The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-10-31


The record of Adlai Stevenson, Demo-
cratic candidate for Vice President, as
an enemy OF organized labor, is quite as
interesting as his war record. A great
deal has been published since his nom
ination about his connection with an
Illinois coal company which has been
fighting the miners union for years,
and which has been noted for the re-
lentless and bitter war it has waged
against trades unions in general and
the miners association in particular,
but great deal remains to be printed.
Mr.. Stevenson, at the time OF the bit
ter struggle which resulted in stamping
out the union at his Bloomington, Ill,
mines, was large stockholder in the
company, and its attorney, and is ut the
present time its executive head, being
president OF the corporation.
The story of the Bloomington strike
OF 1887, which resulted as intimated
above, is the story of struggle in
which the issue was strictly joined be-
tween organized labor and its enemies,
for the whole fight was brought about
by the discharge from Mr.. Steyenson's
mines of workmen for The sole reason
that they had Joined The union. No wage
question was involved-no other ques-
ton save the right Of the miners TO act
as free nlen and belong 10 trade union for
their own mutual protection. This was
the issue and Mr.. Stevenson's company
won, with the result that to this day
tho mines are non-union and the
miners do not dare TO attend union
meeting.
The story is best told in the letters
from P. II. Donnelly, ex-secretary-
treasurer Of Illinois Miners Association,
William -Scaife, ex-president OF the
Illinois Miners, addressed to we'll
known United Mine Workers officials
in this city, and the extracts from Mr..
Stevenson's home newspaper printed
during the strike.
The TNTELLreENcER presents the ex-
tracts from the files of the Bloomington
Pantagraph, Of October, 1887, in con-
nection with the letters OF the miners
above mentioned, as contributions to
the history OF Mr.. stevenson's record as
an enemy OF labor. They form an inter
esting account OF one OF the most de-
tefmineo ana causeless " Wars 70 eater, .1i
lil.ato .nla i"DTi ~ en -. ..LS.s = "a. -
history Oh the countTy' anu Wleh IL =. u
LelhethDeTeu Irt ttas !te Domocta'ie Caiiui
HilIe tor WYE Fesiuens 40 s.s neau u
lhe corporatloii thas W"seu tnS WI u
exterinInation, woihis.,h'vn !ii anu !lieituS IN
Of organizeu iapof VIII sttiiN V"ice Oe'
loTs ~, custlns sneIr Ta'lossi n aI IA
ms state !a nus peen @ @hooueu WIN q
Deni9cFSLlc sanpa,gn u1Gulnens f" NJ ,nS nUsu
rug - !lt. ssesenson W 10 t'I y. .a.
IL contains testihioly tna1 nc 10 = Popu-
lar ane humans einPioyeIi ~ was
wruhg from tne pon,uhIoh miuets VINO,
Mr.. ANDERSON OF inc bloomington
araaes anu !.apor AsseIlDly 9eciares
are alraiu 70 can sneir souls tnelr
own. ana was nrss printed IN q pittef
partisan DemocrasIc paper u notorious
enemy OIL organlIeu lapor, oocernlng M
tnls citcular, WnIcn ls lalnillar n1 20 west
virginia Worklnglnen' HnI nlr. oseven-
sons real record, tne lolioWlhg iettets
nave neeh reGelVeu' Aet every WORK
-.
sTEvENsoS's "FBIENDsHIP" FOR LABOR
UNIONS.
SpRrSGP1RLp, ILL, Oct %. 1892.
ia r,r,,oiob M,od, N y sbr,n and o,b,r,
IFhseiing. w Va.
BRorHEns AND FR1ESps: Your letters
with circulars came to hand and con-
tents carefully noted. The circular Won
sentis the story OF a hirelinp sent from
Ohicaro to Bloomington some time apo,
to write a defenceof Mr.. Stevenson. t6e
Democratic candidate for the vice pres.
idency. and which was published in the
CHICAGO Herald. n Democratic sheet run
after the pattorn OF tho St Louis. Mo,
PsnubIic tlnscrupulous in its methods
and matter while fighting for the Old
sIave doctrine. The Intelligent miners
~ Illinois are ouite familiar with the
iacts relating 10 Stevenson's love for
labor Iaborers and labor unions.
How strange that our orranizers
sbon,d he hunted from tho nremises ~
Adlai Steyenson's mine il said Adlai
was n believer in labor unions. STRANGE
that miners and other workmen nj HE
mines min sborild have been diseharped and
yictimized because they sought 70 have
n nrion. as was done seventeen vears
uuiONi 10 ""' NHN e0'VNESSH yeeEs