The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-02-21
THE TIOGA OUTRAGE.


graphic statement of President Siney,
published in the present issue-explana.
tory Of the objects of his recent visit to
Hoga County, and descriptive Of the out
RACES perpetrated on the miners of that
section. 1t almost seems beyond credence
that such state Of affairs is tolerated in
a free country. In fact we can scarcely
realize that the scene of these transactions
is located in the commonwealth Of Penn
sylvania, or that the perpetrators of these
outrages-can lay clam TO the name of
American citizens.
The publication Of the letter At this
Juucture will do good in more senses than
one twill convince every unprej indeed
mind that no means were left untried to
effect an honorable and amicable settle
ment and that all such overtures were
steadily refused il will throw the oni1s Of
the difficulty where it belongs, on the
shoulders Of the employers, while it will
best interests and arouse their fellow crafts
men throughout the country to rally to
their support
Let us hear no more about evictions by
the agents Of Scotch or Irish landlords,
50 long as -four hundred families have
been turned out Of house and home, left
destitute, and are huddled together in
cribs that their masters would not allow
their hogs or their dogs to lie in at this
Indictment season of the year"-for certain
~ the worst Of them never acted in a
more heartless manner than the owners Of
tile Blossburg and Arnot Mines have done
towards their operatives. And this too
simply because they had the courage to
refuse to sign a document which bartered
their manhood for a mess of pottage. Let
any one read the list Of outrages to which
III the past they have been subjected, and
then ask himself the question if union
has not become an absolute necessity No
wonder that the petty, soulless tyrants,
who know the power Of concentrated action,
who have ruled these men with a rod Of
iron, and treated them as the veriest
slaves, are opposed to the introduction Of
union principles. They are opposed to
their introductionpfor the same reason that
the Southern planter was opposed to the
II.
won't mix Educate the slave-no matter
has coi0r-and the death knell Of slavery
is sounded. SO long as the mine owners
could stifie discussion, they were masters
Of the situation, could hold out the threat
Of eviction, claim the exclusive control Of
the public highways dismiss the operative
for purchasing elsewhere than at the Com
panys store, furnish all the cutta percha
scrip they desired, pay the ward school,
county and State taxes Of their workmen,
without their authority or permission, and
even become the unlimited arbiters in
family disputes. Establish trades unions
and a spirit Of inquiry follows. Inquiry
leads to investigation, investigation to
education, education to action, and the
development of a manhood which leads
them to assert and maintain their God
given rights.
But in order that our readers may the
more thoroughly understand the extent Of
their offending, we again repubhsh the in
famous document they were required to
sign 1t il as follows
Are you a member OF the Union OF
Miners proposed in Tioga Co, Pa, or any
society Of a similar character?
Are you willing and do you pledge
yourself not to join any such society?
3.-Are you willing and do you pledge
yourself to dissolve your connection with such
society without delay, never again to join the
same organization
Totheir honor, be it said, the men refused
to accept work on such terms, and the
sequel is known. The issue has been
forced upon them, and compromise" is a
word no longer to be found in their vocab-
ulary.
Miners Of America, to the rescue Can
you, will you, dare you stand idly by,
while your brethren Of Tioga are contend
ing so nobly-a acting as men should act for
their GOd-given rights, and are driven
from their homes like rabbits from their
burrows What is their crime What
outrage have they been guilty Of? What
law, human or divine, have they violated
that they should be prosecuted in this
manner Instead Of denouncing or con-
demning them, "put yourselves in their
place" and ask how you would feel and
act under such circumstances We hope
that each miner in the country will make
their case his own, and act accordingly. II
there ever was an occasion which calls for
sympathy and material support, this GER
tainly is one. A clearer case Of conspir-
acy has never been established, and it il
high time that their oppressors were made
to feel the strong arm OF the law. To dc
50, however, will require the sinews Of
war, 7" and it is the imperative duty of the
miners to furnish them with no stinted
hand. We believe President Siney equal
to the emergency. For his action SO faI
he is deserving the thanks of every traces
unionist in the country, and we feel salts
fed if his hands are upheld that he will b.
the means Of settling once and for all the
unconstitutionality Of the vilIianous John
Ma zee Ten-Day- Law, under cover Of which
the miners Of Tioga have been evicted.
To the victims we say, be Of good cheer
Fall not out by the way. Strong arms,
stout hearts and open purses will come tc
the rescue. Remain as true to union prin.
ciples in the future as you have in the past
II L Al