Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1905-03-22

1Ormeu immense coal DeuS IN
Sheridan county, Wyoming. 1t is
the generally accepted theory that
F, the oil deposits OF America, the
iron beds of Michigan and the
copper veins of Montana were
formed when the world was
created, kept and hid during all
the ages to be discovered in these
years of grace for the private and
exclusive benefit of John ID.
Rockefeller. The people-prob-
ably also created for his benefit
allow him to appropriate such ma
tural resources, the law confirms
his title, and the people not be-
lieving that nature formed these
storehouses of wealth for the
benefit of her children, uphold the
law.
The Sheridan Coal company
has appropriated the coal deposits
at Dietz, Wyoming, for the benefit
OF its stockholders. This COM
pany owns three mines at Dietz,
two well developed and equipped
with modern and expensive ma
chinery and a new mine just be-
ing opened.
These mines, with the plants Of
machinery, the 200 company
houses and the coal deposits, are
valued at hundreds of thousands
of dollars. To whom does this
property of right belong? And
you answer to the Sheridan Coal
company. Let us see. Come, let
us reason together. When the
Sheridan Coal company first came
into existence it owned a little
slope or tunnel driven into the
coal vein in the hillside, out of
which the mine cars were pulled
by a mule. A few little shacks
and commissary composed the
camp" But year by year the
mine was developed, the entries
were pushed farther and farther
into the hillsideh larger tipple
erected and company store and
company houses built. This re-
quired capital, and who furnished
the capital? The company, you
ANSWER. Let us see. The miners
were underpaid, cheated on the
weight of their coal. over-charged
at the company store, and taxed
an exorbitant rent for their
shacks. The accumulated rob-
bings from the miners was the
capital used to develop the mine
and build the company store and
houses.
When the company had occu-
mulated sufficient robbings-cap-
ital-from its first mine, it de-
veloped another. Now, with the
robbings-capital - accumulated
from the two mines it is going &c
develop a third mine
And TO whom do these mines
belong of a right? Do they be-
long to the men who developed
them, whose stolen earnings were
the capital that bought the ma.
chinery. or the eastern stockholl'
ers who never produced one dol
lars worth of wealth in all theli
lives, and pay the mine a vis''
once or twice year'
You will say the Sheridan Goa
company, OF course. Do you
! know why you say so? 1t is be.
cause you have been taught so BY
the priests and preachers. who
grow fat through your ignorance
, You have been taught so by fake
labor leaders, who sell you for !
smile from the capitalist class, foi
petty larceny political Office
You have been taught so by th'
master class whose class woulC
be destroyed should you think
be men and revolt against indus
trial slavery.
has been stolen from them tC
you to make dividends Tor you
masters. then don't kick when yol
are idle half the time. and do mo-
earn enough to buy food for you
children. You who believe tha
nature formed these coal beds TO
the benefit of the Sheridan Goa
company should not complain
when denied the privilege of dig
ging wealth from the storehons,
+, of nature.
Then don't whine when com
5 PEELED to breathe smoke and fou
= air all day. Your health is moth
: ing compared to the company
! dividends.
: Then don't growl when tn
/ company robs you; the robbrnG
= from your labor creates capital
| What, oh what would we do !