The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-11-07

; and express an opinion ~ to their suf6ci
ency to warrant and Justify them in strik
ing In too many cases our opinions civ,
ofense and 60 unhecded, because they d.
not in all things coincide with those par
tlculariy favored by the men who are max
ing them. We could take any one place
on this broad continent to day, where Goa
mining is done, ana upon fair and impair
tIal investigation Of the circumstances
concerning the treatment Of the workmsu
by the employers, find q dozen causes
which, in our Judgment, would justify the
men in resistance. But these are not sim
ply all that Ii required to get q decision
from the executive in favor of a resort IL
this last means to establish your rights.
There In an important question ever upper
most in our minds at present, and that is
the permanency of the association itself.
and the ability Of the members composing
it to pay the assessments necessary to carry
q strike to successful issue. II we Put
the burden Of a man upon child it will
crush it to the earth if we expose a twiG
to the storm that requires q full grown oak
to resist, destruction is its fate. So with
our association. We cannot afford to have
AuOtC tHuAA CCAbnAu nuuOcI VI mctuOcEM
on strike at given time, else the men
who are the bulwark Of protection, the
support behind, will be crushed by the
pressure, and uprooted by the storm.
Meu must, therefore, think not that the
executive is partial, or that their case l.
less worthy OF attention than another, or
that we ought TO encourage them 10 a GER
tain course which we know is ruinous to
themselves, because they have prejudice
in f.voI of going that way, but let them
look at it from a better point of view, be-
cause the truer one, and ascribe our opp
sition to the striking policy, at present, To
the real cause. First, we can see little
hope of ultimate success coming from it
and to strike against the evils at any point
which are common, is a Justification to all
others who will do the same Second, If
too many strike &C once all have the great
er chance to be defeated. In view IF
these facts, which we cannot explain to
every lodge by letter, we appeal to one
and all TO exercise an extraordinary share
If the spirit Of forbearance, and under no
circumstances, hardly, be driven INTO .
strike during these unprecedented hard
times, for the consequences are sure to be-
disastrous to all concerned. The sacrifice
Of submission is great, we know, but the
sacrifice Of resistance, under present cir
cumstances, IL greater. ''Of two evils,
choose ye the least.
This had more decided effect than the
other, and our members began 10 see IN
the existing state Of affairs that it wAs a
matter of impossibility tO keep their posi-
tion. 1t was pre- enInently time for US
to rather retreat and act upon the defen-
sive instead of in any way provoking ag-
gression from the other side. As when
one nation has cause ef quarrel with an
other its statesmen carefully examine the
condition of it's armies and means of de-
fence, its resources from which To draw
the munitions of war, and the position Of
its adversary. If they lind they are all
sufficient, they may stand upon their dig
nifty, and from a simple notice Of what
they deem the wrong done them, they may
70 to demand, from that to the force Of
arms to compel. But If IN the face Of
shattered and disorganized army, undIscl
plined and refractory, and ready to burst
forth on their own account, unthInking and
regardless of the consequences, unaccus
toned 70 restraint of any kind, and with
no means of sustenance behind on which
to rely, they should decide to enter into a
combat with power fully equipped, com
pact and fortihed, with ali tine advantages
that wealth can furnish them, folly, con
summate folly, would be httIng epltaph
over the graves Of those who would 50 de-
sire. This Is fitting simply to illustrate
the condition Ut our own men at The time
the national ASSOCIATION was gwen exIs-
tence, and when the executive was pushed |
to sanction striking po.Icy-your uade |
destroyed, thus your means OF subsistence
gone-what work you did get in some |
cases paid for III worthless paper or such /
as you want to dispose Of at twenty per
cent. discount. The price of your labor I
reduced in cases thirty per cent, and be-
cause you did not receive all and vince
not, YOU were abused in the public press
and otherwise, as being lawless, barbarous |
and ignorant, and we, as demagogues and |
agitators, under those circumstances could |
We have served you well to advise you to |
suspend work as a remedy when there was
no pJssible means Of giving you the
promised support guaranteed IN the con-
stItutlon
Having keen realizItion Of the facts
before US, we determined to legaliEe no
strike, but counsel their avoidance under
any circumstances, till a more propitlous
season. Such heip as We would give to
places, we would give it as donations, and
not as regular benefits. In this way our
opinion vas We could best serve the inter
ests Ut all the members and the assocls
ton. No other plan seemed open to us.
1t was a matter of necessity on the part Of
your executive if the ASSOCIATION was TO be
saved, and we had made our minds up to
presel We it at all haz ards. How wei! We
nave done in this direction is for the con-
ventlon to decide.
The following circular of proposed and
sug gested amendnents, which sent out
ON the 2oth Of August to the various
lodges, explains my position on the points
treated, and the results from the different
lodges heard from on the several proposI-
tions
OFFICE or THE
MINERS NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
CLEVELAND, o., August 20, 1874
To UthceIs and Menbers
DEAR SlRs The annual convention Of
the assUciai ION will take place as specified
In the constitution, commencing Its sit
tings on the fourth Tuesday in October,
being the 9Th day Of the month, ia Cleve-
land, Ohio.
The following are the only amendments
TO the constitution that have been sent
in to lay before you for your consldera-
tiOn
ST. CLAIR, ScHUYLKILL Co, Pa,
Jane 10, 1874.
At the regular meeting Of Louge No. 2,
District No. i, Of the above county, anu
the M. N. A. Of the Unitea States, the
following resolutions as amendments to
the constitution were passed, aud ordered
~ be sent to the General Secretary, to be
BY him presented at the Convention
AMENDMENT NO. l.