The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-07-23

I
thuSlaStic miners mass meetings
held in this district for some tim,
took place at Boomer on last Sun
day afternoon. AT 2:l5 O'Clock
the Launch Cuba arrived at the
Boomer landing with the Mont.
gomery Cornet Band which headed
delegation of the miners officials
and speakers composed of District
President Ben Davis, Vice Presi
dent Luke f. Lanham and Secre
tary Benz. f. Morris, National
Board Member Thomas Cairns,
Snb-D District President B. S. Hast,
1ngs and Secretary r. A. Kramer,
District Board Member w. w.
Hall, National Organizer Ara
mando PelizZari and We editor,
who repaired to shady grove
where a hearty reception was
rendered them by the assembled
multitude of miners.
After several choice selections
were rendered by the band the
meeting was called to order by
j. E. Hudson of the Boomer local
union who in a brief talk strictly
to the point introduced Sub Dis
tr1ct President B. S. Hastings as
the first speaker. Mr.. Hastings
made a forty minute speech in
which he reviewad the history of
the organization in West Virginia
and in a very forceful manner por
trayed the benefit to be derived
from the organization and the
absolute necessity of maintaining
a strong healthy local at Boomer
as well as elswhere. He appealed
to the men to stand together for
their own protection. and the pro-
lection Of their wives ahd little
ones. AT the conclusion of Mr..
Hastings speech the chairman in.
troduced National Executive Board
Member Thos. Cairns.
Mr.. Cairns, who is suffering
from a severe attack Of asthma,
made short address which was
punctuated throughout with salient
facts. He pointed out the danger
of indifference and neglect of the
men to the local and gave them
some very plain and unvaInished
advice, which if followed out will
insure the building up OF grand
local at Boomer. Mr.. Cairns de-
voted his entire talk to the existing
conditions and made it very plain
to his audience what thev could
look for unless they became closer
affiliated and effected thorough
The chairman next introduced
District President Ben Davis who
made one of his characteristic
speeches dealing with the question
under discussion in Il free and
frank manner placing the absolute
facts before his audience in such
way that there could be no posi-
BILE chance Of misunderstanding
his meaning. He began his speech
by going back six years, when he
stated that he had led the same
Montgomery Cornet Band and
few of his colleagues to the same
grove and appealed to the men of
Boomer to organize He reviewed
the conditions as they existed at
that time when the men worked
10 hours per day, were compelled
to dig long ton of coal, (24O
pounds more than at the present
time) were forced to deal in the
company store and accept what
ever wages the company felt dis
posed to give them, and work
under such other conditions as the
operators saw fit to impose upon
them. He dwelt at some length
upon the great difficulty and the
many hardships they were forced
to undergo before the organization
secured a foothold in the Kanawha
Valley and the sacrifices that the
men had made to maintain it, he
called attention to the fact that
uurlng their struggles for existence
how the miners of other states
came to their aid and sent 500. 600
into this District to assist them in
establishing the organization.
As a striking contrast to the
conditions that prevailed only six
short years ago President Davis
pointed to the present conditions
enjoyed by the men at Boomer
which have been secured through
the efforts of the United Mine
Workers of America chief among
which is the eight hour day, the