Kansas City daily journal., 1896-10-30
URGED TO STAND BY THEIR FRIEND
NEXT TUESDAY.
WHAT MORRILL, DID FOR Them.
SHUT OFF THE COMPETITION OF
PENITENTIARY COAL.
Kansas Veterans Almost Solid for
Mckfnley-A Bryan Buffer Called
Down-sBiIly" Steine Files
Claim ON Nearly
Everything.

Leavenworth, Kas., Oct 2s.-{Special.)
The following circular letter was to-day
mailed to every miner In Kansas, and fully
explains itself:
To the Coal Miners of the State of Kan
sas:-Never in the history Of our craft
was there better opportunity by a con-
certed action on our part to strike the
shackles from our labor and deal death
blow to one of the greatest curses that
ever infested our soil. to-wit: The enact
ment of a law to prohibit the sale of the
surplus output Of the penitentiary coal
mine. For years this coal has been thrown
upon our free market, making It almost
impossible for free miners to live and COM
pete in the same market. Time and money
has been spent in sending our committee
10 the legislature to lobby in the interest
of such a measure. We have prayed and
cried aloud for redemption. and the only
answer thus far received has been the echo
of our wailing cry.
Four years ago the enactment of the anti
screen bill plunged US into one of the
greatest strikes we ever had in the state.
during which time the penitentiary mine
was allowed TO run at its utmost capacity,
and was one of the greatest factors in our
defeat. We applied to Governor Lewelling
ear to our cry. One year later in the gen.
eral suspension of miners, Governor Lew
cling, the Populist governor Of Kansas
issued an edict to Warden Chase to run
the penitentfary mines, regardless of the
plea of the miners, and we need not re-
peat, for We all know, that Warden Chase
placed into the mine every convict that
could handle a pick or shovel. We were
defeated again.
.N,,1
lems- brought a change. While suffering
defeat after defeat. We took fresh courage,
renewed our battle, and what we have
since accomplished will now be described
One year ago the bids for the penitentiary
coal were let at such low price that the
miners Of Leavenworth and Usage counties
decided to make an open protest before
Governor E. n. Morrill, and ask that said
contract be abrogated. We wondered
among ourselves as We iourneyed to To-
peka what would be the result of our
labor. Would our mission be in vain?
Would we be snubbed and told to go back
home and mind our business, or would he
heed our cry? We had nothing to lose, but
Saf to gain. We made our protest. Gov
ernor Morrill, heard our cry and the con-
tract was abrogated. From this we took
fresh courage and doubly renewed our
efforts. Having been thus far encouraged
was pending-the contract had been relet,
and again We appealed to Governor Morrill,
to stop the penitentiary coal being sold as
it was defeating the miners.
Governor Morrill, had granted our request
once; the question with us was, will he do
1t again? On every street corner could be
heard men saying: IF Governor Morrill,
grants the miners this requestit would be
the noblest act of his life" And. in wide
l..
was granted without a murmur. Four
months ago the contract for the surplus
output of coal was again relet, at the RI
diculously low price of one dollar and five
cents Gl-05) per ton. Knowing this to be
an injustice to our trade and an injury to
our coal market. the following men were
selected by the Knights of Labor, United
Mine Workers and miners mass meeting
together with operators, and were deputed
to go to Topeka:
T. B. McGregor, James Graham
John Young, William Bell.
John Sonnerfelt, Peter Braidwood.
Dan Williamson, John Kellum
NJ S. Patterson. Joseph Reynolds,
William Johnson, Leavenworth;
Mr.. Pipp. John Graham.
Burlingame: Peterton:
Mayor Miller, Thomas Martin,
John F. Young. Usage;
These men made another protest again
he deferred the contract and came to our
assistance. For one year no penitentiary
coal has been sold in the open market and
Governor Morrill, has assured every COM
mittee that has waited upon him that none
shall be sold II he can prevent it.
Brothers. let us look to our interest
Let us help those who help US. Let us
stand by the men who have stood by us
and remember that Governor Morrill,, to-
gether with the party he represents, Is
pledged to enact a law for the abolition
of the penitentiary surplus output of coal.
Remember 1t is plank In their platform.
Resolutions of thanks to Governor Morrill,
are now on file, thanking him for this noble
work towards us, and may be had by re-
ferring to the under mentioned gentlemen:
We also approve the above article and
certify TO its correctness.
T. B. McGREGOR,
JOHN T. PRATT.
JAMES GRAHAM,
PETER BRAIDWOOD,
JOHN YOUNG.
JOHN PATERSON.
BY direction of Harmony assembly, No
1883. I approve this circular, knowing the
same to be true.
(SeaD E. B. STEVENS. NJ. W.
T. B. McGREGOR. r, S,
VETERANS FOR M'KINLEY.