The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-27
HARD ON THE MINER.
Editor Of The Tribune

Sir: 1t must be anything but gratifying to
the mircrs, their wives, sons and daughters to
behold in some of the New York and Philadcl-
phia journals, circulated about here, what pur'
ports to be a sample of their countcnanccs,
their attire and general makeup.
70 use slang phrase, "thCy cannot be stuck
upon themselves" They appear to be anything
but pretty. The daughters, many of whom are
justly proud of their fair faces and bcwltching
manners, must blush with shame when they
made to see themselves as others see them,
judging from the pictorial representations in
these papers. And the miners wives, instead of
describing her as the good housewife, tidy and
we'll groomed she really is, these dailies rep
resent her to be slovenly starved and cadaver-
Gus with a dirty child in and bag
Of coal upon the other and with all clothed in
rags, neglected and unloved.
o
What the purpose OF this false representation
is it is difficult to comprehend, unless it may
be to try to create sympathy. II that Is the
purpose it utterly fails. II it IS for the purpose
Ct increasing the circulation OF these papers
among the miners, it would seem that they
ought not to publish such offensive pictures.
Such libels circulated concerning our industri-
GUS inhabitants who compose such large class
Of city, are not the very best thing for the
town and the community; especially now when
our city is just emerging from city Of the
third to the second class, and since we would
have the world believe that Scranton is one OF
the important municipalities of the union. 1t
is false to report that we have but two classes,
bloatcd capitalists on the one side with neither
heart nor soul and a starving, ignorant. homely
class upon the other. Such reports ought to be
squclChed because they are as untrue as they
are offensive TO all classes in this city.
o
1t is false and misleading to represent the
homcy. The American miners are not of that
sort depicted in these sensational papers. They
are generally dressed we'll and in modern style.
Their larders are well supplied with the neces.
saries OF life and more frequently the luXurieS.
OF course there is in this community, like every
other centre of industry, a certain class who,
whether they earn much or little, prefer to live
in squalor but the majority Of the miners
have good and substantial homes, furnished with
upto-date furniture that exhibits good taste and
judgment. Their sons are well represented In
the learned professions at the bar and in mcdi.
cine, and a great part of the first business men
are miners sons and miners themselves Their
daughters comprise some Of our most trusted
and competent teachers in the public schools,
while their good looks and winsomc ways are
proverbial. As a class, they compare favorably
with the best in the community in education,
refined manners and appearance They are alive
Again, the people of this city and commun.
ity would not let any one of its citizens starve
nor go unClad either in times of prosperity or
depression. As an instance of how the mining
community is got TO be misunderstood or at
least, misrepresented, ! call attention to an
illustration recently published in one Of those
yellow journals. woman was represented as
toiling in the mines, carrying upon her tender
back a load Of coal. II any such thing ever
occurred, it is news to me after some twenty
years residence in this city and acquaintance In
and about the mines during that time. | take
it that such employment is not tolerated by the
companies. In any event such a thing has
never been necessary. l recall an instance of an
intelligent lady who for the first time visited
our city year ago and who looked in vain
for dens and caves in the earth where she hon.
estly believed, from reports, dwelt our miners
and their families. Such false impressions like
the foregoing are being circulated by silly,
driycling noyelists, scntimentalists and amateur
kodak fends.
II is not gratifying TO the miner nor the
| other citizens OF scranton TO see depicted one
or more of our townsmen in the toggery Of a
starving subject of India or Tlgal so altered
as to represent Scranton miner. II this Is
pleasing to the miners and their families then
l very much mistake their character and their
| tastes C. IL. Soper
Scranton, Sept. &C.