The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-09-25
DISGRACEFUL ISSUE OF THE CLAY
COUNTY STRIKE.

MlNuNh, Ill. sept. 10Th, 1870.
To the Editor # TnE woskISoAAN's ADVOCATE
SIR In your issue Of the 4th inst. ap-
pears letter with the above heading.
signed 10y NJ. Ryan and G. Adams. | de-
sire small space IN your valuable journal
to make few corrections and to let the
readers of the ADVOCATE, particularly the
miners, know that that there was no dis
grace in our issue IN Clay county. |, as
an officer, did not favor going into the
strike, believing everything but justice was
against us. Yes the claims Of Clay county
miners were reasonable and Just. and vet,
true We were beat Ia our well-meant and
best directed etf urts t. obtain a living
price Every man who went through the
struggle was 9 good soldier, and acquitted
himself like a man, except the writer's of
the article referred ID, whose indifference
N tuy interest 1T the men durin. our long
AMI severe serge was very questionable.
| Th,lr ignorance OF the real situation Of the
strikers, and the strike, on the day of its
uas lccrssful termination Is manifested in
their report Of the meeting and comments
thereon, which is the natural fruits of
their chrome indifference.
IL is not true that the votes by ballot
vas strenously opposed, for it emanated
from the majority when the question was
reconsidered. 1t Is true several left the
meeting before the vote by ballot vas
taken. but how did NJ Ryan and q.
Adams know they would have voted with
the majority And Is 1t not more reas-
enable to assume that those who left the
meeting before 1t was through, we're
prompted more by their individual per-
sonal safety, than those who remained on
the ground. Even the minority, (Which |
clam were as honorable as the majority. }
but as one Of our best men said, y. F.
whose record cannot be questioned. that
each man had the conviction deep rooted
N his breast that they were beat. and that,
with blackleSs, and no good could come
10y pr"longlng the strike. They speak Of
the warm appeals of Cardonia men to the
char, not TO abandon a just cause and re-
uuunce generous and brave men, as if they
had been sIguers of 1t. We don't thank
"nr friends. II they be such, for such un-
generous reflections aud Cardunia men
We're not the only ones Who we're Of the
majority But % their shame aud dis
/ race, the only party VIII called IA ques-
I non the motives 90 your correspondent,
Z because he advised the men to abandon
the strIar, a. they had been swallowed up
with blackIe aud there could have been
no easy victory IN September nor October,
and no one claimed It, as NJ. Ryan re
I ports, but, they maintained their position
could BE- no worse and while they assum-
| - striking, some -four Was sure for their
families This was the argument of the
majority and nothing else. Ryan aud
Adams farther falsely report that there
we're less blacklegs the gay the strike
ended than there were two or three months
\ previous, when they knew, or ought to
have known, that the Town shaft, Bart
lets, Neache's, McCieland's and Star
MONIES were filled from Or during that
/ time, and the very week the struggle
ended, twelve men from Brazil point,
went over to the side Of the blacklegs. and
| large shipments OF important men; tnd
\ from the month Of June We lost over one
] hundred Rf al nA h.,
I stood the strike, but those Who vent away
and returned mot % nil the ranks of the
1 strikers, as Ryan aud Adams say they
dld, but no longer than they could ind
work; and while They dld do So they eat
bread OF charity, contributed a. teed bet
ter mems families Aud by their own es-
Innate, that day Of the meeting there
were 6SI blackegs ana We believe there
were nearer 800 at wuIk-and there were
but little more men working III the dis
trlct before the strike commenced, which
made victory an lmposslbIlIty. This
fact, and many other little things, made
our defeat certain. And, IN conjunction
with the views OF the Relief Committee
and the delegates, who met day before the
mass meeting, Inns remarks were
gwen, On which NJ. Ryan and Adams
cDwardly reflect, but lack Of manhood 70
face. Ryan lnsnuates that some men a.
the meeting had work engaged. If this
was true, would such men nave met on
Monday AS he desired All knew the de
sIsIve hour bad come Tn, very argu-
muents and inspiration that are used to
crlnlnate this minority, demonstrates the
folly ot the perslstencey of the maJorIty,
and that the advice of the Chair was honest
anu pure, like all his other works, which
were night and day during the seven long
months Of suffering The interest Of the
Char was identical with that OF the men
who had fought ana suffered by ms side
They were not sold as some lmbecile
creatures imagined, and the same prepos-
ferrous idea is entertained IN The letter an
der consideration. They were showed out
| by blacklegs, but not sold by their leader
No more than one, out Of every twenty,
could ind a man who would employ him
They had no need OF their labor. Our
rank and tle kept solid all through the
strike; they fought coura- Ously; not a
word can be said against them, but there
Was a number IF mean dogs IA Clay county
who brought on the trouble, aud left
others to night 1t out, tut whO had had to
return, and finding the trouble still exist
ing, had not the manhood t. continue the
hight, went IN and bIackleIed Everlast-
ing shame will follow them and their pros
| perIty. Respectfully,
K. LINN, A Clay County Exile
0ur Reasnna