The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-06-15

father OF great works.
Mining corporations ARE differed 10y
astute and level-headed men h readily
see that il end To their interest To have
organized labor, because all agreements
entered into between the representatives
of capital and organized u are HON
ored, and strikes and the destruction OF
private and public property are thereby
averted aud rendered practically impos.
siblc. The interests of the miner and
mine-owncr are the same. Whoever says
or thinks otherwise must have n very mar
row conception of the relation they bear
To each other, or he is either "A dcmagogue
or a fanatic Now, Mr.. President, the
most obtuse mind can see. and his optics
need not he very clear to do so, that our
success, prosperity and happiness are and
ought To he identical! This proposition
il So plain and self-cvidcnt that II re-
| quircs no demonstration 10 prove IL. i am
| sincerely glad that the most friendly re-
lation exists between operators and per
atives In this county exactly rs II hould
be. II is said that the child OF to-day will
bc the father Of tomorrow. No less true
Is the miner OF to-day the director or
owner of "a mine tomorrow. This il not
"A heavy draft of imagination-such
changes happen often. Harmony, result
ing from "a due regard for the rights of
employer and employee, should he fos-
tered: il is an ~all-powerful lubricator. A
great many people labor under the de-
fusion. as "A consequence of false reason
ing, that any man can fill the require
ments of "A good miner. The facts are
against the opinion.
Brother miners, you are competent
judges of the essentials which go to make
"A fellow craftsman, and i fancy that you
agree with me in maintaining that he
should possess a good physique, clear eye,
steady hand, courage and last, but by no
means least, m average amount OF COM
mon sense. We know that those are nee
essaries. DO all men possess these quail
iflcations: Certainly not. boldly as
sert without fear of contradiction that IL n
successful miner were To use the same
amount of pluck, push and perseverance
in any other wage-field, he would attain
more years Of life, dollars and honors
thar he does where "Old Soils"
rays never light his path. A
miner, or some person connected directly
danger.to limb, lung and life OF those who
toll underground. Only the ignorant or
selfish pirate about Tho good 90 wages he
receives. ! respectfully. invite n an
p~rejudiced person to make an investiga-
ton as to the wages we get. Compare with
others in the labor field. If the exam
iner is impartial and takes into consider
alton our death rate. the verdict must be
in tour favor. Render to Caesar the
thingithatkare Caesars; I" the miner is EN-
titled To what belongs to him.
Brothers, there are those who speak
without thought or knowledge, charging
us with arbitrary methods in the manage
ment of the union We know what the
patient in our ranks and in the mine
needs. Those very kind 90 friends
would nave us believe that IL we were 10
disband and act each for himself as wage
earners, we would succeed better.
We owe IL TO ourselves, TO our children,
aud to the state 10 keep posted. We live
In an enlightened age, in an enlightened
community and i'm a country that leads
| IN. vvnrl1 IplasS Mo nre nhrenSf nf tha
times and public improvements we will,
as we ought to be, relegated To the rear.
Then let us be up and doing. God helps
those who first help themselves" No
form of government was eyer formulated
by man SO well balanced; SO well in
tended To enjoy life, liberty and
happiness, as that which the consti-
tuition of the United States guarantees
10: the people OF our great republic.
Let us observe and properly respect the
laws n labor by correct habits n cN-
ample to win the confidence of our fell
low men, fully qualify ourselves FOR the
discharge of the duties of public trust and
there is no position In the land that is not
open to ms and ours. The most powerful
educator and engine OF veal or woe is the
public press.
/ earnestly request the head of each
family belonging to our order to subscribe
for one daily at least. The daily
paper is now regarded in every Intelll-
gent household as almost an abso-
lutte necessity. IL is an encyclopedia hat
no good citizen who a spare the
subscription price can very we'll do with
out. Union men should he able 10 pass
i~ntelligently upon the current vents of
the day. m right here, before proceeding
any farther, let me add that you ought to
discriminate In favor of those papers that
are clean and that champion the just
rights of the whole people. Brothers., i
have o reached what | regard as the
most important topic of my address TO
you. AMI tine one that l wish Ia place
special emphasis upon. Prior to our or
ganization there WAS "a law enacted for
our - benefit commonly known as the
gag law.
One of the brightest legal minds ia our
state. our honorable fcllow-townsman,
Judge DcWolfe. pronounced this law TO he
"thc greatest crime ever perpetrated on "A
free people; "A blot on the fair escutcheon
of the state Of Montana. and "A burning
disgrace Ia the civilization of the 18th
century"
We have repeatedly endeayorcd to nave
this obnoxious law repealed, but SO far
our attempts have resulted in failure.
Crafty legislators have given us the
shadow for the substance, the degree OF
crime has been made less; where the stat
ute read felony IL now reads INSIDE
mcanor. Truth crushed 10 earth shall
rise again. | do not, never have, or ever
slia favor any move that sets good law
and order at defiance. lmI AT the same (
time ] am sure VT IS il Ia our manhood
AZ free men Ia demand and not rest until
we succeed in the adjustment of this
class law. Don't support any person for
n seat in the next Legislature before he
gives you substantial proof that he
will vote aud voice, II elected, To
wipe out this stain from the stat |
ute. Still, a better way is by petition.
Have IL signed by every artisan. me- |
chanic and laborer, merchant, banker aud
professional man. the agrculturist, who
cultivatcs the fertile soil In the valley,
and the stockman who tends his flocks on
the hillsides, demanding the repeal Of this
law. Will you do il? Then il you do,
you will not only he doing a simple act of
Justice TO yourself, but to the child that Is
yet unborn, who will he the future citizen, |