Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-09-04
BLAINE AS A MINE OWNER.


poration Denounces Him.-Toilers
In the Bowels of the Earth Treated
Like Slaves-What He thinks is
Pay for Honest Toil-No friend TO
the Irish or to Skilled Mechanics.
NEW York world.l
Fifteen years ago, Henry Richards
q brass moulder. who was born and
brought up in the Eleventh Ward, left
New York and went west. He made
circuit of the continent and finally
settled down in one of the most prom
inent manufacturing towns of Penn
sylvania. He built for himself home,
and his horney hands show that he
had to bear the burden of labor. He
was with President Arthur when he
went through the Yellow Stone Park.
He was the leading guide. He knew
every portion Of the park, and pointed
out to the President and the members
of his party all the points of interest.
Mr.. Richards arrived in this city
yesterday he has son who lives on
Fifty-ninth street and a married sis
ter whose home is on Sixth street, on
the east side of town. Within few
minutes of his arrival he picked up a
paper containing Mr.. Blaine's letter.
He read the letter through and throw
ing down the paper said:
"He is a fine man to talk ABOUT pro-
tecting labor He is the most op-
pressive employer of labor in the coun-
try. He Claims that he is an anti
monopolist. AS a matter of fact he
has been a monopolist all his life.
Whenever opportunity offered he used
his position and influence to crush la
Dor and labor ASPIRATIONS.
"Please give the details said a by
stander, who announced that he had
made up his mind to vote for Blaine,
and declared that it would require
very forcible argument to persuade
him to vote the other ticket
~ am laboring man as you can
see" said Mr.. Richards, showing his
hands, and l know whereof I speak. l
left this town fifteen years ago, and I
have been away since. l have been
all through the country. have am
pie opportunity to ascertain the con-
dition of laborers in the States IN
which I have lived during the past
few years. In Pennsylvania and parts
of Virginia Mr.. Blaine, the republican
candidate for President, has a large
interest in coal and iron mines and
railroads that run through the eoun-
try in which those mines are located.
Steve Elkins, the manager of his cam
paign is associated with him in nearly
all his speculative enterprises They
run their properties on the principle,
ono Irishman or intelligent mechanic
need apply for employment"
"What do you mean by that?"
ALMOST SLAVES.
"Simply this. In the mines that
Blaine and Elkins control, whether
in Virginia or Pennsylvania, the la
borers are almost slaves. An Irish
man can not get employment. A
skilled mechanic will not be given
work. There is pronounced preju.
dice against the Irish, and I believe
that prejudice comes from Blaine per-
sonally.
"Wha labor do they employ in
their mines?", the reporter asked.
"They take the Scandinavians and
Italians who work for sixty to sixty five
cents a day-hardly enough to keep
body and soul together. Blaine en-
ploys pauper labor in his mines. He
will employ anybody who will consent
to work for sixty or sixty-five cents,
which he has often said he regards as
fair remuneration for a days work.
We think otherwise, and on account
of his tyrannical management of his
properties and his persistent refusal to
employ Irishmen or other skilled la
borers we are against him He has
brought into the country pauper labor
from Norway and Sweden and Italy,
and active skilled, native mechanics
have no chance to compete. He trades
on the idea that the Irish are poor
and ignorant. But there is a great
deal of intelligence even among the
Irish miners. 1t would astonlsh you
to see the intelligence of some of the
men who come out of the mires dusky
and black. They are honest, and they
have no sympathy with man like
Blaine, who wants to crush them and
has made every possible effort to crush
them in the mining districts in which
he has an interest.
Il belong to the labor party. l
propose to stand by the laborers, and
while l am here I intend to tell the
laborers, that Blaine is no friend of
theirs, and that he is not a friend Of
the Irish either. He does not believe
in the Irish or any skilled working
men. He wants Scandlnavians, or
Italians or Cinnamon, who will work
for sixty cents day. How in Gods
name is man to live on that? l
know Blaine. I have worked for him.
I know what I was paid for my labor
"a miserable pittance-and propose
to do oil ir, NV pouor to onnoso Rlaipa