The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-04-24
FROM MISSOURI.
Smelters and Landowners Combin
and Give the Screws Another
Turn to Crush the Miners.
CARrHAcE, Mo April 10, 1876.

CARrHAGE, Mo April Is, 1876.
To the Editor Of Tnn wosxrsoxAs'a ADVOCATE
Ever since the mines have been worked
in this part of our State, neutral" min
eral has sold readily for from IS to % per
thousand lbs, more than ores raised from
lands owned or controlled by the smelling
companies showing clearly that did not
these smelling monopolies exist, the mi
ners could get that much more pay for
their labor, which IS now clear gain to the
capitalists who get control of as much land
as possible, then conf Ell the miners to sell
to them at prices 6xed by the associated
smelters.
There being some lands not controlled
by these smelters from which ore is being
dug. and miners children, widows chill
dren. and orphans, in order to help earn
food and clothing to keep them from starv-
ing and freezing, go from morning till night
when they should be school, digging and
picking among the banks Of refuse dirt
scrapping" little bits of mineral that the
miners have overlooked or not deemed
worth saving. In this manner thousands
of pounds of lead ore is turned into mar
ket at something near its real value, a.
neutral" mineral. But few DAYS ago
the smelters combined, resolving and bind
ing themselves TO reduce this TO the same
price as other minerals, by refusing to buy
it unless turned in the same as the min
eral raised from their lands. 1t appears
that this turn Of the screlU make the miners
Vince little, for they straightway hold a
big meeting and pass resolutions denOunc-
ing the action Of the smelters and land
owners as oppressive tyrants, etc. but
Judging by the past, they will " rest their
case here, quietly submit, and when an
other election comes, elect one Of these
same monopoly smelters to the Office Of
mayor of their city, instead of a man from
their own ranks, as they did last fall.
Ii occurs to me that it is time the miners
organizations or unions of s. w Missouri
connect themselves with the National Mi
ners Association, join and work with their
over the land, to inaugurate and perfect
brothers systems and laws that will insure
them Justice, and then that all other labor
ers unite and vote the nation, the people
and themselves more money, Greenbacks,
at tow rates Of interest, if they would get
better pay for their labor and productions,
and prevent being made the most abject
serfs and slaves to money and land mo
nopolists that ever existed.
Was the monopoly Of mineral and all
other lands (the foundation upon which all
labor and productions rest done away with.
the money monopoly broken up so that
money could be had at lOW rates Of interest,
miners could build their own furnaces,
dig, smelt, and sell their o1cn ores on min-
erals, be independent men, not dependent
serts, and tell the wealthy combinations of
shelters (who have made their wealth
from the miners productions-to 60 To-
that place supposed to be hotter than their
furnaces, or go to work and earn their otrn
living, the same as honest miners and la
borers do, but while grand moneyed
oligarchy controls the finances of the ma
ton, controlling its volume, keeping it
scarce, and rates Of interest higher than
honest men engaged IN honest business
can afford to pay sharpers and monopolists,
can control miners and laborers of all
kinds in all portions of our country, many
even feeling compelled to give the screw
the last turn in order to squeeze enough
sweat and blood out Of their victims to pay
the higher rates Of interest or rent charged
for the use Of the capital, invested in their
business
] regret exceedingly that lack Of funds
prevented my being present at the last
session OF the Industrial Congress held at
Indianapolis. Very truly,
A. w. ST. JOHN.