The Labor enquirer., 1884-09-13
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ch1fEed e1eef uAy oosts sss,l.. -.
= point NJ. CsmHon md Nh.
] = 1iaoa. isuperintendena and aslastant
stsndent Of the Gloradt' Coal &
8;5son conpans, entered th hall snd were
rniahed seasa
Jossph VerHinef. rtpreseAtsnve oa
the Italian element Of Eemont county,
lysted thAt his countrymen concluded 70
sksnd shoulder to should'r with otner
notionalities in an efors 70 MAINTAIN
thsar rights; that his coulatrymm couio
o.,., ,,sta 9 ffom sS6 TO $50 pei month,
when they should make sS per day
Aftsr extending an invitation 70 MI.
/ c.n,aron 10 attend the afternooa session
tho convention adjourned for dinner.
Convention was called to order At z p.
M, With Henry Lock in the chair, Mr..
Alex Mcdonald IN an able address re-
viewed the struggles Of th, miners in the
past that this was only . reptition Of
the same old battle against INJUSTICE.
Labor is driven from Eur,pe by oppres-
sion the same greed is working, against
us in this country. Our ff'refathers were
forced to revolution in order to drive
back the Importers of Europe. All
wealth is created by us, arid after having
built up the east we find ourselves home
les and are driven to the wilds OF the
west, where some find homes, but not
nearly all. That power which drove us
from Europe and from the east is after
u.s.. they have absorbea our mines,
monopolised all the natural resources,
and blighted the homes Of those who
labor. In all parts of the country men
are ground down, born American citizens
are compelled to sign away Their rights
as citizens in order to gel employment.
Such impositions are mollstrous in tie
extreme and ought to be resented. II
there is no remedy by moral force We
would be justified in usins; other forces
do not advocate violence, if it can | los-
pibly be avoided. We are represented
rs outlaws and rebels if We exercise our
rights as citizens by resepting the impo-
sitions of capital.
The report Of the confaittee on pro-
gramme was then read as follows:
Resolved, That we form a stale union
~ = n ~ ortc. {
First-To secure for the employees OF
the coal mines a just remuneration for
their labor.
Second-To settle trade disputes by
arbitration and other conciliatory, means
when possible.
Third-To preserve the health and
lives of the workmen in and about the
mines. IS
Fourth TO secure legislative measures
for carrying out the above objects.
The report was adopted unanimously.
The union was named the Coal Miners
Protective Association of Colorado.
On motion, the convention appointed
the following committee to wait on Mr..
Cameron with view of amicably settling
the existing strike: Alex Mcdonald,
Peter Adamson, John Brown, Archibald
Mcdonald and E. P. McPhilomY.
The committee wasted nearly two
hours in an interview with Mr.. Cameron.
The latter said it was simply a business
transaction with the company and We
have nothing to offer.
He made no pretension to show from
figures why they were forced 10 make
hereduction. -
Mr.. Alex Mcdonald said that while it
was a question of bank account with the
company, it was question of thestomach
with the miners. IL I 4 E-
The following is the conversation that
took place between the committee and
Mr.. Cameron; a$-:I.
Cameron mine and market
coal and compete with other points"
Committee-"Are the prices Of coal
any less now in Pueblo than last sum-
mer?" III J"
Cameron III do not know / think
they are. / deal with agents.
Committee -"What are the profits of
Canon coal in the Denver market2"
Cameron-'I don't know"
Committee-aMr. Cameron, there is
great dissatisfaction about the fact that
the miners have to give 2,4O0 pounds of
coal for ton, and that when any slack
is filed in with the coal, the weighman
often docks several hundred pounds,
and in some instances allows nothing for
car containing ton of coal"
Cameron-"It is not the intention of
the company to wrong any man of a
pound of coal; but many of the miners
dig the coal so fine that 2,400 will not
make ton of clean coal after the slack
I is separated from il"
In answer to this, Mr.. Mcdonald said
that the company hired green, unex-
perienced men and turned away practi-
cal miners. -
A lengthy discourse was INDUCED in
about the exhorbitant prices charged by
the company for powder, oil and other
supplies, after which the interview
closed.
The committee were satisfied that
there was no desire on the part of the
company to settle the difficulty in any
other manner than the miners accepting
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