The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1894-10-24
A MINER TALKS.
A Very Able Letter From
Sale Greek.
CANDIDATES SIZED UP.
Why all Miners Should Vote
for Brown and Evans.
TURKEYS CONVICT POLICY.

SALE CREEK, Tenn, Oct. 10--Dear Sir:
Allow me to pen few words from coal
miners standpoint, touching the coming
election. 1t seems 10 me that the coal
miners of the south ought to be studying
the situation very seriously as to which
side of the bread the butter is TO be found:
if there is any. We coal miners have suf-
fered more than any other class of men in
the last year from slow work and low
wages, brought about by democratic threats
and free trade policy. 1t is plain to every
man that wants to see, that the democratic
party is not fit to be trusted to rule this
nation, because they do not know what
Kind OF legislation the country needs, "a
Garfield used t, say, "they are party OF
dead issues"
Then the question is, who should we as
coal miners vote for in this coming election?
say then, let US vote for those that can
do us the most good-men of intelligence
and progress. Evans & Brown can and
will do more 10 the line of legislation than
all the democrats of Tennessee combined.
II. Clay Evans is one Of the best posted
men in the south, thorough business man
in all respects, progressive in his ideas.
Even the democrats themselves cannot but
respect him. All his rival, old Pete, can
say about him is, that he issued script at
lockwood when he was there as a salaried
man for The Hoaue Iron Co.
1t has been proven over and over that II
was nothing but business necessity at the
time the men received their pay in lawful
United States money in due time. Do not
pretty nearly all manufacturing companies
that are situated outside of cities and
towns do that today or something similar?
The scrip business shows plainly that the
democrats are hard up for political argu-
ments. Then the force bill, there is moth
ing in that except that Uncle Sam should
give both parties fair play and fair count.
think we miners owe old Pete Turney
our honest compliments In the time OF
the trouble at Briceville, the states attor-
new. Pickle, decided that the lessees OF con-
yicts had no right 10 subet the convicts to
the coal company at Brcevlle. The case
was then appealed or submitted to the Sill
preme court of Tennessee. What was the
result? Old Pete as moderDld Bourbon
democrat land of course a political friend
of the miner reversed the decision. Ii
there free born miner of intelligence who
can vote for such man? If we miners
and workingmen want to see Tennessee be
come decent state where worsingmar
is respected, let US vote the whole republi
can ticket so as to get the republicans IL
control of the state. Then we will change
the aspect OF things, get the convicts gu
of the mines and public works. put then
to making decent roads through the coun-
try. Every county should work its owl
convicts There are thousands OF miles o
good roads needed in the state. 1t woul,
benefit the state ten times more than to us,
them in the mines. 1t would invite new
settlers, increase the values of the land
Hence bring more in taxes.
Why, there is no republican state toda!
that works her convicts in the mines
Why is it done in the south? Because it i
a relic of slavery, and is so hard to Civ
the lost cause up. Why, the other da.
they had big meeting at Washington
trying to devise means to invite immigra
ton to the south. Why do not the peopl
see that decent immigration will never com
south only in limited scale, until tn
present convict system is abolished? VIII,
the workingmen of the north and elsewher
shudder at the IDEA of going to place t
work and live where they will see guard
with their muskets standing over convict
TO watch aud shoot? Let us have free labo
as well as free government. Ii is a we
known fact that the employers OF conviC
labor in the south keep down the wages c
free miners from 40 to 80 per cent. Con-
pare miners wages in the north and ives
and that will settle it, so ii the workin
class of the south has any ambition to be
Ter their situation, why vote for the par;
that will abolish the convict system? 1t
the great curse of the south. Why, dtcer
men of capital do not want to inve,
anything around convict labor. 81
glad that Mr.. Evans makes such teilin
speeches? They cannot answer his arc,
ments, but retaliate by making idle an
untrue assertions and using abusive lal
guage. That shows their weakness
l will Just refer to the tariff question
All the tin works in the country are abol
to shut down on account Of the heavy in
portalion of tin since the passage of II
Wilson bill. The wages that provide
for $500 people have been cut off to plea
the caprices, Il the democratic free trad
party. Taat z craftsmanship with vel
geance. They believe in Masking pilIiOr