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

OFFICE or
THE MINERS NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, (
Room n, Sit.2 Seneca strsst,
CLEVELAND, Feb. IL, 1874.


would be Of immense value, should think,
to your many mining readers all over the
country, as it would give them the exact
conditions Of trade and matters Of interest
from the mouths $50 to speak Of the men
who ought to be the best posted in the
parts from whence the news comes, and no
doubt would save very many trouble and
expense. Many miners move from one
place to another, and have no idea but ev-
erything is going on smoothly until they
get there, and then, to their surprise and
disappointment, the works are standing,
from some cause OF other perhaps a strike,
perhaps Lost contract, a flooding Of the
mines but no matter what the cause, the
miner going in there is put to serious dis
advantage, and many times actual suffer
ing results therefrom. If you will kindly
furnish me the space in the ADVOCATE,
shall, when time allows, furnish you the
matter. Suppose you agree to the propo-
sition, then we might call them
ECHOES FROM THE MINES.
and here are some
TEMPERANCEvILLE, Allegheny Co,
Penn, Feb. 4, 1874
JOHN JAMES, Secy:
Dear Sir and Friend II am happy to
hear you have got the central office" es-
tablished, and the machinery of the organ
Ization in running order. | heartily wish
you and the Association every success.
Know you are an honor to it, and hope it
will be an honor TO you. Our men ought
to make it 50. 1t pleases me much to hear
the Association is taking so well every
where. | begin to be a little nervous least
our region allegheny county, be left be-
hind in the race, other places are rolling in
the names 50. To the hope always cling,
that if we were once fairly clear Of the
dregs of the panic, things will brighten up
wonderfully, and general stampede into
the ranks Of the National" follow. We
are now laying our plans for a grand cam
paign this spring You know our Associa-
ton (State) agreed at its last session, to
enter the National in body, and | sup
pose you would have had the full returns
before now, but for want Of the money
So soon as our financial affairs improve,
you may expect returns.
| received the circulars you sent, and
they have been read in all the Lodges in
the district, giving general satisfaction.
Our men have a strong desire for charters
and seals III all the Lodges they believe
there Is wonderful magic III those, and
suppose there is, in a great measure
l see from the columns OF the Working
man, (Pottsville) that you are soon to be
joined by MIR. Siney. This, no doubt, will
be big relief to you. He has been doing
noble work in the East, and fully establish
ed the fact that he Is a wise counsellor and
an able man, and will do credit to the po-
sltIon to which he has Just been called
No doubt they viii miss him, but theil
loss, l hope, will be the general miner
gain. We want him in this region at tn.
earliest convenience there are some pre-
JUDGES existing in some Of the district.
that would be eminently benefited If ht
could pay us visit he would break then
up.
The work we have undertaken is q great
work, but we have the consolation that il
is also good work, and worthy the sup
port Of Gods nOblest mens All that i,
wanted to make this Association the proud
est success, is for every miner who is 4
, lover OF his craft, to put his shoulder I,
the wheel in downright earnest and faith
fully do his duty, and the great work vii
E be accomplished the National established
I wherever coal mining is done in the States
STAUFFERs STATION, WestmorelanC
) county, Feb. 4, 1874, says Find enclos
ed, draft on First National Bank, Noun
Pleasant, for $25. rs, fees ETC., for fifty sill
} full members. We are certain we will b,
able to enroll fifty more this month
! Yours, etc.
: This is encouraging we await the othel
names, and hope every other place viii fol
low the example.
DUNBAR, Fayette county, says II take
the present opportunity of writing to you
to inform you that we have arranged Il
, start Lodge of the Miners National As
soclatioh. wrote to you some time ago
, but have got no answer twas duly answered
Jan. 80, but believe mlsdirected)
] There are some here who don't like thu
: Constitution they think the President o.
/ each Lodge should have power to settl,
the disputes in their own districts alsC
, that they have to send SOC every three
| months, besides the I2c per capita. They
: also think the Treasurer handles too much
money for the amount of his bond bu
we have fifty names who are ready to en-
roll, and We are going to do all we can t.
get along. | want you to give us all the
information you can in regard to the Ma
tIonal how many members it needs to get
a charter, and how to send the money. Il
I We could get fairly started, think we can
} get 500 members. Yours, etc, etc.
In case some men Of other places fee
like those whose objections are above given
it might be as well to rid them out Of the
way. We believe that, to any man who
will reflect a moment, the position taker
by the Association on the matter Of strikes
is good one. The Lodge President has
not the same means Of knowing the condi
ton Of affairs outside Of his own district
that the Board to whom it is referred has,
or,-in the absence OF a Board - that the
President Of the Association has, and thur
his decision is at fault Every day, now
we have instances Of this kind. For exam.
pie, Lodge in certain county is offered .
reduction Of wages in the face Of a steady,
unaltered market this would be consid
cred good cause, with most miners, for
suspension, and the President, though him
self opposed to stoppage, from local in
Huences, would be compelled to decree &C
cording to the dictates Of the men. Henc,
strike would be entered into in an hour
q week after they learn that works in tn,
same district had taken the reduction anc
were working on it. When this knowledg,
, comes it is too late for them to retract ;