West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-08-15
VOTED THAT WAY.

GU the miners OF Streat0r ana
Kangsley voted for Harrison and
Protection at the bidding of their
masters, who pictured to them that
his success would be panacea for
all their troubles. But their dinner
pail has not been filled for many a
long day"
Brother Dawson will relish this,
as Harrison and Protection are do
ing just exactly what they are ex-
pected to do by the mOnopolists. 1t
will be remembered n short time ago
the Journal pictured the Illinois
coal miners as living in comfortable
houses, which they owned. and
spoke about them owning cows,
hogs and everything that goes to
make them beyond the grasp of want.
Here is what correspondent who
has been visiting the homes of the
miners, which the Journal would
have its readers believe are living
i'll luxury instead of poverty. But
let this correspondent speak. Here
is what he says
"The family of William Barnett,
which | visited, were in a pitiable
condition. Six children, mother,
father and grandfather were crowd
cd into a two roomed cottage. The
gray-haired grandfather lay on a
bed with fractured thigh, having
fallen out of a wagon while return
ing home with his son from
neighboring farm, where they had
been grubbing or pulling stumps at
fifty cents day. When their work
was done the farmer would give
them nothing but flour in payment
for their services, SO they had been
living for two weeks on bread and
water or a little milk begged from
neighbors, until relief came from
Chicago. A condemned felon is
given better food by the State than
this suffering family have been ex-
listing on since the lockout.
In wretched hoval close by the
head of the family was absent,
searching in vsin for work in a
neighboring town. A few days ago
their dwelling caught fire and the
eldest boy got on the roof to throw
water on the flames. His mother.
a frail little woman, followed to
help him. But the excitement was
too much for her and she tainted
and fell off the roof. Her arm was
broken, but the fire was put out.
They ha6 to beg food from the
neighbors to sustain life, and it was
a pitiable sight to see the mother,
with her arm bandagcd and splin-
tered, trying to take care of her
three small children. When the
relief came from Chicago she sent
her boy to the store, but he was too
small to work his way through the
crowds, and returned with an emp
ty basket and an empty stomach.
"The next family visited was that
Of William Farrell, who has a wife
and six children to provide for.
When he was working the company
took nine dollars a month for rent
out Of his wages and five dollars a
month to pay for a lot ON which he
intended building q home for his
family. TIE had paid forty dollars
on the lot when the lockout came
and couldn't get cent Of hls money
back. The company told him that
the lot was theirs as long as % cent
was due ON it, and money and land
were taken away from him. It was
an utter impossibility for him to
save o cent from his wages after
paying fourteen dollars o month TO
the coal baron and providing his
family with the necossarcs Of life.
Now dear reader, thisis what the
JoprD0l would tell you was "free-
trade DE. But they arc facts, nev-
erthelcss, which every Newspaper is
I publishing, with the exceptson Of
thoso newspapers which arc con-
trolled BY monopoly and the manu-
facturers. The latter papers will
tell you tbc men who own the mines
cannot afford to pay eighty cents "a
ton Tor mining coal But This cor.