The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1907-09-19

H.
cesSantly preach that the miners,
Organization has no interest in the
workers of the Little Mountain
state except SO to incrca e their
earnings that the operators would
be unable. to sell coal in compc-
tltlon with their fellow operators
ihe absurdity of this position will
be apparent to the most superficial
observer. What interest could we
nave IN 1nJuring or DESTROYING i'm
particular the industry upon which
the men we seek as members de-
pend for their Livelihood? What
we seek TO do Is to establish for
the miners of our country con
d1tlons of lifetilnd labor which are
commensurate" with the work they
perform (without regard To the
place of their abodc), and which
VIII enable them to live lives of
happiness and contentmcnt, and
develop the very best that is i'm
them. We are equally solicitous
lor The miners of every state. We
are desirouS that the mine owners
ofevery state should have equal
opportunities in the markets. That
no advantage would be taken of
the West Virginia operators is
demonstrated by the rules govern
ing our Interstate conferences. If
The West Virginia Operators and
miners participated in these meet
lngS (and they have often been in
vlted to do So) no scale of wages
and no conditions of employment
could be forced upon them by
agreement except by aud with their
own consent. That is 10 say, in
the adoption of a scale an ailirma-
tive vote is required by the opera
tors ana miners of every district
participating in such scale conven-
tion. Under these rules the oper-
ators of West Virginia, or any
other district, have within their
own power to defeat not only the
scale for their own state, but to
defeat an agreement that would,
apply to any other state. Hence,
under these rules and these coudi-
lions, the scale of wages TO be
operative would necessarily be fair
and competitive.
1t Is, of course, not necessary to
say that the operators of West
Nlrginia- entertain no such fears.
Their whole purpose in making
these claims is to influence and
prejudice the minds of the men
who work for them, and Just as
soon as the miners of West Vir
ginia awake to Il full consciousness
of their condition, just as soon as
they understand that their fellow
workers in other states enjoy con-
dltions immeasurably better than
they themselves enjoy, just as soon
at they gather courage to assert
their rights and their manhood,
then, not until then eau they OBJ
tain what is their just due
While we do not anticipate that
our advice will prove potential in
guiding the operators of West
Virginia as to their future move
ments, we nevertheless suggest to
them that instead of attempting to
lure the organized and skilled
miners of Great Britain and
Europe to this country. they es-
tablish such working and living
conditions in their own state as
will attract the thousands of good
miners in America who would
gladly seek employment in West
Virginia if they could do so with
out loss of honor to themselves.
In concrete form we suggest:
l. That the men they have en-
ployed as guards CD be dismissed.
2. That the evils of their com
pany G':pluck me'' stores be abol-
/ iShed.
3. That better houses he built.
4. That men be given the right
! to organize.
5. That wbens so organized, their
union be accorded recognition.
/ q. That mines be properly ven
tilated and that the mining laws
be Observed
Z. That the legal and constitu-
! tional rights and prerogatives of
of the humblest worker in the state
of West Virginia be considered-as
are the rights and prerogatives of
the coal barons, who. to a large
degree, dictate the policy and con
trol the destiny of the state