Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1906-07-05
THINGS I OBSERVE

Third What is the cause of the
present trouble at Tracy City and
Whitwelll Was there any dispute be-
tween the T. G. l. & r. r. Co, and
the U. M. W. of A. relative to either
prices or conditions of labor? NONE
WHATEVER. Was there any dispute
of any kind between the two contract
ing parties? NONE. Was there
strike inaugurated2 Emphatically,
NO. Then, what was the cause of the
present trouble2 1t was ruthless,
cold -blooded, inhuman act on the part
of the T. c. l. & r. r. Co., in closing
down their Whitwell and Tracy City
mines indefinitely, without single
word of explanation to their employees,
numbering at that time at these two
places about twelve hundred men and
boys. By way of explanation, custom
had been for years to jointly negotiate
on wage scale, annually, by joint
committee of employees of Whitwell
and Tracy City meeting with repre-
sentatives of T. G. l. & R. r. Co., and
agreeing on wage scale and conditions
of labor In keeping with this GUS
tom, miners of these two places took
up the question bv letter in April of
1904, prior to expiration of contract on
June 80, 1904, to make arrangements
for usual joint negotiations to make a
new contract prior to expiration of old
one, thereby seeking to avoid or pre-
vent any stoppage of work between ex
piring of old and beginning of new
contract. In other words, the employ
es of each place) all of whom were
union men and boys) untiring sought
to have new contract made before
the expiration of the old, thereby pre-
venting any stoppage of operations at
any of the mines for single day.
Hope was held out by telegram from
the Vice President and General Man
ager of 7. G. I. & R. R. Co., as late
as the night of June 2Sth, 1904, (which
can be produced today that as in the
past, joint negotiations would be, as
usual, taken up.
Notwithstanding this, the following
day NOTICES were put up at the
mines notifying the men to clean and
prop up their places, as the mines
would close down indefinitely. No
reason was given whatever for closing
of the mines. This is the cause, pure
and simple, of present trouble NO
DIFFERENCES; NO DISPUTE; NO
STRIKE; but cold -blooded lockout
caused entirely on the part of the T.
G. & R. R. Co, Four months .and
nine days later, they (the T. G. I. & r.
r. Co. opened up their mines, not on
an open-shop basis, as they try to make
it appear, but on a tighter closed
shop proposition than any Trade Unior
imagined, or tried to do; closed, o.
course, against union labor. So muci
! so that the T. G. l. & R. R. Co., go
up contract for each applicant fol
work to sign to the effect that h,
: would denounce any affiiation with an
s y Labor Union, and further, that h,
d would not connect himself with an,
n Labo Union while under their employ
) ment. Hence there was no negotia
= tions between the two contracting par
j. ties for any contract after expiration
J of contract ending June 30, 1904.
I, Therefore, no difference either per
tanning to prices or conditions of la
e Dor could possibly exist between us.
+. This company denies the right G
n their employees to organize while the
IS themselves enjoy that privilege, debai
I7 ring them their employes) of a righ
= that is theirs in threefold sense, Di
Is vine, Moral and Civil Yet they e1
ii ercise that right themselves. ICON
If SISTENCY, THOU ART A JEWEL.
= d If it is right, good and profitable fC
d capital to organize, then it is right
m good and profitable for labor to o.
e. ganize. Theirs, (the T. G. /. & R. F
Co. was a direct attack on the Nil
n "a ers' Union. They, 1.-THE 7. G. 1.
w vS R. R. Co. have for nearly two yea
r disrupted two of the best mimi
W camps of the South and otherwise col
siderably damaged large section
4 N the country from enjoying what othe
n wise would have been good and pro
he porous times for them during the la
o. and present wave of prosperity.
Many property owners and other el
ergetic people of Whitwell and TraC
IS City, have been, on account of actit
of T. G. 1. & R. R. Co., compelled
seek new fields at considerable sacrifi
es and inconvenience TO themselves al
III families
h Having answered the three afor
81 mentioned questions, next week '
!" shall return to the conversation of I
~ three travelling men on the train.
~ am, Yours for right,
- JOE VASEY.