Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1905-12-21
DOOLEY's ROOsT, TENN.
Sp. eialto The MtaOs.

AJFttfN - E6 Neet's
Mr.. Editor. After seeing so many
writing to your paper and never hav-
ing written anything to the News or
to any other paper, if you will kindly
allow me space / will explain some-
things that some of your correspond
emit seem to have overlooked. In the
first place | would inform the reading
public that | have been in and around
Whitwell ever since it was in its in
fancy or ever since it started working
the mines at that place. ] worked on
the outside at several jobs but never
worked any in the mines until five
months ago. When Whitwell first com
menced work it started with nonun-
ion labor and continued SO until the
union was organized Up to this
time any man could get work from the
company if he could perform the labor
required, without having to show q
certificate of his membership in some
union. Then it was every mans job.
Since the men say the dn scabs have
taken our jobs from us. When the COM
pany started up the mines on the open
shop system / considered it free fight
for all that would accept the PROPOSE
ton and those who would not accept 1t
relinquished their claim on any fur
Their claim to any job with the COM
pany. However | might not have ta-
ken a proper view of the matter. At
any rate, as it was a case Of doing
something or seeing my family suffer,
| accepted the terms and went to work
not thinking at the time or since that
! was mistreating any one.
4, -
operate the mines at Whitwell no man
could get work unless he belonged to
the union. You might go to the com
pany for work and they would send
you to the bank boss, and he would
tell you he could not give you work
unless you belonged to the union, and
when you went to the union for mem
bership they would tell you they could
not give you membership unless You
had work and so they had fellow be-
tween two fires. And so the man who
accepted the first opportunity is not so
much to blame after all, and now /
don't want anyone to think that owe
the union or any member of the union
any illwill With a single exception
none Of the young men who were rails
red in the same settlement with me now
pass me ON the street or elsewhere
without speaking to me. To these
lads / want to say that was born and
raised in this county, am % years old,
and will show up character with any
man of that age in this or any other
county in the state, and If ever had
an enemy in my life until went to
Whitwell, | have never found him out.
/ have never been drunk, never Gus
sed an oath in my life, never played
cards in my life never had difficulty
with anybody in my life, never been
on my oath ON witness stand or else
where and now, if these young men
that should be my friends and have
no cause to be other wise, can show al
good a character as that ] am willing
to shell down the corn to them, and II
they cam they have nothing to do on
" pass on and remain speechless
! have done nothing that | am sorry
for | went in the mines, not for my
) health or pleasure, but for the pay,
l and if my father hadn't given me
D work at his saw mill ] would have
been there yet. | left Whitwell at q
good understanding with all the bosses
and if am ever driven to the neces-
= sity, shall go back.
A man, before taking too bold a
a stand should consider both sides of the
! question. When the union declared q
strike they began to fornish them Their
: grub, and not only their grub but coal
5 and set them up for house keeping
e without work, while we who were get.
0 ting work the best we could were left
out in the cold without dollar and n,
grub and old Pete looking MS square
in the face asking us what we were go
ing TO do about it.
Now, hope haven hurt any I'll
: ion man feelings, except the one u
q luded to, who fails to speak 10 me.
. will close by saying good night,
Miss Nancy.