The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-06-12
The Clay County Sufferers.

We wish every reader OF THE SENTINEL
could have heard the statements made Fri
dsy evening at the criminal court room by
Senator BYRD of Brazil as TO the condition
of the striking miners of Clay county and
their families They number, in all, 1900
souls, of whom over 5000 are totally
destitute-dependen upon charity for
their daily food. When il is known
hat these miners have not been
able, for the past twenty months,
TO earn more than s. a week, their
failure to have accumulated anything
against q rainy day cannot be attributed
10 any lack of thrift or industry. The
only wonder is that there are any among
them possessing even the most mesger re-
sources to draw upon in their dire ex-
tremity.
1t should be understood that these men
did not enter upon the strike thoughtlessly
or inconsiderately; that before doing so
they made every effort to obtain a fair
accommodation OF their differences with
the cpersto tors; that they offered to submit
sll the questions at issue to ar
bitration, which the operators declined;
and that at the wages now rendered them
their earnings would range between $3.50
and $50 per week-sums so pitiful that
the bare mention OF them in such con-
nection moves every honest heart to feel
ings of indignation.
There is no prospect of an early resump-
ton OF work. The miners are unable to
leave Clay county to seek employment
elsewhere. They are, as rule,
in debt; they have no money to
go away with; and there is really
no place for them to go. They
are, in short, absolutely helpless. The
operators expect, and not without good
reason, TO starve them into submission.
They will succeed in doing this unless an
enlightened and humane public opinion
compels them to abandon their program
of heartlessness and greed.
The condition of affairs in Clay county
is terrible indictment OF our social and
industrial system. 1t is disgrace to our
civilization. 1t is a reproach to our
Christianity. It is monstrous that any
American citizen. able and willing to work,
should be unable, by the hardest
kind OF toll, to secure for himself and his
family the necessaries and comforts of
life The men who offer the miners the
miserable pittsnce mentioned are million
ares They have made great fortunes in
Clay county. They dwell in palaces in
Chicago, and enjoy all the luxuries of
life The sDlendor with which they are
surrounded is in startling contrast to the
squalor and poverty of their fellow-beings
at the mines.
At Friday nights meeting a committee
consisting OF the Rev. OSCAR MCCULIoCH,
and Messrs. w. p. FIsHBAcK, d. p PoE-
IER. W. D. BYNUM and L. P. Gus
TER was appointed to take steps toward
the organization Of systematic re-
hef movement in indianapolis. The
committee will make an appeal to the peo-
pie of this city and state, and endeavor
10 devise ways and means to save the Clay
county unfortunates from actual starva-
ton. We bespeak the hearty cooperation
Of the good people Of this city and state in
the committees efforts. Indiana can not
afford to allow one Of her own counties to
continue the scene of such misery and
suffering as are to be witnessed on every
hand to-day in the county of Clay.