Amador ledger., 1902-12-26
A VOICE FROM OUTSIDE.

Inc AmdQOf Ledger Is very muCn
exercised for fear labor war may be
precipitated through the formation of
Jackson Miners Union No.115, w. F.
M. 1t also states that miners wages
there run from 81 to SO per day and in
Inmates that the request of the union
to miners to stay away from that place
until the union is established is great
wrong. We are quite sure that neither
the county, the mine owners nor our
esteemed contemporary will be injured
by the formation of Jackson union
Mother Lode Banner.
The Ledger does not profess to
know the conditions of the mining
industry in Tuolumne county, nor
the spirit of the men who are fur
nishing the money to develop the
mines of that district. For that
reason we are not prepared to ex-
press an opinion whether the mining
enterprise there would be helped or
injured by the organization of the
underground toilers. But we do
know something about the condi-
tions prevailing in Amador county,
and the spirit that animates those
who are chiefly instrumental in the
development of our staple industry
at this time. Perhaps our cotem-
porary would look upon it as a COM
pliment if an organization in Tuol-
umne should publish notice broad
cast throughout the land warning
competent miners to keep away from
that county. That might be con-
strued to mean a step toward the
upholding of the county. from the
editors standpoint, but certainly
not from the mine-owners' and en-
ployers' viewpoint. We have nought
to say against miners or other work.
men organizing for mutual protec-
tion. Such an organization con-
servatively conducted is not a men
ace to our industrial interests. But
when it assumes a dictatorial or
despotic role; when it seeks, from
Interior motives, under penalty of
arousing the ire of the organization,
to tell workingmen to keep away
from a prescribed district, and
thereby create if possible dearth
OF labors, so as to coerce the owners
into submission to their plans; we
say, when such things are openly
advocated, it displays not a CO.
operative but hostile spirit, and
calls for comment. Capital is timid.
1t will not invest except under con-
ditions that promise fair treatment.
For the information of our brother
editor we will say that a report is
now in circulation that prominent
mine owner of Tuolumne county con-
templated the starting up of mine
in Amador county at an early date.
1t is looked upon as very promising
property. On learning that pro-
fessional agitators were at work, de-
nouncing capitalists and mine
owners as legal robbers, and seek
ing to create a break between en-
ployes and employers, heis reported
to have postponed the reopening of
the mine until circumstances afford
4 reasonable guarantee that he will
be able to invest his money in his
own way, without interference or
dictation in any respect from out
side sources. We know not whether
the report is true, but we venture to
say that the same spirit of independ-
ence animates capitalists every
where. No sane man desires to
antagonize labor; no wisely con-
Quoted labor organization will at
tempt to antagonize or denounce
capital. The two must work hand
in-hand on a footing of mutual
friendship and assistance, This is
the position of the Ledger, and it
will always be our endeavor to bring
the two to closer bonds of union,
and oppose every effort to place
them in hostile array.