The Labor enquirer., 1884-11-08
beyond food and drink, they find the
syndicate's wages insufficient and aban-
don their contracts,

syndicate's wages insufficient and aban-
don their contracts.
A few weeks ago the country was
startled by news Of miners riot in the
Hooking Valley. According to the ac-
counts infuristed men attacked the ne
groes, the Italians and the Hnngarians,
and set fire to coal-hoppers and other
property. Troops were called for and
excitement reigned. The country has
already read of the battles which fol-
lowed, ofthe midnight shooting, Of Gov
ernor Hoadly's visit to the valley coun-.
selling peace. and of the employment by
the ssnditate of large corps of armed de-
tectives to guard the mines in which the
imported laborers were at work. Doubt
less there were few cases Of aggression
on the part of idle miners, by rash or
drunken individuals. In every COM
munity there are law-breakers and mis-
creants. But nothing can be more GER
tain than that there never was riot.
There never was need for troops nor
detectives. The claim that there was
such need has been carefully investi-
gated and found false. Moreover, those
who made the claim and called for the
troops did so knowing full well the situ-
alton. It was not excusable alarm, but
. +.
cunning design. The syndicate sought
by securing the presence of the troops
to awe the miners and gain the. support
of public opinion. They had other and
baser purposes to serve, as shall be
shown.
About two-thirds of the idle miners
lived in houses owned by the syndicate.
1t was desired to evict them. Accord
ing to the Ohio law the tenants with
fields or garden-plots in cultivation can
not be eyicted for non-payment of rents
without, six months notice. But desir-
ing to override the law with the aid of
serviceable justices of the, peace, and
knowing full well the righteous indlg-
nation that would follow, the company
'discreetly betheught that presence of
the militia would be assuring to the JUS
tices and constables and awe-inspiring
to the poor tenants. In order to secure
the troops disorder was necessary. And
so riot was manufactured for the occa-
sion. A brawler may have discharged
his pistol, or some individual incendiary
fired coal. hopper, opportunely for the
plan of the company. But the alleged
riot was purely bogus. >. -- Il
With the troops came the evictiens
The humble dockets iof certain justices
were crowded with suits for expulsion
of non-paying tenants. Hundreds of
families were turned out to seek shelter
where best they might. Some partook
of the hospitality of friends in need who
owned their own little homes. Some
constructed rude huts, or took to stables
and barns. To this day there are, fami-
lies living in military tents promptly
provided them by Governor Hoadly,
pitched upon the hills by sufferance of
the farmer owner of the land. The val
ley is the syndicate's, and the. evicted
miner must take to the woods on the
bluffs. ~
The troops once there, their calling
must not seem farce. So further riots"
were manufactured These curious
idlers were shot at. Guns were firedin
the air at night to wake the echoes, awe
the peaceful miner and his family, and
give the newspapers texts for thrilling
accounts of war In this work the de-
tectives took leading part. Passers-by
were arrested and shamefnlly misused.
In drunken brawl among some of the
guards shooting affray occurred. 70
cover up this man-slaughter another
"riot' was charged to the accountof the
long-sufering miners. So the lockout
continues. The troops were Withdrawn
several weeks ago, but 100 detectives re-
main. They guard the mines where 500
Poles, Hungarians, Swedes, Italians and
negroes work. They march the men up
to the bank and back again as conyicts
are marched to prison shops. The guards
are needed, not to protect the imported
labor from the home labor, but to pre-
serve order and quell incipient riots
among the syndicate's serfs.
The miners say they will never yield.
Many have already left the valley. To
yield is to enter upon an endless period
of slavery. At so cents ton life could
be barely supported as an animal is kept
something to eat, place to sleep, a
place to work. The company evidently
regards the men as no better than ami
mails. The mine, the coal-hopper, the
stables. the houses, are the company's
property. The men and tie mules are
their servants When the company
thinks best it closes the mine, locks the
hopper, turns the mules out to pasture,
and if the miner fails in his rent it turns
him out in the woods.
Mining in the Hooking Valley can
never be carried on at 80 cents ton, and
the syndicate knows, it. Every ton of
coal now being taken out costs nearer a
dollar than 30 cents. Expensive mining
machinery has been purchased, but it is
a failure. The imported labor is fail.
ure. Keeping 100 detectives for the al
legged purpose of guarding 500 miners