The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-07-24
FRIDAY JuLY "a. 1891.


The Tennessee Trouble.
For tho last few days the reports |
from Tennessee of the trouble in the |
coal mines Of that State smack very
much Ike war, but happily now there
Is prospect of the settlement OF the |
question without bloodshed and in |
such manner as TO do away with |
pernioious habit in that State and |
which prevails In nearly all tho South |
ern States. habit tl,at would not be |
tolerated Ia a Northern State any Ion
ger tlun 1t would take to abolish 1t by |
law. Tho trouble which now so at |
tracts the attention Of the country in
Tennessee h again a labor trouble and |
one that has a real grievance in 1t, one
OF which lahorers have Just right to
complain. Tho trouble began by the
employment Of convicts in the mines
belonging to the Tennessee Coal Com.
paDy and til, Knoxville Iron Compa-
MES.
The miners very naturally objected
to being brought into competition with
convict labor, which could not fail to
result in the reduction OF their wages,
besides bringing them more or less In
contact with convicts. 1t was rather
Illuminating for a man OF any indie
pendent spirit of his own to be COM
pelled to work in a ccal mine or on a
railroad beside penitentiary convict
In striped clothing, the badge OF crimo
md loaded iron balls and chains. We
feel pleased that the workingmen OF
the most progressive States OF the
South have at length asserted some
spirit and Independence Of their own
character and manhood.
These Tennessee miners protested
from time to time against this rank
injustice and indignity to themselves
personally and to the cause OF labor in
general, and when these protests were
unhecded they proceeded to form a
regular organization for the purpose
Of preventing tho employment OF con
Ricts in the mines, and their opposition
was so expressive that the miners
found themselves face to face with the
military power of the State. The CON
Eicts, and those who employed them,
found 1t prudent to abandon work II
they wished to save their lives. Even
The small military force sent against
the miners to quell the disturbance
Jailed of the desired effect, was cap
tured by force Of miners superior in
number and armed with Winchester
rifles, and was sent AWAY in disgrace.
Then other military companies
some Of them armed with Calling
guns, were sent on the way to the
niues, but fortunately at last accounts
had not reached the scene Of trouble
or there might have been a terrible loss
Of life for these miners meant bust.
ness and no doubt the State meant il
too. Tho Governor of Tennessee has
been very much censured for the part
he has assumed over and beyond the
duties conferred upon him by the
State. 1t Is said that he had no right
to call out the militia without having
been ordered to do SO by the legisla-
ture. At any rate he is now doing
whit he at first should have done, no
Is listening to the complaint OF the
miners and has shown himself ready
for compromise. The terms OF the
compromise is that he is to call an cx
ira session Of the legislature iinmedi
ately and let it do something ii it viii
to settle the troubles.
Meanwhile the miners, it is said
have agreed to let the convicts work
until it is seen what the Legislature
will do. The miners say that there is
no other way to settle the difficulty
than for the State to build a penlten
tiary and take care of her conyicts a:
other civilized States do.
There can be but one opinion tina
the employment OF convicts in mine
where they come in competition witt
honest labor is an outrage and the mi
ners will heye the sympathy Of tn,
people in the stand they have tallel
though it be contrary to the strict let
ter of the law.
The better way, however, to settl
this question would be to make it al
Issue in State politics aud stick to /
until the dominant party will be com
PEELED to enact wiserand better law
Tor the protection of labor.
.... Sc
The DECISION of Chancellor Sauls
curry, sustaining the injunction to pre-
vent the placing of 1850 paid up Ia
payers upon the tax duplicates VII
were returned as delinquents surprise
nobody, As the law was explicit o.
that point, making nn nllnrancos fn