Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-22

"For favors OF government let fools contest,
What's best administered Is best"
In his opinion the workingmen had l
liberty slip from their hands by not exc
cising their rights; for the SAX of Temporal
ease they had gradually surrendered then
selves to the wealthy corporations, an
unless they awoke 500 to tho situation
would be too late to remedy the evil. II
men Of the Reading Company were engage
in a revolutionary contest because the
were forced to it by the reduction of wag'
until a man had to support himself an
family on $50 per month. There must (
remedy for this, and it would in time be
radical one. Charity is cold and tempo
rary, and the speaker said we must extern
it to these sufferers and hope that at n
distant day the evil which caused thi
meeting will be eradicated at the root
which, when accomplished, will render tn
necessity for such assemblages impossible
The Emmett Guard Band then rendered tn
''Memento Polka" with baritone solo wit
good effect.
REMARKS or ". HOLMEs.
DR.. Holmes vas then introduced, an
said the occasion was an important one
as it was called in ans wer to the cry OF tn
distressed. The world was composed o
the weak and INDECENT and the distressed
on the one hand, and on the other OF tn,
strong and rich. This cry was from tn,
weak and suffering. but did the strong re
spond. His eyesight was not good, but hi
failed to recognize among the audience 8
man who was able to give $1,000. There
is in this something radically wrong. There
is no possible reason why there should bt
such distress, yet it exists, and the rich dc
not know where it comes from. They lay
on downey couches, while, fgurativoly
speaking, you lay on pebbles. For that
reason the rich men are not here, but you
who have experienced all the hardships are
here. The root of the evil in this case lies
deep, temporary relief will soon be gone,
but the disease will remain. As q physi-
clan he knew that a correct diagnosis was
necessary in all cases, yet many were so
puzzling that a consultation was neces-
sary. That was the case in
the question under discussion,
and il those most interested consulted
together and got the right diagnosis,
justice would come although it might be
delayed. The disease was not in the bones
and sinews OF the working classes but in
the pockets and pretentions OF the higher
classes. From the time of Adam to the
present day the toiler has been so to say
uneducated, and though he may not be
wise he is human and is entitled to SYM
pathy. 1t is the province of some men to
acquire wealth and power, and for this
they are not to blame, the world or it's
c~omponents parts, including men, must be
governed, but the general Judgement is
against the capitalists, in that he, or they
are selfish and brutal instead exercising
the divine attributes and not allowing an
employe to suffer when it can be prevented.
The remedy for all this should be by legal
and moral means not force. Public opinion
will compel men, no matter how great to
do justice. That is one of the objects of the
meeting, and it far more important in it's
results than the cash we expect to send to
the Reading strikers. The latter is an act
OF charity, the former a decd of right and
justice that will be far reaching and perma-
nent when accomplished. The speaker then
drew q word picture Of the miners who were
compelled to labor in the Pennsylvania
mines on half time and hall wages, and said
that the employers were brutes and mon
STEERS, and that labor was justified in resist
ing such an imposition. In conclusion be
asserted that if the laboring man was true
to himself .tld his cause public opinion |
would solve the problem.
REMARKS o. JUDGE
Judge w. Y. Pemberton wa the next |
speaker introduced. He said that there
was nothing more laudable than to express
in q practical way the sympathy the
workingmen felt for .ieir brethren. 1t was
a shame and a disgrace that such meetings |
were necessary. 1t was q shame that in |
this the boosted land of freedom, meetings |
of this character should be necessary to be |
called and held. The time had arrived |
when monopoly should take it's hand off |
the throat of labor. The question has |
now resolved itself into whether monopoly |
shall control the people, or the people con-.
troll monopoly. He asserted that to-day
by their corporate interests 1OO,-
600 men controlled the 60, 200, 600
OF the United States. He said that while
we were able to face any foreign foe and to
conquer the greatest rebellion the world
ever saw; it is also true that up to this
time we are not able to grapple with the
fiend monopoly. There was trouble brew.
ing between the scorpion OF anarchism and
the devil fish monopoly. When the coal
miner who had been engaged at 500 per
month and had his wages cut down TO $50
per month and then saw the president of
his road riding to his palace home in a car
riage, there wal no wonder that he should
try to turn and sting like a scorpion. He
would not attempt to defend anarchy. but
he would never justify monopoly. The
Reading Company, in violation Of their
charter and OF the law, had cut
down prices at the mine and
increased the rates of transportation. In
his opinion the railroads should have no
lands except the right OF way and sufficient
space for depots, stations, etc. Monopoly
thought the Government OF the United
States was a huge SOW with just enough
teats for it to suck, and it sucked it to a
purpose, while the workingmen were com
PEELED to chaw on the tail, and q very short
tail at that. The speaker then read a lee
ture to the workingmen on their folly, and
the neglect they had heretofore exhibited
on election days. The B., M.& U. G. Band
then made it's first appearance in public, l
and played to the evident satisfaction of
the audience "Guglilemo TELL" for which it
received due applause.
DIR. wRlrFoRD
was next introduced and made q telling and
elective speech. He followed the general
line OF arguments attacked organized
capital insofar as it a~ntagonized labor and
concluded by saying, the only man on earth
is he who contributes to the happiness OF
others. If could wipe the teal from every
eye, fill the pocket OF every poor man, ease
the pain in every breast and welcome JOY
in every home l would do it.
REMARK OF J. NJ. O'NEIL
We are called upon tonight to respond
to the cry OF distress that has reached us
from the anthracite region of Pennsylvania.
The wall OF mysery and the moan of hunger
tbat has been brouohf oho,4 L... A..