Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1888-08-25

! every NIlt!e IL seems lldt the CURSE
which fell upon Adam is the heritage
Of the race.
It is to be questioned, however,
whether Adam was us well posted
concerning his rights as some of his
ripper descendants.
But it did not take Eve long to
learn thing or two. SO soon us the
walking delegate of that day pointed
out to her the fact that the fruit of
the divInely ostracised tree was good.
Eve at once determined that SOC
cupancv Of the garden is possession y
and "the power to eat is the liberty
to eat"
Then Adam took this III; erelong
the divine prohibition appeared to
him in the complexion ola grievance.
All know the result, and all know
that down to this day Adam with his
| blood has transmitted more or less
cussrdness to many who cannot get
along without work. They are res
tive under regulations and chaft un-
der restraints. They are prolific of
excuses and fruitful of scape goats.
There is in their estimation Il perpetu
al and all-pervadihg conspiracy OF
force and intellect against them,
although as free agents they are
themselves soverrigns of the realms
of matter and mind.
In this region the conspiracy takes
the shape Of foul air and an indie,
pendent mining boss. If the work
man demurs to the presence Of
"bIack damp" the boss, according to
"Philo," says ''if YOU don't like to
work in it, take your tools out -
The foul air is wicked enough, but
according to the Noble Order idea
such boss is the cap-shelf of ii shock
Of iniquitY.
This whole system of notions is a
monstrosity Of far-reaching and dan
gerous tendency. 1t starts upon the
utterly false assumption that employ
crs, once so, are under some immu-
table, perpetual obligation to consider
that their employees, once so, are
their special Pr0teges the objects of
their constant solicitude, if not their
love that whatever initiates against
the welfare of the latter ought to be
removed as matter of right; that
the employer, once having employed
a workman, is bound forever after to
provide for HIM work and wages,
especially wages.
These false assumptions grow in
number, volume and otfensiveness.
The divine right Of the employee,
ioduiged, soon reaches up to and
overrides the property rights OF the
employer. 1t invades the domain of
his plans and overturns his purposes
with the sway of IL Goth and the
ruth of II Nandal.
The history Of this region contains
annals Of such II usurpation.
Small wonder is it that the oper-
ators here once awoke to find them
selves bound hand and foot in their
own preserves, and smaller marvel
that they exercised their chartered
rights rs corporations and their in
herited rights us freemen to close
every mine in the region until the
usurpers abdirated their illegitimote,
unnatural and unrighteous control of
mines and miners.
Still smaller wonder is it that with
so much success and prosperity at,
tending the emancipated condition
of the region that no favor can be
bestowed nor cOuntenance shine on
the maIconteLts who pander to de
PRAYED sentiment, say ugly things in
an offensive manner, and urge vicious
proposals-alI tending to break the
]
peace and disturb, perhaps disrupt
the bond of amity which binds the
! operators and ii vast majority of the
men in II legitimate combination
which pays all concerned.
The Baltimore Crific takes up the
subject of "Mine Inspection" and, as
usual with all such authorities, be-
walls the sacrilege which violates the
"divine right" of the poor working
man-the poor man who happens to
be in this country, not the poorer
man who cannot get here.
Among other statements the Critio
INDUCES the following;
When boasts are made that the mines OF
this state are the best ventilated in the world
these boasts come from mine-owners, who
,,,ont ~, a A -.