Amador ledger., 1902-12-12
THEIR PECULIAR TACTICS.


emanate from the miners union of
Jackson, had been posted up in vari-
Gus places in Calaveras and other
nearby counties, warning miners
not to come to Amador county. We
now find that in the December num-
Der of the Miners Magazine, pub
lished at Denver, Colorado, and
which is the official organ of the
Western Federation of Miners, the
same notice appears. Having ad-
vanced the move from placarding
in the neighborhood of Amador
county, to publishing broadcast to
the country at large, we deem it
proper at this time to present to the
people of Amador county this docu-
ment. 1t reads as follows:
NOTICE TO MINERS.
Miners throughout the west are re-
quested to remain away from Amador
county until further notice.
We are organizing union here with
splendid success, and an increase of
competent men just at this time would
make our work more difficult.
Wages have been cut in many in
stances to 1925, and the rule is $3.50
and 1915, hence there is little to induce
miners to come this way.
We will do our duty and succeed if
the county is not overrun with miners
pending thorough organization.
Remain away now and we will make
it worth while to come among us later
on.
By order of
JACKSON MINERS UNION,
No. lis W. F. M.
There can be no serious objections
to persons engaged in any particular
calling organizing labor union for
their own mutual benefit. We are
willing to admit that such organiza-
tions are helpful, when conservative
ly and wisely conducted within
legitimate lines. But while conced-
ing this, those having property and
business interests at stake in Anna
dor county will be inclined to reg
ister protest against the spirit
manifested in the above advertise
ment misrepresenting the condi-
tions in Amador county. 1t will be
noticed that no name appears as
authority for this notice. 1t is
usual, when an official document is
sent forth by lodge or order, to
have the same authenticated by the
signature of some official of such
order. But this important part is
omitted, and the reason therefor ca n
only be conjectured. The purpose
of the notification is plain, although
not declared in express words. 1t
shows that the miners union that
has Just been launched here, harbors
designs to interfere with the exist
ing relations of employees and en-
ployers. In other words it aims to
attempt something toward raising
or regulating the price of labor in
the mining industry of Amador
county. When this organizati tion
was first broached, those at the head
emphatically disclaimed any design
in this direction. It was then a
peaceful movement to cooperate
with the mine owners in the up
building of our staple industry. But
the olive branch failed to draw re-
cruits to the fold as rapidly as was
desired; failed to allay that appre-
hension of yelled trouble, intensified
by recalling the strife and blood
shed of over thirty years ago. The
workers did not join, knowing that
the employers were averse to the re-
establishment of condition of af-
fairs to invite a repetition of the
scenes of that turbulent period, the
miners themselves largely sharing
in this feeling. Now the scene shifts.
The imported agitators want miners
to keep away from Amador county.
Why. Not because a strike is on
here? Oh, no. There is not the
least friction. Not because the
county is overrun with able bodied
competent miners, looking for work
and finding none. If this were the
state of affairs, the posting of the
notices would be in the nature of an
act of kindness both to the miners
and employers. But this is not the
motive. The object is to shut out
miners from the outside, and there
by produce a dearth of miners to
operate the mines here. It is
argued that if this result can be Sc
cured, employers will have no choice
but to hire all workmen here, re-
gardless of whether they are &C
ceptable or not. 1t aims to stop the
natural and healthful flow of popula-
tion as far as Amador county is con-
cerned There is no objection to
miners leaving Amador county for
outside points. The protest is to
prevent an inflow to offset the out