The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-02-07
FROM CLEVELAND.
CLEVELAND, o., Feb. 5, 1874.

| am happy to be able to say to you that
things with us are getting down to a sys-
TEN, and we begin to feel easier, having
weeks had quite job getting our affairs
Strengthened out so that we could under
stand ourselves. Now we are getting out
Of the maze and begin to see somewhat
clearer. The association keeps growing on,
and every day adds somewhat to the num-
bers. Having got the Schuylkill difficulty
adjusted, she begins to show her apprecia-
ton Of the National Association for its
timely and kindly interference in her be-
half, by sending in numerous lists of names,
and promising large numbers more so
soon as the men get fairly started off again
LuZerne, too, now that their basis is fixed
for another year, begin to organize, and
are making preparations TO have every mi
ner within her limits connected with the
National Association before the time for
arranging next years basis comes around
Friends from Plymouth, Hazelton and Lis
berton advise me hopefully Of the pros
poets there.
The southern part Of Illinois, too, is now
beginning to look up to the fact that the
:. National Association Of Miners is the
only sure " life-buoy that has made It's
appearance on the waters Of life, whereby
they can be protected against the incur
sions and aggressions which the capital that
employs is making upon them. They see
it now in its true light and have began to
send in their names. Tennessee has also
become quickened, and has sent III a hand
some lodge from Coal Greek, Anderson
county They believe the other places
around will fall i'll Immediately. Mary
land AMI West Virginia write us through
their representative men that the subject is
under Amusement throughout the whole
line Of the Cumberland Valley, and favor
ably received. some Of the places have
applied for the necessary blank- and say
we shall hear from them IN a very short
time. They too claim that such an associ-
alton is the only thing that can afford them
protection against the sinking process that
the mine owners III too many cases are put
ting them through. They believe they will
JON to man. Althogether the outlook is
exceedingly encouraging.
Advices from Kansas, as you will learn
from the enclosed letter, state that most
of the men there are on a strike. There
are various causes to be assigned for this
condition Of things. | suppose there are
an aggregation Of little tyrannies which
have grown to be uncomfortable to the
miners, and now, as body, they are try
ing to throw them off | trust they Will
be successful in their effort.
In Mercer County, Pa, the reducing
mania has taken possession Of the bosses
Every day have advices that tell woe
full tale, and | am certain they are true
too true for the men who have families
there. Many places they have suffered
heavy reductions, and at the same time
were getting little or no work. Now work
is beginning to start off, and still further
concessions are asked at their hands. There
is not the slightest conjunction Of CON
science on the part Of those taskmakers in
asking their workmen to submit to a reduc-
ton Of 40 per cent. from the days wages.
though getting less than half time. We
ask ourselves what is the reason such re-
auctions III wages are asked, and In the
whole range Of our imagination we cannot
find anything like tangible cause for such
Wholesale cutting iii prices. Talk about
| pdlllC llAuCo. n DdlIcl VI hour COSTS As
much now as it did four months ago. So
does all other things that enter into the
necessarles of life. Those fellows who
keep truck stores and seek to reduce the
wages of the miner, ask as much now for
everything they retail out to the miner.
even to the ton Of coal, as they did before
the panic. But there is no need for us to
try to find reason to Justify their action /;
there lie none. They themselves do not
offer any, except "that they cannot run
the mines without paying a per cent. on
the capital invested" This may be per
fectly true that they are not making even
fair per cent on the capital invested. be-
cause the season, as a coal season. in A
great measure, has been frail one, there
being actually but a slim demand But |
cannot see how they can hope to remedy
that by taking half Of the miners earnings.
On the same principle, if the season was 4
half worse they would justify themselves
by taking the whole wages Of their EN-
ployees together. The only remedy for
this Is, in my mind, " to call a county OF
district convention of the region thus
affected. Discuss the thing thoroughly
thereat, and let each lodge or colliery have
a perfect understanding with each other.
50 that only one course of action would be
pursued by one and all. As it is now. de-
feat and persecution are the results of
every effort that is made to resist. Some
places have accepted and all are accepting
whatever is offered (be it understood do
not make any reflections on the actions of
individuals or districts), whilst others are
standing off and striking against the offer
to reduce, thus the many are beating the
few.
Who knows but that the bosses have the
whole thing arranged that such should be
the case; those who have the men working
supplying the necessary coal to the fellow
whose men are on . strike. The plan is for
the men to have an understanding too. and
whatever is arranged let it be carried out
by them to the very letter. Let the Dis
trict Presidents discuss the propriety of a
county convention at the earliest practical
moment.
At Irishtown, in this same county. the
bosses there have resorted to the election
from the houses process to get the men
to accept the terms offered. This ten day
election law is a weapon in the hands II
those INSCRIPTIONS men that ought to be
removed. 1t is as brutal in the hands Of
some men who own mines as the whipping
post was in the army, when allowed. Fancy
hundreds of families betwixt this place