The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-11-30
"MABON" TALKS TO
CARBONDALE MINERS

In an Earnest Address Delivered i'll
the Grand Opera House the Great
Welsh Labor Leader Urges the
Men of the Mines to Form Boards
of Cancellation to Redress Their
Wrongs-Hon. S. S. Jones. Hon.
James j. O'Neill, President Judge
Edwards and Dr.. H. J. Whalen
Make Brief Addresses.
Hon. William AbrahAmS. lh. great
Welsh labor leader, the beloved repre-
sentative of the Welsh miners in the
British parliament. who is endeared
among his fellows by the title of Md
bon""son of his country"-spoke last
night to the United Mine Workers OF
Carbondalc.
The stormy weather initiated against
the attendance and kept many Il miner
from attending. whose home was on
the outskirts and who would have had
TO trudgc through snow and cold to
reach the Grand opera house to hear
the noted representative and leader OF
his own people. The miners and others,
q number of them prominent citizens.
merchants, professional men, and the
like, We're inspired With enthusiasm.
and as Judge Edwards aptly expressed
it. the audience, like Milton's. though
few, was fit.
"Mabon," when Introduced by Hon. :.
:. Jones. the chairman OF the evening,
was loudly applauded and cheered
when he left his seat and came down
he stage to commence his talk to the
men of the mines, who were eager to
hear his wise counsel of the matters
that were their salvation rs sons OF
toll.
The pith of Mr. Abrahams' talk was
the formation of boards of conCiliation
to redress their wrongs, and he urged,
with emphasis ANA force. that the
miners fight for thai recognition that
would bring about an equality between
them and their employers. that by
meeting as man to man they could use
the Sword of reason and cannon
balls of comlnon-senSe" to settle their
disputes and redress their grievances.
In his preface to the argument of his
talk, he affirmed that no fair-minded
man would or could deny that the aims
and objects of the united miners justi-
requests. he does not like the word de-
mann, were. simply, wages enactment
nf laws for the safe guarding of their
lives while at work and the formation
of boards of conciliation and arbit;a-
lion. lie repudiated the suggestion,
llippantly offered that the law OF sup
ply and demand would regulate the
matter of wages. TOO often the law Of
supply ana demand put the sinew and
blood OF the workngnnn on III" low
level of merchandise. When the work
ingnan'S life WAS continually endan-
Grrcd by his toll. it would be- cruel TO
rank it us merchandise. by wages, he
meant that portion which would not
only allow the miners 10 feed and
clothc and provide n decent hubitation,
hut allow him sufficient To las aside for
his support for the days that he would
no longer be able to earn by his daily
sweat
no get these demands we find that
organization is necessary; not that all
employers are tyrantS, for they are
not; but it is to bring in line the indif-
terent employer. that he may be placed
alongside of the noble employers who
. have always recognized the rights OF
their Workmcn.
At this juncturc, Mr.. Abrahams
deIycd into the pith of his talk, Nh" set
tlemcnt of industrial troubles py CON-
citation, ana # moi ronciliation, arhi-
traton, but never by the cruel lockout
or the foolish strike
The great trusts OF the capitalists of
this country are forming have no fear
for him, he continued for these would
give the Workmen all the more reason
10 become stronger and meet them on
equal ground; that these great Organi2-
ations of capital would lind that their
representatives would meet With the
representatives of the Workmen ana by
aid of the sword OF reason aud cannon
balls of common sense, understand the
troubles and settle them without re-
sort To the cruel law OF retaliation.
There are two sides 10 every ques-
tiol, and this is all that he would ask
of tine great capitalists-that they
would recognize the right of the work.
men to show their side of the uues-
ton; to- meet around the table and, as
man to man, talk over their troubles,
silt them, ConCiliate them and settle
them.
He urged upon the miners TO folloW
the course that the miners OF Wales
adopt and have followed for twenty.
three years With out a single strike. II
is not that they do not have griev-
ances; they have them, but sometimes
these are not grievances, they are
nothing, as Is determined when the men
come together in the boards of con-
eiliauon. But this is the only way oi