The bee., 1901-02-28

|
ning to have their eyes opened on
the labor question. A few Of them
have been hoodwinked into joining
the U. NJ. Workers upon one false
plea and another, but n hint was
given them the other day, that as
soon as the above named gang got
control of the coal mines of the
county, they then intended to or
ganize the farm hands, and demand
of the farmers salary of from $l.75
to $500 per day. OF course such a
step would be an outrage on justice,
but what does the gang care for that.
If they can say what farmer shall
pay for labor they can also say what
he shall receive for his produce, the
quicker the farmer understands
what kind of gang he is dealing
with, the better it will be for him.
The thing to do is to fight that spirit
of dictation and interference with
other mems business by resisting
the U. M. Workers at every point.
An illustration of the great bles-
sing coal mines have been to this
county was given one day lately
when an old farmer was asked how
much he gave for his land, and the
answer came, ten dollars per acre.
"How much can you sell it for
now," was asked him. "Ab nut $40
per acre." "Well, what is the cause
of the advance" he was asked, and
the answer came, "the development
of coal lands. This same farmer
lately purchased a tract of land, and
by finding~a home market for the
timber on same, at the coal mines
he realized over thirty dollars an
acre more for the wood than he gave
for the land. Will he aid the United
Mine Workers in closing down these
mines, which the operators will do
before they shall secure control, and
thus destroy this home market.
AS we believe there is not ten
year old boy, who knows anything
vt all about mining in this county,
that doesn't know the falsity Of the
statement here made by Wood, and
we believe it for the best interest of
the miners that they should read this
letter and see the manner of men
they have to deal with:
Madisonville, KY, Feb. l8, 1901.
Editor Mine Workers Journal:
In order that the miners of the
entire country may know how we
are progressing, 1 will give you the
situation in brief for publication:
We have got the production of coal
practically stopped at most every
mine. The mines on the /. G. r.. r.
are hut down. We have 175 mem
bers in the local at st. Charles, 1l9
at Crabtree; only six men working
at Carbondale. Mortons Gap local
increased from l25 to 2l5; only two
machine men working in the mine
there. darlington mines not run
ming near their full capacity. The
Reinecke mines at Madisonville is
the only mine that'is running any
thing like full capacity, and we are
going to be able to cripple their out
put this week. We have obligated
/ 300 men in this field; about 1900
now idle and 800 working in the
mines, using their influence to get
all men In the union.
Tho guards are still very officious
and continue to shoot at men when
they want to. Several men have
been run out of Darlington by them.
Our organizers are being threatened
continually, and still they continne
to organize the miners.
There is no question about the out
come of this strike. We are going
to win If it takes two years. 1t will
require about $4,000 per month to
control the situation In this field.
Our scale convention meets in
Louisville March 9th, and 1 think
we will get a scale. With success to
the organization, remain,
Respectfully.
jams d. WoOD.
How would the poor families now
in need of food and fuel, caused by
the efforts of the u. M. Workers,
like to sec their master, Jim Wood,
sporting diamond pin which we
are told he does, while they are suf-
ferlng for the necessaries of life.
Ornaments and luxuries come high
but what docs Wood care so long his
poor dupes pay it.
A labor journal contains the fol-
lowing which shows that even coal
is cheaper than gas:
San experiment that is of special
interest to Linton is now going on
in the gas region of Indiana relative
TO the merits and cost of coal and
gas as fuel, says the Linton Ind.)
Nall If xuanld nat,raIlu ha c,,n