The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-01-02
THE BOSSES LED TO THEM.
Clay County Miners Out of Work in Spite
of Harrison's Election.

Clay County Miners Out of Work in Spite
of Harrison's Election.
TThis will be the severest winter ever ex-
perienced by the coal miners of Clay county,
unless there is general resumption OF work in
the near future" remarked Louis Hoffman, of
the Brazil Democrat, TO a reporter.
81 was under the impression that severe win
tiers made coal miners prosperous" said the re-
porter
$50 they do, but this winter one-third of the
men are idle, and the rest work only two or
three days in the week. There will be more
restitution in Clay county in proportion to
population than in the city of Indianapolis and
the worst of it is there seems TO be no hope for
revival of business. Our business men are de-
spondent, and they justly complain that in the
history of Clay county coal mining there never
was such a gloomy outlook"
"Did not the operators promise to give en-
ployment and full days work to the miners if
Gen. Harrison was elected:"
"Yes; the miners were given to understand
by those in charge of the works that if Harri-
son were elected they would have steady work,
at good pay, but if Cleveland were reelected
the Mills bill would 90 through and the output
of coal curtailed to meet the restricted market
TO which the shutting down of factories would
confne the miners. Otherwise Harrison's cleo
ton would be the death of the Mills bill and
the end of tariff agitation for a quarter of a
century. IN which case they would be able to
dispose of all the coal that could be mined at
good prices, and consequently be in condition
to employ more men and pay a better scale OF
wages for mining. To strengthen their posi-
ton, they got up an excursion of miners to visit
Gen. Harrison. The general, in his address 10
them, said in substance that the miners pros
perity depended absolutely upon aprotectiye
tariff"
"Were many miners influenced by these
promises%
AFT had effect / know democrats engaged in
other pursuits who came very near believing
that business would be better if the protection
party won.
''When il was ascertained that Harrison had
been elected. and both houses of congress had
gone republican there was much rejoicing
among these miners, because they had been led
to believe that in the overthrow of the demo
cratic party a new era or prosperity would
surely dawn upon the coal fields OF Clay
county. 'Hurrah! the Mills bill is dead they
shouted, but they soon discovered that 1t was
only the death OF Julius Cesar. When the ex-
citement and rejoicing had subsidized the miners
expected to return to work in the mines that
had been closed few weeks before the election
on account OF the uncertainty OF the tate
of protection Boys, we are sorry we
cannot give you work, but on account OF new
crude oil and natural gas the supply of coal
exceeds the demand There is no use to de-
ceive you about this matter the outlook is not
encouraging was the reply they received.
"What do they think now OF the republican
campaign cry of Protection to American la
bor? +"
"Well, sir, they feel the base deception SO
keenly that if they had chance to reconsider
their votes to-day Clay county would give 200
majority for Cleveland. Before the election it
was on account OF the Mills bill Now that the
election is over and their man is elected, the
operators tell them the truth-the crude oil
and natural gas is the cause of the depression
in coal. II Cleveland had been elected, how
ever, they would assign diderent reason-it
would be the reelection of Cleveland, and
didn't we tell you So etc, would replace the
natural gas excuse. Some of the operators are
feeling uneasy, too. They fear that the demo-
Gratis in the next legislature will pass a bill TO
wipe out the pluck me- stores, and prevent the
under-weighing which is practiced upon the
miners"
"Is this false weighing a great abuseg
"This is what the miners complain the most
OF, next to the 'pluck-me' stores"
SIS there not ; law to prevent operators from