Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1879-03-22
WHOLE NUMBER, 391.

the investigation. They say: "The
universal testimony is, that clearly
marked and decided improvement has
been effected in the character of the
controlling influences among the
w orkingmen, and this is attributable
almost entirely to their organization.
1t gives to the most intelligent and
best-intentioned their proper and le-
gitimate influence, creates aspirations
for personal improvement and grow
ing self-respect by educating Ill to be
ambitious of something higher than
bold and reckless lawlessness, and by
cultivating desire for higher and
better standard of individual excel
lence. 1t gives direction in the right
way to the superabundaat vigor and
vivacity of the youthful, while it pre-
sents such front Of quiet but force
full and irresistible opposition to the
reckless and turbulent, that they are
forced into reformation or removal.
So fully are these facts recognized
now, that very few well-informed bus
iness men of the county would be
willing to see the organization abol-
ished, and revival of the old con-
ditions take place, and the numbers
of such are growing smaller every
year. 1t is true the struggle has been
disastrous to the business hopes Of
large numbers whose means were in
vested in the region, and that it has
wrought changes (conspicuously the
rise OF the Philadelphia and Reading
coal and iron company, with its rapid
absorption of the lands and collieries,)
which many look upon with dread
anticipation of remorseless monopoly
in the future. But more and more
every day will be recognized the fact
that all these changes were the result
Of an attemt, resolutely and remorse-
lessly persisted in, to maintain the
old order of things in which the wage
worker was to count ss nothing in
the business economy of the region,
and was to come on invitation of high
wages, and 30 when forced to low wa
ges, in which his right to stop and
take what was offered, or change from
the fixed, resident citizen, to the con.
dition of a ncmadic wanderer in
search of living employ; in short, in
which tbs right to combine with his
fellow workmen to improve his condi-
tion should be denied him and his at
tempt to exercise that right should be
defeated at any cost"
The above is the sum and substance
of the commissioners report, after a
long and careful investigation of the
coal troubles of Schuylkill county,
yet in the face of all these statements
they still persist in scandalizing
the workmen andtheir organizations.
There is never word said about the
fraud, public robberies and assassins.
tions in high life, such as was COM
mitted few days ago in the South.
1t is very strange that Mr.. Gowen
can't find something to say about
those high life quarrels. But no, he
has found another object to cast his
sneers upon. He says he has found
out new secret society which he calls
knights of Labor, and their objects
are conspiracy and deprivation; that
they conspire to burn down breakers.
He also gives the names of several of
those alleged conspirators. But why
don't he get them arrested for such
conspiracy? I think if he could
prove the charge he would soon get
them all locked up. But his new
society has too much self-respect to
disgrace their Knightly Honor if they
are knights of Labor. I think his
new society is a revival of the old
one which he thought he had wiped
out of existence. But the M. & L.
B. A. will ever live until they have
cleaned this great republic of all ty-
ranny and corruption, and placed the
workingman on hatplatform ordain.
ed by God that he should occupy; and
then we shall eat the fruits of our
labor in peace, and shall rejoice in the
ordinance of our Maker when he said
"In the sweat of thy brow shalt thou
eat bread A CITIZEN.