The Labor enquirer., 1886-07-10
COAL MINERS CONVENTION.
A Call to Consider the His Under Which
the Black Diamond DigEers
Suffer,

/ A Call to Consider the his Under Which
| the Black Diamond DtgEers
/ suffer.
Editor Labor Enquirer.
Rich HILL, Missouri, July PLEASE
publish the following:
States of Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and Col
orado. .'
FELLOW WoRKMEN: The time is near
at hand for those engaged in and about
the mines of these states to take prompt
and well-defned measures toward ale
Waiting the terrible sufferings which YOU
have been subjected to during the pres
ent year. The cause of YOUR poverty
stricken condition is manifested in every
branch of industry over the continent,
but the effect is more acutely felt among
coal miners than any other avocation.
The executive board of the fourth dis
trlct of the National Federation of
Miners and Mine Laborers rave deemed
it necessary to call convention for July
l3, to be held at Kansas City, Missouri.
when the following evils SO bitterly
complained of shall have precedence
over all other questions that those evils
may speedily and permanently be re-
moved:
First. The disastrous competition
which has reduced wages below living
rates and is gradually driving out of the
marx cts honest operators to the degrade
ton and enslayement of those belonging
to our craft.
Second. The adjustment of prices at
those mines that are below living rate.
Third. The selection of a joint COM
mittee Of mine 8 and operators to regu
late and uphold the selling price of
coal.
Fourth. The establishment of a board
of arbitration for the settlement of all
serious d sputes in the district.
The importance and magnitude of
these four principles must be obvious to
all coal miners and coal operators who
aim at Justice and the conciliation Of
labor and capital. Hence the imperative
necessity of taking in hand these new
but we'll directed principles induced the
district executive board to respectfully
invite the operators and those in their
employ to send representatives of their
respective interests to the convention on
the above date.
Fellow workmen, will you let this
opportunity pas without making an
effort to ameliorate your condition, and
continue the willing slaves Of few pow
erful corporations who in their greed for
gol have reduced you to poverty and
untold misery? There are many opera
tors who will hail this invitation with
delight and satisfaction and do all they
can to bring about better condition Of
things. Well, YOU sit another wear in
abject silence and add shame and the
condeu nation of every workingman to
your impoyerishment, or cooperate in
tht Joint efforts Of the miners aud oper-
ators who are endeavoring to reconcile
labor and capital?
Fellow Workmen, your committee ad-
mo1ish you in the name of Justice to be
represented in the forthcoming cOnven-
ton, 80 that you may be saved from
witnessing those painful scenes of fam
inc and cruel expressions so prevalent IN
the mining regions of the west. Away
with dependency and do your best to
have redressed the many long estab
lished wrongs that have crushed you
down to the level of the pauper miners
of Belgium or any part of Europe.
Save yourselves and families from the
inevitable ignorance, crime and outrages
which follow in the tracks of destitutlon
and despOtlsm.
Let us take example from the miners
and operators in the east by mutually
agree ny to set right the wrongs, so that
peace, prosperity and contentment In
the future may exist between the miners
and operators of the west
A. NJ. REED, Iowa,
w. B. WATTS, Missouri,
7. NJ. BARRETT, Kansas,
J. D. JONES, Colorado,
Committee.
THOMAS l.. MCMANUs, President,