Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-10-18


The ppor. underpaid mine workers If
these coat regions, who toll hard from
early morning until late at night for a
IL -...:-1-- -~,,.- supported bG org1n2.i
l@h1" III this ana other lands, nave t.tuent
thos" cornF ton managers a useful les
SON iu civic Hn1 social duty. We eXult
over this tribute to the dignity OF labor
because II is the triumph of right and OF
good public policy.
We do not however, eXu!t over our OPP
ponents We appeal to them now, as We
have from tho first. to turn their eyes to
tn fuur" and t. cooperate with us in
an effort to establish better relations ho-
tween employer and employee for the add
Vantag" Of both.
We forgive them their arrogant refusal
10 do2l with u.s. and in this hour when
they pr" forced to acknowledge their in
ability TO operate their mines without orr
consent and cooperation We hold out the
right hard Of friendship and ask them to
JOIN pith us in securing amicable r"la-
t!ons and wholesome conditions in this
region We forgive them even the false
cusations which they have made against
rs. They charged us with being Grim
mails rioters and anarchists and our or
ganzation they denounced as 'laNleSs
and irresponsible." They know and did
know that their charges were untrue and
without foundation in fact They know
that every officer of the United Mine
Workers Of America from the president
down has constantly urged upon its mem
hershp the imperative need of respecting
the law; that every man who commits a
deed of violence is an enemy to our
cause has been our watchword De-
spite these admontions, supported with
Ill our influence. there have been a few
crimes and number of misdemeanors
charsea Bile to those on strike. But. Mr..
President We make the unqualified decla-
ration that the imported guardians of law
and Order the companies coal and iron
police, have committed more unprovoked
murders during this strike than can be
charged to the great army of men who
nave been in ideneSS for the past five
months, We have repea teddy and in Ian
guage not susceptible OF misconstruction
condemned tranSgressOns of the law on
the part of those on strike. and We chal-
lenge the coal companies to point to one
public utterance on their part in which
they have even deprecated acts of vio-
lence committed by their hired guards.
Charges Insults.
We declare that it was unfair and UNI
manly for the coal road operators to in
suit us while we We're your guests and TIC
charge our organization with responsible
ity for acts OF laWlessneSs during the
strike 1t would be just as logical to
charge the American army in the Philip
pines with being an army OF murderers,
torturers and robbers because a few
crimes We're committed by soldiers there
Until the millennium there Will be crimes
in every community. and human nature Is
the same, no better and no worse among
the half million people dependent upon us
in the coaleds as it is everywhere in
our country.
y 81 a LAY
were unable to produce coal because in
tmida ton kept from work men who We're
willing to work has been proved false by
the fact that the protection which they
demanded has decreased rather than in
creased the number OF men mining coal
A hundred thousand troops could not have
enabled the opera tors to start their mines
for the simple reason that the men who
work them are members of the United
Mine Workers OF America. men who were
determined to stand to the last for their
right to organize and through their or
ganiza ton to demand better wages and
improved conditions of employment. De-
privation. ton and troops
together We're not sufficient to drive them
into surrender. They stood shoulder to
shoulder to the very last
Objects of Miners Union.
The operators declared that they would
have nothing to do with the United Mine
Workers of America. but they have found
Il necessary to recognize the power of the
United Mine Workers of America through
you, Mr. President. and to seek terms OF
peace which will enable them to resume
their business of mining and selling coal
The recognition of our strength thus
forced upon the operators by stern neces-
sty we exult over. not in any narrow
spirit, but because we believe it marks
forward step to a new era. Upon the
foundations laid through war we are
ready to join with them in building for
better conditions and a long and lasting
peace The United Mine Workers of
America since it's organization in the an
thracite field has constantly sought to
establish:
Fair wages and just conditions Of labor.
conditions just to both operators and min
ers. We have never made demands be-
yond the ability of the industry to pay on
a basis of equitable division Of profits
between labor and capital.
Amicable relations between employers
and employees, the latter speaking through
their organization. and their orga nization
aiding the companies in maintaining dis
cipline, adjusting all difficulties by con
cilatory methods averting local strikes
and lockouts and securing stable and sat
isfactory conditions to the industry. Our
organization by the same methods which !
such relations and just such results in the |
Of the country Organization. |
like an individual, must stand upon what |
it has done and the life it has lived. We |
invite scrutiny and investigation Of our |
record and character. In the soft coal |
fields we have joint conferences with the |
operators. and with them we adjust diff |
ferences, We sign joint agreements, to- |
gether We preserve discipline, settle dis |
putes and maintain harmony and stabil-
ity In the trade.
BY the eminent tribunal which you
have named we have confidence that jus
tice will be done our people. We are glad
to have chance to appear before such
court empowered to consider and dispose
Of all questions at issue. First among |
these Is the demand Of the mine workers
for increased wages and a reduction in
the hours of labor; second Is the relations
which ought tn exist between the EN-
ployerS and the Organization which the
men have formed ana which they A. thor
lie to speAi. for th".>'. Fr0,H aYhi-
Lration we hope an : 'heN' ~ [. me A
s'tisfact ~ and permanent
ution of the troubl j; which have vcXe.
The anthracite i"h from time !nneau-
.ial. Respectfully ours.