Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1906-03-29
UNCLE GID'S LETTER.

Well which is the best good clothes
and slavery or patched clothes and
privilegesY Some folks harp on the
union men S patched clothes. Now, |
don't see bit of difference in the
mems clothes now than two years ago
| have a non-union neighbor that | am
really sorry for as his clothes are very
tattered. If he has good suit he does
MT wear it. Another tells me he has
got in debt and looks like he can't get
out and his wife says they were deceiv-
ed about what good place Tracy was
to make money, and they were going
to leave.
Some of our home scabs have quit.
| am glad they are realizing the mis-
takes they have made. Some people
think they can't live unless they have
work in the mines. Compare the union
men and their conditions with the non
union element, leaving out the sub
contractors, and the union conditions
are much..the best. The union men so
far have had plenty to eat, got enough
extra jobs to feed their stock and clothe
their families. The timber business
has been great help and some of us
have been able to pay few debts now
and then, which beats the non-union
from reports as one non-uniOn man
ran away owing merchant quite a
sum. Well, the merchant is not to be
pitied much as he ought to have known
better. People here, especially our
business element, never had any exper-
fence with strike breakers, but guess
they will get the experience before this
thing ends. The feeling among the
union men seems to be that they want
the company and everybody else salts
fed on the union and non-union status
In looking over our community it
appears that the soberest and best men
of Tracy are union men, including all
outsiders following other occupations.
The union, as whole, ranks above
them-a broad statement to make but
nevertheless fact.
The most of the slurs and insinua-
tions thrown at the union doesn't come
from our best and closest observers
among the business and professional
class, but from the class that indulges
in John Barleycorn. Nearly every
insult comes from them and nen who
never were known to stick to thing
| they couldn't run and control. These
| fellows are somewhat annoying occas-
ionally but the union men know them
aud believe they will give the company
trouble sooner or later. Almost sure
to. Be that as it may their influence
doesn't amount to bauble.
The union men will treat them kind.
ly when they cease trying to wrong
| 10 N n,.Clo
learn from authoritative source, when
they quit, feed them and not let them
suffer. Never was an institution sc
magnificent in open heartedness as the
| U. M. W. of A. just look at the pool
people they feed outside of their owr
ranks. And to say that such men are
mean and low down and their organic
alton an anarchist concernl Why
their very acts give such assertions tn,
lie The union is being tried in thu
red hot furnace and all eyes are on i
and | believe it will come forth il
spite of all its enemies without stair
on its escutcheon. No difference how
many little 2x4 fellows rave and ran
against it, its acts and conduct eclip
ses everything in the shape of an or
ganization that exists or ever did ex
ist in this town. Another broad asser
tion-what organization excells Loca
Union No $40 for its integrity an,
fidelity to its friends and to its ,enem
ies2 Does the church measure up t.
it in any charitable feature? Doe
anything else? Where is the institu
tion in all of this broad land so read,
to welcome its enemies and receiv
them into its arms as the U. M. w. o
Az Point out single thing so un
selfish, so faithful and true to tn
cause of right and so ready to comba
and defend as the union. You can
find it 1t doesn't exist Here are it
acts. You see them open hand. Ever
Thursday you see the poor fed who1
it well knows will never work in th
mines. You see them waited on with
out discrimination, no frowns darke
anyOne's countenance but all seem {
glory in doing right. l now challeng
the world to produce the union equal
God bless the union, though hated an
despised by some, yet she stand s fri
and steadfast to the principals of righ
, and will continue to so stand. A boo
could be written ON the subject
Thank God the best of earth's force
are affiliating with union men, th
foremost and most God fearing minis
ters of the Gospel are sending dele
gates to federate with the union.
new era is dawning and the world wi
, be able to distinguish between despot
ism and freedom.
V~NCtT Z gTTN