The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1907-09-12
A GREAT MINERS
MASS NEE TING
Held at Tomsburg Last Wednesday Which Was
Addressed by Officials of Both the
Miners and Operators.

National Organizer T.. f. Lanham
made very brief but interesting
talk. Following him Mr.. M. T.
Roach, President Kanawha and
New River Fuel Company and
General Supervisor of the Paint
Creek Colliery Company was
introduced and made quite
a lengthy speech and was ap.
plauded quite often.
Mr.. Roach, opened his speech
by saying it was his first oppor-
tunity of addressing a meeting of
United Mine Workers. He then
assured the men that there had
been somewhat of change made
III the notices without his knowl-
edge and that they had Ill been
taken down. Mr.. Roach then
claimed as it had always been Gus
tomary for him to work organized
men and that he had formed a
union himself at one time, that he
was strictly i'll sympathy and one
of organized labor's best friends:
and that if the United Mine Work.
ers in the Kanawha Valley con-
tinucd to give service to their en-
ployerS they were at the present
tune, while there was room for
much Improvement, that the or
ganlzation was here to stay and
that in time the coal operators Of
the entire state would join hands
and welcome the United Mine
Workers: and that if the state was
not organized that the mine work
eis OF Paint Greek and OF the Kan
awha Valley would be responsible
| through their failure to carry out
the provisions Of the Joint Agree
ment, and to render service to the
coal companies.
Mr.. Roach claimed that the
reason the Organization had been
fought by SO many coal operators
was because they feared getting in
to difficulties with the men that
they would be unable to settle,
while claiming himself that he did
not fear the United Mine Workers
any more than he did an innocent
child, for the reason that he had a
practical knowledge of the work
ings of organized labor, and never
expected the time to come when he
was not able to deal with his men
and adjust all matters. He spoke
in very high terms Of President
Mitchell and claimed he stood at
the head of his class and that there
was nothing that troubled Presi
dent Mitchell more than the un-
organized condition of West
Virginia.
Mr.. Roach while claiming the
miners were partners with him
in business, said also that he cX
pccted when he signed up Il con-
tract with the men for a nine hour
day-that they give him the full
nine hours WORK. He strongly in
sisted that the men give him the
full nine hours on pay day and
the day following, and claimed
that the officers of the United
Mine Workers had made bitter
struggle to incorporate the semi
monthly pay day into the Joint
A agreement which the men in the
Kanawha Valley are enjoying, and
it should not be abused by the
men laying off, losing time through
drinking and gambling and vast
ing their money, when they should
be depositing it some bank for safe
keeping. Mr.. Roach closed by
strongly insisting that the men
work regular and increase the ton
mage of the mines and claimed
| that the miners could do more to
perfect their organization than by
becoming efficient workmen, so
that when a company like the one
! he represented made contracts for
millions of tons of coal, that they
would know the coal would be
forthcoming
After quite an ovation Mr.
Roach and the officers of the or
ganization were accorded d vote of
thanks. The few miners present
from Morton, Wacomah and
Mucklow strongly insisted that a
meeting of that character be ar
ranged on the lower end of the
| Greek. when Mr.. Roach could be
present.
The Paint Creek Colliery Mines
for the month of August loaded