The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1896-06-18
THE MINERS CELEBRATE
Last Saturday Was Gala Day i'll
Combination.
UNION DAY OBSERVED
A Full Report of the Sports, Games,
Etc, Which Took Place at the Pic
mic Grounds-A Large Crowd
of Visitors Present All Day.

The eighteenth anniversary of
miners unionism in Montana was cele
brated in Combination last Saturday on
a scale never before attempted in that
place The day was beautiful one
In fact, there has never been a day
more fitted for the purpose i'll the many
anniversaries of past years. Almost
invariably the day has opened with a
rain storm or a snow"squall, and i'll
many instances the miners We're com
PEELED to hold their exercises and games
in few inches of snow and mud; but
with true western pluck they have
never been dismayed and the prog
ra1nme has always been carried out
rain Or shine. Saturdays celebration
was one that will long be remembered
in the history Of Granite county. Early
in the day large numbers OF carriages,
etc., began to arrive in Combination
from all parts Of Granite county, and
it is said that by noon Philipsburg and
the lower valley were almost .depOpu
lated. A great many families carried
lunches with them and spent the day
in regular picnic form on the grounds
near the dancing pavilion.
a procession OF miners formed in
front Of Miners Union hall shortly
after 10 o'clock, headed by President
John irving, marshal of the day. and
the Philipsburg Silver Cornet band.
The procession marched north to Oxide
street, then counter-marched and
paraded to the grounds and disbanded.
Speeches We're then made on Miners
unionism, its objects, etc.
Rev. ". B. Coombe, orator of the
! day, made an excellent address which
was greatly appreciated by all who
heard it. He spoke extemporaneously,
ana SO a synopsis is all that we can
give. He said in part:
IT appreciate the honor of being
chosen to address you Oh this your an
niversary day. am glad to see. notwith-
standing the adverse commercial inter
ests under which we labor, owing to
the ruthless demonetization Of silver,
you have determined to have day OF
| pleasure such us miners alone know how
to enjoy.
MANY are the problems that press
upon us for solution, but the greatest
of all is our social problem. 1t is one
that fills not only the mind but touches
the heart Of everyone who is interested
in our future welfare No thoughtful
person can look out upon this world
with its miseries and SORROWS, and de-
privations; no one can hear again and
again that "all things tend to make the
rich richer and the poor poorer, y with
out very anxious thought. 1t is a prob
lem that forces itself stronger and
stronger each day, and we have need OF
~, r;clot 1,o1jc who Wi II
give their best thoughts, to the amel-
ion, and we who have the sovereign
power of the ballot in our hands must
be careful of the choice of men to rep
resent our interests.
"There are two propositions that
want to lay down to you: First, as tC
the capitalist; the second, as to the Ia
boring classes. AS to the first, | con-
tend, and [ believe you will agree with
me, that the man who, starting poor III
life, yet by industry, economy, frugality
and wise speculation, who wastes
neither time nor money in questionable
ways, accumulates vast fortune, has
a right to that fortune. That when he
comes to the end of life and calls his
family to give them his parting bless
ing, bequeathing to them the accumu-
lations Of lifetime, that family ha:
a right to receive such bequests, and
enjoy the same without mOlestation o,
insinuation. do not believe there is
a man or woman within the sound OF
my voice who would envy them sucE
possessions. But, alas! all fortunes
are not honestly gained. Could We
know the history of many we should
find that they have been wrung from
the blood Of many a horny handed
son of toll
"The second proposition is: that the
laborer has right to fair remuner
alton for his labor. Not merely enough
to keep his stomach full and clothes
about his body while he it's able to toll
but enough to save little for rainy
day so that instead of being thrown OIL
charity he may be able to proudly lool
every man in the face and feel that he
has not been shorn of his manhood. L
he has this opportunity and yet for any
reason whatever fails to improve thai
opportunity he himself and not the
capitalist is to blame.
81 affirm that it is to the employers
interest to see that his employees have
enough of good food to sustain life.
Feed Il COW on ragweed and you vii
get ragweed milk. Feed her on soul
grass and you will get sour milk. F'eet
your horse on swamp grass and he vii
not be able to draw the loads you wan
him to. The COW and the horse mus
have food proportionate to the demands
made and the product expected. So il
is with the laboring man. Feed hin
on mush and he will work proportion
ately. Give him a good living and ht
will give you good service in return
Let him know that he is appreciated
and he will reciprocate that apprecia
tion by giving his employer the bes
service at his command. If he doe:
not he is not an honest son Of toll.
"In the words of Arch Bishop Ire
land. II plead for the toiler. l plead
for him who may not be able to pleac
for himself. l plead for recognition
Of his rights and for those of his wife
and children. Let the employer dc
his duty; let the employees do theirs
"And now suffer word of advice from