The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-08-11
MINE WORKERS ROGANIZE.
A Local Branch OF the United Mine
Workers Formed Last Night.

Workers Formed Last Night.
Six hundred broad and brawny miners
OF all nRtionAlities Bsembled in Frauey's
hall, at the corner of Main and Poplar
streets, last evening, to listen to addresses
by Organizers John Fahy and James
Penna, Of the United Mine Workers AS
sociation. Speeches were made in Eng
Iish, Polish and other European tongues
and il any Of the assemblage failed to
understand that they were wanted to join
in the labor movement il was not for want
of language. A local branch of the Eng
liIh speaking miners was formed and
organizers talking the foreign tongue will
be sent in later to form branches among
their kind
The audience numbered six to one in its
proportion Of alien to native miners, and
during the speeches by the organizers
half dozen side speeches in foreign tongues,
were in progress at different parts OF the
room. This was very annoying to the
organizers who would call loudly for
order" but not being understood the side
speeches were continued until the organ
izers had the Others hustled to the front
given to understand that but one man
co1ld be listened to at a time.
After the object of the meeting was
stated Mr.. John Fahy, of Columbus,
Ohio, was introduced. Mr.. Fahy is a
tall, ell-built, vigorous man of about 35
voice and ready speech. He spoke for
about half an hour, reviewing the great
bituminous strike in the West, the condi-
tion of the miners since the strike was
won and how bad it might have been had
the men not been organized and in
a position to resist the proposed
reduction of the operators. He
referred to the anthracite men work
ing full time after the bituminous strike
was ordered, and of how quickly the btu
minous strike would have been settled
had the anthracite men been organized
and ready to come out with them; and
the probability that the operators would
have settled without strike had the
| hard and soft coal men joined hands, the
operators realizing an inevitable defeat
| For this reason, the speaker thought il
was well for the anthracite men to Join
his union as they would have the mora
and financial support of an already sue
| cessful OrganiZa ion and could in time
| improve their condition.
He said that many men would hesitate tC
| Join the organization because they hSC
| been unfairly treated by the leaders oi
other unions, that the former leaders had
| become mine former, but this was the
! fault of the mem bers; they should have
| been more watchful of their interests II
one leader proved dishonest he should bC
| thrown promptly ont. He blamed the
men for not organizing before, and felt
sure they would after few more nine
per cent. reductions but then they
would be unprepared, impulsive
without funds, and he then drew &
smile by telling story of a
| Dutchmqn and a bear that threw the
audience into laughter The Dutchmar
WENT hunting and unexpectedly met 6
bear for which he was unprepared. The
bear, however, didn't see the hunter and
ran off. The Dutchman in his excite
ment ran around and into the bear again
His legs quaked and he fell upon his knees
implOrng the Lord for help TO whip the
| bear. lint il You won't help me, don't
help the bear and I'll show you the d
] fight ever you seen" The operators were
| organized to help each other and to keep
down wages, and why not the men for
their protection
Mr.. Fahy was followed by Mr.. Penna
Penna is of short, stout build, about 81
years of age and had been a miner since
| nnyhood. He endorsed Fahy's re
marks, called down the politica
parties and the miners for joining
militia companies to shoot dowI
their fellow miners. Although coal haC
advanced 25 and 40 cents per ton the
companies had cut the miners per cent
and the men had no hand in fixing thu
percent age, in distributing the wealth
they made, because they were unorganized
the companies could rob them at will
would continue to throw them Just
enough beef and -four to sustain life al
they did corn to their mules, while they
amassed immense fortunes.
Mr.. Penna was followed by several lOca
speakers who explained his speech to th'
foreign auditors The audience was en-
thuEiastic over the movement and
motion was made to form local branch
The foreign element wished TO await the
arrival of the foreign speaker, so the Eng
lish speaking men formed a branch.