The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1902-12-27
COAL. BARONS'
Biz MISTAKE
IMPORTING FOREIGNERS TO TAKE
PLACES OF AMERICANS.
Was Once ReGa rded as t-nshionnhle.
Reaction Has Set fn-Foreisuers
Are Cniting With the American
"orkmen to Receive Greater
WARE or What they Produce.
Made Mistake in This Respect.

Among the corporations and intlivid-
ua!s employing large numbers of men.
FEW years ago (and the practice is
not altogether out of GATE now il
was very fashionable to import for
eigners to take the places Of strikers,
and thus to assist In the defeat of the
labor organizations.
This was especially in vogue in the
naming districts Of our Eastern States.
ne employers confidently expected
're]ying upon the diversity of tongues
ana the unfortunate ignorance Of the
fore1gners) that the unions would pass
away or sink into insignificance as the
tide OF foreign laborers was encoun-
tered. With no regard for either sta
tutory or economic law, the practice
OF labor importation continued: the
contract labor laws were broken or
evaded. and by superficial reasoning,
self satisfying belief established
tanlong the employers> that the work.
ers Ton account of differences in ma
tionality, language or nativity would
not industrially unite for the purpose
of mutual benefit.
That was the action and the motive
now for the reaction and the result.
At the recent convention of the an
thratlte coal miners. called to pass
upon the submission to arbitration Of
the issues of the contest between the
miners and the mine owners, expla-
natory speeches upon the subject were
made in the Slavonic, Lithuanian. Po-
lfsh. Italian and English languages
Vet such was the variety Of tongues
in representation there. that it became
necessary for Il better understanding
OF the matter, to have supplementary
explanations III other languages. When
these We're finished. and a vote taken
it WAS shown that this babel Of tongues
had become y grand unison Of thought
and action
The splendid organization Of those
miners. their strike. it's long conrinu-
ance and the submission of the affair
to arbitration. are signal proofs of the
recognition and general appreciation
of the absolute necessity Of economic
organization by the producers with
public understanding of it's uscs) re-
gardless IF rar" language or nom
economic difference. When men whose
original environments nave been so
varied. can unite and when Ia bOrers
whose ireA and ideals ore necessarily
remote and in many cases antagonistic,
can SO thoroughly respect each other
and the laws OF the land as did these
anthracite coal miners iii their strike
what may Va not hope for as the flu
1<l %l>
United Statas'
This renlarka bic solidarity among
the coal workers, SO magnificent in it's
development and far-reaching in it's
effect upon the whole social life Of our
people. is EnuueStionably indicative Of
u permanent departure from old lines
Of prejudice and contention among the
tcilnrs. and l,resugec tbs establishment
Of a greater cordiality and (. broader
fellowship among all The wealth pro-
U,lre"s.
Certain ii is. that NO mine owner
y hose observation and intelligence is
worthy Of mention, will be likely to
again brea X The contract labor laws,
relying upon national prejudice or lin
s,!i=tir differences to Isuld apart the
workers. For when the importation Of
= foreigner means another recruit for
the union, the old song Of defiance
sung by thu, coal baron (and others)
will be. heard no more. AS the Or
ganized workmen continue the extern
sion Of their power and influence. the
snftncss of arbitration will take the
place Of harsh and bloody warfare:
and the voices Of corporations, raised
in demand for blanket mjunctions and
the caElnr Of syndirates for Gatling
and bayonet will be sti!led--and stilled
forever