Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-12-29
JOHN M'BRlDE IS A SOCIALIST.
THE NEW LEADER OF ORGANIZED
LABOR TALKS.
Thinks Great Estates n Menace and
Advises n LAW Limiting Inherit
ances-To Revert to the state and
Tighten Taxation.

Massilon. Ohio, Dec. 2S.-John Nc.
Bride. president-elect OF the American
Federation of Labor. arrived home late
Saturday night. His term as presi-
dent OF the United Mine Workers will
expire on the second Tuesday in Feb
ruary, and his term as successor of
Samuel Gompers will begin in January.
He will go to New York to meet with
the executive council. after which the
headquarters will be moved to Indian
apolls.
Mr. Mcbride was entertaining several
friends when a correspondent called.
In the general conversation the sub
ject of wealth and its responsibilities
came up.
when say that am limited
socialist said the new Federation
chief, 81 only say what every citizen
OF the country must say, for we have
now limited socialism, and it is sim
ply question or opinion how far il
should extend. For instance j believe
that the government should take up
and operate all lines of transportation
and take charge Of such means OF pro-
auction as the people may elect from
time to time. That leaves the opening
broad enough 10 admit or exclude
anything. As to wealth, | think thar
the time has come when We must revise
our inheritance laws and prevent the
accumulation or vast fortunes by lin
lung the amount one man may leave
10 ms heirs the residue TO go to the
state ana thus back into the pockets of
the people, to whom it belongs"
Speaking of the labor world Mr. Mo
Bride said
Il have been president OF the United
Mine Workers for three years. nnd N
that period the membership has grown
from l5oO to over 10000, OF the pres
ent membership over 10000 are paving
members By this / mean they nneet
the per capita assessment OF ten cents
n month. The others would do so buf
they are simply unable to spare tbe
money. There are $4,000 bitunlnouE
miners In the country, and / think we
nave demonstrated that they can act
~ uhlt when occasion requires AT
existence is uppermost, and the neyt
thing TO be done Is to take what cnn he
obtained and walt In such patience &c
may be commanded until there comes
an opening for successful movement
am NOT Inclined to take hopeless
view OF the trade conditions by anv
means. think there comes 4 live
when wrongs break by their own
weight and are rlghted. Possibly
things are getting ready to break non.
We have In this country n population ~
consumers now for years past rettine
the cheapest and the best fuel in ths
world and both able and willing Ia nav
a hving scale of wages to the miners
we have operators as a rule eoueliv
willing to pay such a scale; and Vel in
fact our miners are working n. ra,aa
Just above the starvation point Az
ing seanty work. and that little rnennc.
cd ny another reduction for which no
one mas expressed a desire.
exist? VI e'iairs
Because in the Pittsburg distrlct
the New York and Cleveland Gas ca,',
pany and the Chicago and pittsbnr,,h
gas coal company and possibly tha
thirteen or fourteen other smaller COW,
panies' employing at the outside 2oeo
i n reiuse TO pay the scale OF wages
hNed Tor. the Pittsburgh district ma
are pressing competition TO pass thnt
FORCES less eNacting operators 10 ,,,st
them on equal terms. 'i'ee'
'TnN excuse now and the exonsa lac.
summer OF these operators Is that mo
nave contracts which can not be sue
eetsluliy nlled nj a higher rate OF
WAGES. We answered that In the sum
mer by offering to take such eontrsrts
on their hands. We then ohllrsted
ourselves 70 pay them ana others hayn
lng such low-prlced contracts dls,e,
enee amounting to sSi7.0O0 If 49,.
would Join In a compact whereby IL
miners could be made contentsS anS
reasonably wen paid class or man W. w,
orored TO create fund by a reducoior
OF i've cents q ton from the wages ~
every one OF our people. to be semi T.,
the form OF a monthly check Ia tha
various coal companies or 10 co,,p ny
mittee appointed TO properly dIshnrna
the money. The offer was refnssd a..
the ground that II would place thssa
men in too hur,lllatlng n positior 'sse
The effect &c This attitude Nm. %
compel us to abandon a srale ~ 49,, 70
enty-nine cents for Hooking alstria.
In favor OF one ten cents lower lea,,,,,.
these companies speak OF out n, n rs
calculations, We have been worl yus
along under slvtv-uina and sivt,- oe,
al summer and winter while tboss ~.
side CONCERNS have been PAWN nS,.,
Of the time flftv-nve and fortvrr,a
cents and hre still doing 80. 81 co,,r.s
tneir local comnetitors fell this diver
enco. and when thew recently annns,as
20 us what cnnid We do hut release thnra
from oil OBLIGATIONS IL tho ~ . ,ne.i
- Nv naNIOnNl