Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-09-19


men with military experience, to go to
the Transvaal. Application was TO be
made to the patent Office employe at his
private address. 1t is asserted that &c.
600 letters We're received and turned over
to Mr.. Davis, in addition to which APP
plicants poured in upon the enploye at
the patent office to such an extent that
the secretary of the interior put stop
to 1t. The employe lost his place, tho he
says he Went out to continue the bust
ness Of recruiting under the direction OF
Davis, and he believes that the latter
was we'll paid by the Boer government
for his services.
But, tho he aided Mr.. Davis on the UNI
Outstanding that he was to be Well paid
for his services. he never received a cent
forit, and Mr.. Davis never kept any of
the promises he made to him. Hence
he is now ;Genouncing him.
Such a record exposes Webster Davis
to the charge of violating the neutrality
laws. Proof8is cited. too. of the fact
that While he was visiting South Africa
on leave of absence for four months
his representatives in Washington drew
from the United States government
about 81, 400. not a dollarof which he has
offered to repa y, tho the time represent
ed by such payment was employed by
him in accommodating materials for at
lacking the government upon his re-
turn Mr.. Davis asked fol. leave of alb
sence on the ground that he was suffer
ing from nervous prostration The pub.
lie will hardly consent TO dismiss these
charges merelyson Mr.. Davis denuncia-
ton Of them as false
THE COAL STRIKERS PLANTS.
In the great coal striken the anthra-
cite region Of Pennsylvania both operat-
ors and men appear TO have taken tn,
Initiative. Both are equally determined
If disagreement continues the trou-
bic vii! be- far-reaching in its results
sanG ii il extends iEto midwinter the en-
tire country will probably feel the eff
feet of IL Production will be stopped in
the greatest hard coal field in the world
Over 100000 men Will be out of employ
ment, and much suffering Will ensae. to
the families of hard working miners
The people will hope that every real
grievance may be righted as an outcome
of the contest
One of .he most serious grievances Of
the miners IS the company store Three
Years ago a serious but unorganized
strike occurred. principally owing to
the company store system. which cul-
minated in the terrible shooting affray
at Latimer, and in the troops being or
dered out Later q state law forbidding
corporations to run stores, Was passed,
but the private company stores the
cause Of ali the trouble, We're entirely
disregartied. Ii the legislature of the
state would revls'e the law so az to make
it apply to the smaller concerns, and,
what is, more important still. if they
would see that tbs law is enforced. the
whole company store trouble would be-
come ancient history
The company doctor ia another conl-
plant that the miners bring forward
Many of the smaller companies tax their
- 4
men 20 OF, 15¢s a month for the 5serv-
.icesof the company doctor whether they
use him or not. The only remedy for this
evils by resort 20 the legislature az in
the case of the stores.
The company butcher is on a par With
the doctor He charges What he likes,
delivers his meat when he likes travel
ing. around HIS district8in wagon and
often serving what he likes. whether
families want ii or not and the money
is' stopped out Of the miners pay This
company butcher exists NOW. only in the
remote districts, but there are still many
of them.
The poWda r question is the most seri-
Gus one. The men are charged s2.75 q
keg of powder that costs 90 cents Tha1
powder may mise them Twenty-Five
tons Of coal or it may mine them less
than enoughto pay for itssif. That al
depends upon the mine boss The mer
are allowed 10 work one, two. three Oh
-four days g week, and halfsa day or al
day. or not at all, 70 the operators ma,
eecide. But they must report for dut,
every day. The operators admit thai
they sci powder for much more than Ii
costs them. and explain it by saying
that more than ten Years ago the en-
ploysrs and their men agreed upor Ger
tain Gales Of wages to be paid in eacl
vein, the miners Wage scale containing
an un derstanding that Iowder was to b
purchased from the company at s2.75
+ keg. At that time the price meant {
small profit This scale hasremained ii
force ever since. The selling price d
coal has varied in the meantime FROM