he would
have been cursed by coming generations.
He was called demagogue by his enemies,
but his name is idolized now by the Amer
ican people. Wendell Phillips has also
been called demagogue, as also the la
nented Charles Sumner, and many others
who have battled for principle, and for the
good " their fellowmen, and to-day their
deeds and sayings are cherished by every
true citizen Of the United States One
thing 1 know, and 80 do all present,
skunk S-wank, the editor of the Johns
town Tribune, will never be call "A dema-
gogue for his patriotism or manly princi-
pies. This editor also calls me a political
trickster, but there have been few of that
kin,. IN this town. ID. j. - MurreIl Ia
voice, Dan M"rreII), don't call him SO,
has been ia Congress- and you boys de
serve to be hogged for not keeping him
there. If you get hiIn there again, and
bow "a his ipse di.r,t, and not listen 70 John
SIney, you would lie good boys to your fa-
ther, and the editor would not have needed
10 call Siney demagogue, and yOu FOOLS
for being led by the nose by him.
/ would to God that workingmen every
where would refuse to be led by the nose
by such tools as have been leading them
for fifteen years past ! assert that this ed
ltur has done more towards widening tie
breach between Mr. Morrell and his work
men than all other means combined, but
he will find some day, when he has done
all the dirty work his master wants, he will
be removed from his position, AS was his
master, and AS some 1T the little Bosses may
be, and also some Of these tattlers and
suckers, which he may use for awhile, but
will finally let them slip from his fingers,
(slftlng) as 1t is well known that men who
will be guilty Of such meanness toward
their fellows, would usurp their masters
places if they could, and Mr.. Morrell, a
sharp, shrewd man rs he Is, will deal with
them accordingly.
am also, says the editor, a candidate
for Congress. ! wish to be understood in
saying that | never sought, neither do |
intend to seek or accept any political posi-
| ton, but | would like to see men, working
men from the mines, from the mills, filling
the places that have been for years filled
by men who are trying t. crush out every
spark Of manhood from the minds of the
workingmen of America Send your men
70 the Legislature, make political tricksters
and demagOgues Of them. Let them be
engaged III leglslatlng for the rights Of
their fellow for the preservation of
life and limb through the neglect Of the
Higgdrdy, grGspIHg, dUdrictOus operators,
BtOHopOttStS and corporations, from whose
hands the wOrkingman dare not ask any
thing individually, as the moment he com
mlts tins great sin he is discharged. We
already have our men in the Legislature, ,-
men taken from the pick, and they are
doing noble service for the cause Of labor's
emancipation, although they have often
the abuse of the wOrkingmen, as well as
that Of the hlrellng press. But | as well
as every true man, would rather have the
entire press arrayed against us than to
falter in the step which has taken in
defence Of his fellow-men The posi-
ton which | hold as President of the Mi
ners National Union has also been spoken
Of Ii Is no object to me to hold tins posi-
ton, for | think | could at any time get as
good place as any of those little bosses
under Morrell | think our cause is right,
and that we can maintain the right of our
cause, even if the entire press of the coun-
try should be leagued together against us.
Our cause Is Just, and we have some Of the
best men Of the country in sympathy with
us, some of the bosses are Union men, and
have the respect and esteem Of their EN-
ployers for it.
Arbitration is one of the cardinal prin-
ciples of the Union, and as a proof that it
Is right, we have only to look at the good
effects 1t has produced wherever it has been
adopted, and that in nearly all cases of
dispute the mode Of arbitration is resorted
to. / know that it has often been said that
the worklngmen are ignorant, if this is the
case then those companies could take ad-
vantage of them if they chose to do So,
but had the cause Of the miners Of Johns
town been submitted to arbitration, and
been decided by an impartial umpire, the
men Of Johnstown would long ago have
returned to their work, and this loss Of
time and money been saved both to the
company and the men. The men would
have received their just rights, and the
company have the esteem and good will of
their employees. You are told that you are
not to enter into an organization for pro
lection, but should you be defeated, those
men who have been moss prominent among
you would be sent wanderers from their
homes, to the lower regions if they could
be, while those who ale generally the first
in starting strike, are generally the first
TO show the clOven foot, and TO go in to