Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-07-16

act Of folly than that committed by
small body of men in this region in
working for less than the prevailing
price for mining. There is not the
slightest call upon them for the con-
cession made, save the cupidity OF the
operators. Nothing in the trade. and
certainly nothing in the future, war
rants it. Yet enough people have
been found to run a ifty-cent mine
and strike an unprovoked blow at
their fellow-workmen, and a needless
one at themselves.
1t is impossible to realize that the
men who did this were able to COM
prehend the gravity Of the step, or.
If so, that they tried to measure the
effect. At the present rate Of pro-
juction it was a stride toward rob-
bing the miners of the region Of one
thousand dollars day six thousand
dollars week twenty.si1 thousand
dollars a month or three hundred
and twelve thousand dollars year
1t should be remembered also that re-
duction in the price Of mining carries
with it reduction Of the price of at
tendant labor. Upon the same basis
this would put in the pockets of the
operators every day three hundred
and seventy dollars additional Of the
money belonging to the laboring men
OF the region |
This is not the worst view of it.
Suppose they should succeed in
bringing their fellows down to level
with themselves, or to the operators
sapient idea of "less wages, more
works. it not seen that if the rro-
duction should go up to one hundred
thousand tons that the magnitude of
the robbery rises from six thousand
to fifteen thcujand dollars week ?
But is even this the worst view of
it2
No.
When we get down to the "black-
leg" Clearfeld rates, what is there to
prevent reduction in that region to
forty cents? and when once we get
on the down grade, who is there to
hold the brakes that keep US from the
bottom2
The JOURNAL "speaks forth the
words of truth and soberness" when
it urges workingmen who are still
true to themselves to guard vigilantly
every avenue of assault upoa their
wages. Ifcapital hovers around weak
ones with gilded promises, those weak
ones should be assured of competent
support during the trial Of their in
tegrity. Each should sustain the
other, and those Of one competing re-
gion should hold their strong arms
under those of another struggling for
a common cause and common adj
vantage. There are hours, precious
hours, passing unimproved these
summer days which should be devot-
ed to earnest preparation against the
evil times to come. "In time of peace
prepare for war" is a proverb no less
applicable to the cause Of labor than
to the cause Of liberty, because each
is worthless without the other. The
morale of blackleg contracts in black
leg regions should be broken. There
are honorable ways to emancipate the
people Of those Acknowledgements
ways to elevate them to the high stan
dard which prevails here, and there is
no time to lose in doing it. For, say
what you please. there is sort of &C.
cepted equality in market of our coal
with Clearfeld coal that cannot be
disposed Of by mere say.so, and, eooa-
er or later, we have got to come to
give that fact practical recognition
sooner or later We have got to 20
down to their plane, unless, mean
while, we force them to come up to
ours. The latter is the hest thing to
do for all concerned, no matter whose
interests are consulted, and the SOON
er the men Of this region adopt
measures and appropriate means to
accomplish it the sooner a general
and permanent triumph will be won.
How stands the matter to-day
Instead of strengthening the cita-
del weak place IN our oaon territory
has been assai'ed and captured.
This disaster should spur every
workingman to redoubled effort. He
has gained his ground at heavy cost,
against heavy odds, and he should not
he too weak in resolution to hold his