Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1905-05-11
PETRos, TENN,
Special 10 Tie N<zvs

SPECIAL TO tie Nezss.
Well, as l have walked out of my
sleep and got hold OF copy OF the News
again, and look over its columns and
ind correspondents writing from differ
ent parts Of the dear old rock-ribbed
hills OF Tennessee. will try TO stay
awake long enough to give . few dots
from Petros. II the old lady will just
keep on singing and the little brats will
keep on crying. and my son, Dick will
70 the spring and get me Q good cool
drink l think can write just q few
lines.
remember seeing piece in my pa
per OF last week which was written by
Union Miner" of Petros, which just
hts my Case. Rs ssid to rest ak days
and work on the seventh. am glad OF
that fact because ! was Always under
the impression that we were to work O
days and rest on the 7th. HHl Nsilt
! noticed an article from. Whitweu
giving the Union Miner who wrote from
Illinois quite send-off He wants all
the readers of the News to pray for, him.
wish to say II there was more praying
and less coal being dug by nop,un union.
labor times would be better. He also
pities him. Ipity the non.union min-
ers who are working In any mine trying
to make living for their families.
They are to be pitied, for they haysn't
| any protection whatever, for when the
| superintendent or mining foreman says
| go they must 60 and when he says come,
they must come, and II they find fault
with the non-union abou. anything he.
has 1t to bear, whether he Is In fault
or not. believe in equal rights to
all and special privileges to none. l
don't believe the non-union men who
are writing understand the principles
of union labor. 1t is stated that nom
union men, who are digging coal at
Whitwell, are getting more for digging,
| coal than the union men get. / don't
| doubt that being true, but lot mo just
ask the cause of that Il Ia just to try
to down union labor. Perhaps II they
1 work in the mines as long u, have
they will be convinced that union labor
| Is the best. 1fai s.ii 1et na3B
Now then, some one. may ask .the
question how long I have been working
in the mines.g was, working In the
mines when we>Worked Under the ruling
4 Of the Knights of Labor and was dig
4 ging coal when we had no organization
whatever. Then was the time that
coal was being dug AZ Wbitwells for 800
and 3911c per toH. |, wish to say en-.
phatically that all the coal that As
been dug at, Whitwelli for, 35c and 391Sc
was dug by unorganized men. I wish
to say that the price paid for digging
coal before the United Mine Workers OF
4 America was organized at Whitwell
was $50 and 3911c and 871Sc and 42c.
Since the union was organized 1t Whit.
we'll the T. c., IA& r. r. Co, has paid
4711&c to 55c for digging coal gag3 VI
Who brought up wages for the poor
hardworking miners in the 10th district.
1t is to make this statement, II II were
not for the union miners In our land
that coal which 10 being dug for, Doc and
55c per ton would be dug for tho old big
plump 35c ton.l 8sAls HaA al9lss
| This brings TO my memory one little
mining camp in Tennessee. which al
one time in the history OF the icountr.
and that not long ago, waswork ing non
union men and they paid the price o
% cents per ton for digging coal. in lat
years those same men saw the need O.
organizing. Now the same place II
working union men and they receiv,
this year from AZ to go cents per ton TO
the same coal. Now, thcn, who ha
| Iougnt tne ngnt anu won too victor,
for the poor miner. II Is the union men
Now. then, which Is the beat for min
er, TO have q contract to work hnde
which assures you Of reasonable wag
for your labor or to work for just wha
ever the operators see 1T to pay ans
20 have TO put up with just whateye
conditions they see fit to have. y 56
Well, say that the union 10 best fol
| ina - a, fr. MI ON Lab 10 hn
for the company. g7plf 81 Sambo.