The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-30
MR.. HEWITT'S ATTITUDE.
The Editor of the Mine Workers
Journal Takes Exception to 1t.

To the Editor Of the Indianapolis Journal:
Your paper contained an editorial of
much force upon the statement made by
Hon. Abram S. Hewitt on the attitude of
the coal operators, and wherein he incl
dentally plays the advocate for the non
unionist and makes a plea for the right of
an individual TO jeopardize the well-being
of a majority. Mr.. Hewitt's solicitude for
the freedom of the individual would come
with better grace had he never allied him
self with manufacturers organizations and
never denied to the individual manufacturer
the rights for which he so earnestly pleads
for the nonunionists. As an abstract prop
%osition. a man has a right to do as he
pleases with his own and to earn his living
at any occupation he chooses. Those rights
are set forth with considerable ingenuity
and greater vehemence when a labor or
ganizatiOn attempts TO secure a living wage
and American conditions of life. L ask the
question: Why does not this solicitude for
individual freedom extend to others than
nontrades unionists? 1t is also strange that
Mr.. Hewitt's extreme sympathy for the
right of a man TO sell his labor or Ito
work at whatever he pleases'' never was
aroused at the blacklist. Ofhand, L can
name an even one hundred men who were
discharged and blacklisted who were I'M
able to secure work at their trades and
were made "fugitives and vagabonds in
the land of their birth, their families
pauperized. through the blacklist. Some of
these were men who for four long years
carried a gun that this should be a nation,
and upon their bodies are the honorable
scars received on battlefeldS stretching
from the Father of Waters to the Southern
sea. The crimes of these men were that
they demanded that the statute laws of
pennsylvania should be enforced. These
Outrages never received the attention of the
Mr.. Hewitts who are so deeply moved lest
some individual cannot work at anything
As l said, these two rights, in the alb
stract, cannot be denied. As practical
propositions their absurdity is demonstrated
every day. For instance: John Jones is a
asserts he has the right to work at that
without interference from any person. But
John Jones oelleNes ne mas the quailhca-
lions for a physician. Can he work at
that without any interference from any
one" and is any one who interferes with
him so doing a awbreaker?" Why not?
Public opinion has decided that before
John Jones can earn his living at any
work he pleaseS" he must conform to the
rules and regulations of the trades union of
the disciple of Esculapius. No one finds
fault with this hardship" imposed upon
JOhn Jones. Human life and limb must
not be at the mercy of any ignorant prac-
AllDAAC AnADA 1oao III los kht dU-
stract right 10 earn his living at anything
he pleases.' Bill Brown IS a machinist.
In that capacity Mr.. Hewitt would vocifer-
OuSly allege that Bill Brown has the right
to work at anything he pleases, and Mr..
Hewitt would call upon heaven to blast the
wretch who would interfere with Bills
right. But Bill val TO be a lawyer. Yet
Bill cannot go to court and earn his living
that way. He must conform to the rules
of the union of the followers of Coke and
Blackstone. Nc one SympathiZeS with Bill.
. because human rights and nrOnPTfV must
not be jeOpardized. simply because Bill
feels a cali To be a lawyer. Bill may
pirate about interfering with his liberty. -
but he is simply laughed at, for he has no
rights superior TO the well-being of society.
Now come to the mine workers.: Tom
Allen is an ignorant European peasant and
comes TO America. He wants TO work i'm
the mines. He knows no more about min
ing than John Jones does about doctoring.
Mining is the most hazardous occupation in
the world. y mlsstep or mistake on the
part of Tom Allen costs not only his own
life but the lives of tens and hundreds of
other fellow-workers. As examples: Take
this year alOne-at Lost Greek, Ia, Coal
Creek, Tenn, Jonnstown, Pa, Park City,
Utah, Trinidad. Col. in the aggregate there
were 46 men instantly killed because some
peasant like Tom Allen was ignorant OF
mining. These Tom Aliens had no uniOn
cards. They were acting under the abstract
theory that they had a right to earn their
living in any manner they pleased Here
Is where we clash. We say they nave not
Their right 10 work is not superior TO our
right 70 life. Their right TO sell their labor
is not higher than our right to health. W.
do not ask this union card as an evidence
OF membership in our union. We ask fol
this card as an evidence that the Ton
Aliens know enough about mining that they
will not burn a hundred of Us 10 death al
a clip through ignorance. We ask no more
than the people demand of the doctors. tbs
lawyers. the dentists, all persons upOr
whose education ana skill human life de.
pend. and all the Hewitts and their casu,
istry cannot alter our determination 10 Sc
cure that end.
Is the right TO dig coal greater than tn,
right TO burn it2 Mr.. Hewitt asserts tina
II is. The right TO dig coal involves untolC
dangers TO human life through ignorance
The right TO burn coal carries no greater
harm than increased laundry bills ant
sOiled buildings. The right 10 burn is pro
hibited because IL does those things. We
Mr.. Hewitt solemnly asserts that If W.
make the digger OF the coal show that h,
won't burn us all up through ignorance anC
make him produce a union card as a certih
cate OF compentency We have committee
high treason against natural rights an'
human statutes.
He further states that If the union wer,
recognized that would make Presiden
Mitchell a dictator who could stop Goa
mining at his pleasure. President Mitchell
cannot stop the production Of coal at
single mine until a majority OF the miner
have so decided themselves. Mr.. Hewitt
does not see aught incOngruOus in j. Pier
pont Morgan stopping the production o
anthracite coal on an average OF l25 days
wear Mr. HpxVfff Il NOT - much copcarua,