Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-05-16

preclate their power, and they mean
to assert it, they say, while they be-
ieve that they are as valuable men,
bers of the union as some Of the "for-
eigners." The fact that President
Mitchell has so often spoken of his
great ambition to get the breaker boys
out of the collieries and into the schools
has given the little fellows as much as
anything else the idea that the union
Xfued for their benefit, and they
afotsluoefe and loyal in their utilization
to it.
The older miners think that the COM
mission overestimated the power of the
breaker boys and declare that as the
boys have to be sixteen years old be-
fore they can become members, they
are not so immature as the commits
'sioners appear to believe. The breaker
boy Of sixteen is certainly not imma-
ture in the teachings which rough
knocks give. Many Of them start in
the breakers between ten and twelve
years Of age, and by the time they
reach sixteen have seen enough Of the
world in their narrow zone to appreci-
ate its difficulties and to learn the
value of organization. They are sharp,
age when the city boy is just begin
ming to develop, and they are encour-
aged to this rapid maturity by their
elders and spurred to it by the nature
Of their work. The boy who can best
take care of himself and do the work
requiring the most skill is worth sew
eral pennies day more than the boy
who is dull, and pennies mean much to
them.
1t is true that they have the strike
instinct largely developed. ofttimes in
the past to the detriment of themselves
and their fathers, for small and fancied
grievances often caused the breaker
force to quit work, thus shutting down
the entire mine. In this plan the boys
saw the speediest results with the least
trouble, and they acted and frequently
won on the prompt execution Of it..
Many a mine superintendent has had
to reinstate an incorrigible boy or two
In order to keep the others at work and
at that small sacrifice Of principle and
discipline prevent several hundred men
being idle and many thousands of tons
Of coal unmined.
It was part Of the plan of the officials
Of the union in admitting the boys Of
sixteen years to their organiza ton to
1nculcate asgreater respect for the un-
ion and it's rules among the youngsters
and prevent the strikes which were in
the year 1901 and the first part Of 1902
of such frequent occurrence. They
argued that If the boys could be bound
by the union rules not to strike until
ordered by the proper officials it would
be better for the nation. At that time
the union was endeavoring to establish
itself on better footing with the op-
orators by proving that it could control
itself, and the strikes of the breaker
boys were thorns in the sides of the
officials. It was likewise an aggrava-
ton to their fathers and elder broth
ers, who, wanting to work and paying
small attention to the little grievances
above ground, found themselves some
times idle for days because the young
sters had inherited the feeling of ''all
for one and one for all.' which is the
fundamental principle of unionism. In
their heartily boyish way they applied
this to cases Of discharge for incompe-
tency, for disobedience and even to ef-
feet the removal Of a breaker boss
they did not like and, force being their
best argument, struck with small prov
ocation.
Taking them into the union kept
them loyal and directed their energies
into better channels and largely aided
in preventing the small strikes which
had become such a serious annoyance.
Hence it is that the breaker boy con-
siders the statement of the commission
unjust and in this is upheld by large
number Of the men. David j. Davis,
a miner OF Dorranceton, said: THE
breaker boys are not ruling power in
the union The union disciplines them
and, makes them familiar with the
manner in which the power of the
union should be directed 1t Is a mis-
take to believe they do not make good
members, They are more hearty un-
1oplsts now than when they struck at
their own sweetwiillll = .,..s
Another old miner, James Moran of
Georgetown, talking Of the boys, said:
The boys are quiet members of the
]ocah." They are not allowed to Join
until they are sixteen. and then they
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