The Advocate and news., 1898-08-31

penitentlary Is one or them.
What else is there in the leafiet?
A most startling statement to come
from a Republican source: During
July, August and September of 1897 the
miners Of the country were in struggle
for their rights" How does this line up
with the attitude of the Republican press
toward the striking miners in 1897? With
one accord they upheld the operators,
defended the HaZelton massacre and
misrepresented the cause of the men shot
down in cold blood by Sheriff Martins
deputies They and their interests are
on the side of mammOn. On the other
hand, why is it that every bulletin in
the American Federationist or sent out
by the American Federation of Labor
has the foot-note, Labor and reform
papers please copy?" Because the editor
Of the reform paper and the cause he rep
resents are eternally protesting against
a condition Of inequality and injustice
caused by an inOrdinate love Of money,
The campaign leaflet lies further when
it claims for the administration of Pres
ldent Mckinley the credit for this state
ment which it quotes, through the Advo-
cate and News, from President GOmpers:
Coal miners wages increased 20 per
cent. for about one-third. Some increase
for ALL"
Here is President Gompers' actual at
titude, as taken from his report to the
last annual convention of the great or
ganization of which he is the executive
officer:
1t is a source of qualification, however,
that out Of the miasmatic atmosphere Of
abuse and unjust attack stand the gratiti-
cation and the voluntary evidence of the
rank and file of the miners OF the country
to the splendid services rendered by the
officers, the generous financial aid contrib
uted by the trades unions, and above all,
stands out in bold relief the success attend
ing the miners contest, an increase or "
per cent in wages having been secured for
more than $4,000 and some increase, though
not so large, for all other coal miners. 1t
would be difficult to determine as to which
among our affiliated organizations or who
among the organizers, which so many Of
them sent into the coal fields, performed
the best service. Sufficient is 1t for us to
know that, for the first time In the history
of our movement representatives of diff
ferent trades organizations practically con-
Quoted the contest in the field each vieng
with the other to attain the best possible
results and each Of them deserving the high
est of encomium Of praise for the work done
and the result secured. 1t was the purpose
of our organizations, while furnishing men
and money to conduct the contest, its di-
reCtiOn was left in the hands of the repre-
sentatives of the miners-the officers OF
their organizations.
An incident connected with the miners
strike requires special mention here While
n hnd nf nd mir re
were marching upon the public highways
from Hazelton to Lattimer Pa, they were
met by the Sheriff Of the county with a
posse of armed mercenaries, who, without
cause or prOvocation and In violation Of
the constitutional and natural rights Of
man, turned upon them and in cold blood
murdered twenty-five and manned and
crippled as many more Of them. All reports
agree that the men attacked were violat-
ing no law, guilty of no wrong, many Of
them shot to death while fleeing from their
malignant pursuers. This crime against
our laws, this brutality against inoHensiVe
men, the wall Of widows and orphans, the
wounded pride of American citizenship
and common humanity cry out not only
that justice shall be meted out to these
modern hyenas, but that never again shall
so great wrong be inflicted upon any of
our people An attempt has been made to
becloud the judgment of our people under
the cry that the men killed and wounded
are foreigners" but even though this be
true, these foreigners were lured here by
the cupidty of mercenary corporations. 1t
is submitted that, though a man be a for
eigner, there are some rights, some pro-
lection, to which he Is entitled, which even
corporations and their hirelings are bound
to respect.
What is there in that of consolation to
the Republican State Central committee?
Could the lie direct be given any palmer
to their assertion that their party and
leaders and not the miners themselves
are entitled to the credit for the increase
in wages in 1897? On what side are the
"mercenary corporations" Of which Mr..
Gompers speaks? Into which campaign
fund do their contributions go? The
preamble of the constitution of the
American Federation of Labor says: "a
struggle is going on in all the nations Of
fbo oivi1i1nd 1uOrId ho