The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1899-01-27

"MAN'S INHUMANITY TO MAN MAKES
COUNTLESS MILLIONS MOURN"
Tattered Leaves From the Lives of Those
Who, Cnrequited, Toll and Without
Hope-Arrogant Wealth IL beginning to
Throw Off Its Mask.
Especial Correspondence.l

Especial Correspondence.
One can learn more economies listen
ing to the practical talk Of intelligent
workingmen for one hour than in read
ing all the magazine articles written by
learned professors Of political economy
in year. have had a lesson and
treat in hearing an intelligent railroad
man and bright young miner discuss
ing labor conditions and their expert
ences generally. If / had one lurking
idea that labor is recognized az dignified
and righteous by the employing classes
generally, l am abused Of it now. The
whole scheme and purpose is to get all
the results Of labor possible for as little
return as can be contrived, without one
consideration Of the laborer as human
being possessing feelings, faculties and
needs.
We boast as nation Of our great
achievements. But, oh, when we think
what they have cost, what injustice and
robbery have entered into these great
works, we have more reason to be
shamed and sorrowful than proud! Our
ailroads-wonderfu accomplishments
Of human energy and intelligence-are
built-at what price Of suffering and
wrong? First, the surveying, done
through great hardships, but by work
ingmen who can as yet make nearly
their own terms. Then comes the hard
toil-the digging, grading, hauling Of
dirt, etc. Workers are obtained from the
cities, where advertisement for laborcrs
is kept standing. Every man engaged
has to pay So for his job This money
is divided between the agent and con-
tractor and is profitable source Of in
come. Once on the ground, usually
lonely, dreary place, where the rudest Of
accommodations are furnished, tho men
are set to work with shovcls, picks and
wheelbarrows, driven, sworn at, har-
assed, az brutal men drive oxen Many
of the men employed are students, book
keepers, clerks, who have been forced to
grasp this opportunity to earn living
A week is the longest most Of them can
endure the strain. They arc sent adrift,
moneyless and friendless, in strange
land. They tramp or commit suicide,
and in either case they are spoiled as de-
cent, self respecting men.
Some remain in spite Of conditions
Hard toll, work in cold, rain or intense
heat, poor shelter and worse food kill
them in time. They fall sick by scores
and receive no care. New men are con-
stantly coming to fill the vacant places,
for the oftener changes are made the
greater the reward Of contractors and
agents.
Tho coal, iron, marble. gold and sill
yer, which go to make the greatest works
Of civilization, are wrested from tho
depths Of the earth at such expense Of
hard toll, endurance and risk as few un-
derstand who have not gone through it
ALL Men who do this mighty work
should be rewarded by the best the
world has to offer. Yet, but for their
desperate struggles in the past and their
strong organization, their condition
would be most deplorablc. Owners, con-
tractors and bosses have shown every
disposition to encroach to the last en-
durable limit.
The colored workers. wherever they
arc numerous, are used as badly as hui
man powers can endure. Whatever tho
nature or their labor, they are employed
in gangs by contractors, paid at truck
stores and driven worse than men drive
beasts of burden. 1t is seldom that any
Of them ever receive cent Of money
Their account ut the truck store, with
fines, charges, etc., is kept balanced
with their moager wages. An abomina-
bic system Of fines and imprisonments
is in vogue If q worker bids fair to
have considerable balance in money
coming to him he is arrested OH some
trivial charge and thrown into Jail.
Sometimes he is given the farce Of a
trial, sometimes not. When tho boss is
ready, he gets him out and charges it
up to his miserable victim, so that no
money is overdue him. Tho young mill
or told Of seeing white man OH
horseback driving a negro on foot by "a