The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-15
LABOR AND LABORERS.
Failure of Political Labor Moyements-Op-
portunities In the South for Mechanics.

Failure of Political Labor Moyements-Op-
portunities In the South for Mechanics.
Philadelphia Record.
A crank political labor movement has been
started by the conference which met recently at
Indianapolis. Ind. The next conference is to
take place in Cincinnati on the I'd Of next Feb
ruary. Its failure is visible on its face, and all
such efforts must fail until men of brains and
broad views holding the confidence of the peo-
pie, shall be led together by the force of outside
circumstances. This movement is simply by
way of presumption. A certain class Of people
are expecting great urheaval, and they want
to keep themselves in organized shape in order
to boss the movement when it comes.
There are many reasons for believing that the
wealth producers will sooner or later move In
organized capacity to better their condition by
the enforcement of reforms and the establish
ment of principles in government and in social
economy which are not now recognized. But
when the time comes for such action 1t will not
be managed or directed by three, six nine
tailors Of Tooley street The outside world can
afford to stand off and smile and wait
The National Federation of Miners has added
cne more to its several recent mistakes in en-
deavoring to run separate organization, but its
action was to be anticipated, considering the
selfish outside interests which dictate the course
of the miners
The necessity for new labor paper has been
recognized by the Knights of Labor for many
years. It was stated in this column some three
or four weeks ago that the matter was under
consideration. 1t is a strange but true common
tary that there is but one labor paper in the
country worthy of the name, and that that is
published in New York. The bulk of the rest
are of a mendicant, tramplke character con-
tanning from one years end to the other the
same blood curdling tales of poverty. discomfort
sickness and strike agitations, with the usual re-
hash of cheap, so called arguments in favor of
labor organization. The great bulk of the wage
workers are more intelligent than their labor
III l. A. 49,
and now and again they show streak of genuine
originality, but it is like flash of lightning in
the dark. The knights may never start paper
and never will il the opposition of the labor ed
itors can prevent it. They recognize their unfit
ness, but dread to see an able paper with the
backing of mighty organization
Mechanics with small amounts of capital
should watch the developing opportunities in the
far West and in the South Southern papers
give accounts of the successful building up of
certain industries in small Southern towns. In
Birmingham. Ala. business sites which could be
had for next to nothing, in fact had no market
value. now sell ut ST. 600. Within three years
fifty Western mechanics have established them
selves in business in northern Alabama, and
have laid their foundations for a great growth.
There are opportunities in the far West fer me-
chanics of small means, such as founders, ma
chinists tool makers and repairers and the like
A new coal bed has been discovered seventeen
miles south of Denver, where there are fftesn
feet of good coal This supply will help To en-
courage the establishment of small industries
which heretofore have developed slowly on &C
count of the want of coal.
Coal development is reported in over a dozen
States. A firm in Kentucky is putting in $780,
900 in mines at Madsonville. New mines are
being opened near PocahontAs, w. Va. A com
pany has just started at Robbins, Tenn, and
will be shipping 200 cars per week by Jan. /. A
company has been organized to work the Black
Hills coal Of Dakota A syndicate has bought
Il, 800 acres of coal at Corona. Ala Another