davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
MASS MEETING
OF THE MINERS
Of Lower Paint Creek on Sunday
Atternoon---President Davis and
Others Will Make Addresses.

There will be Il big mass meeting
Of the miners and mine laborerS of
MucklOw, Banner, Wacomah and
Standard at the grove at the upper
end of Mucklow Sunday afternoon
at l O'Clock.
The meeting will be addressed
by President Ben Davis and sever
al others, who will discuss sub
Jects of the most vital Importance
to the miners of this District.
All miners who are interested in
the welfare of the organization. it's
members and their families should
be present and learn the true state
of affairs from the men who have
spent the best portion of their
lives i'll building up and main
tanning the United Mine Workers
of America in this state.
The ladies and general public is
also invited to attend.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
Duncan Talks About Prison.

In speaking Of the Wright de-
cision i'll Washington, First Vice
President James Duncan. of the
American Federation of Labor.
said:
81 am of the opinion that the
pardoning power of the. President
could be used right away in caus.
ing the release of President Com
pers.
'lf President GomperS is com.
PEELED to spend the years term in
Jail he will conduct the affairs of
the Federation from the Jail in
which he is confined. T think the
DECISION is the most unjust, that
| have even heard, and the cir
cumstances do not warrant the
imposition Of the punishment.'
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
|Judge Spiteful and Bitter"

George w. Perkins, president Of
the Cigarmaker international
Union, Mr. Gompers' own organi.
Zation, said:
81 hold that the decision was
unjust and uncalled for and not in
keeping with the ethics of even
handed justice. The judge ap-
peared to be spiteful and bitter
Iii imposing the sentence. | hold
that Mr.. Gompers and his com
panions committed no crime in the
sense in which that term is ap
piled and used. Mr.. Gompers
believed he had a constitutional
inherent right as citizen to do
the things which he openly and in
broad light of day had done.n
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
Decision i'm Buck Stove Co.
Contempt Case Causes Ire
mendOus National Sensa-.
tiO1---Views of Leaders.

That the sentence of President
Samuel Gompers, Vice President
John Mitchell and Secretary Frank
Morrison, of the American FEEDER
alton of Labor to terms of i'm
prizonment of one year, nine
months and six months respective
ly on the charge of violating the
injunction obtained by the Buck
stove and Range Company has
created a tremendous national
sensation is already evidenced by
reports from all parts OF the coun-
try.
Not in years has organized labor
been aroused to such a high pitch
Of Indignation as this case, which
is recognized to hold vOst posi-
bilities of incalculable harm to the
labor movement. Especially is
tn" right of free speech and free
press menanced us never before in
the history of organized labor.
From the moment that the de-
ciSion became known messages
Gompers, some offering sympathy
others expressing indignation, but
all announcing determination to
stand by the federation.
Representatives and Senators
also received messages Of protest,
and President Roosevelt got so
many that the announcement was
made that the President was
going to study-the decision closely
and would not act until he (}Oup
50. if indeed. he would act at all.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
WILL EXHAUST
EVERY EFFORT
10 Sustain Right to a Free Press
and Free Speech Says Secretary
Frank Morrison.

Active steps in the framing of
the night against the carrying out
OF the sentences are not likely
uhtll tins week, and Secretary
Morrison said that the nlaa
so far as the officers Of the Feder
aton themselves forcsaw, was to
DO nothing about it until after the
holidays. Hc added:
''Ne purpose to exhaust every
effort to sustain our right to free
press and free speech. L believe
and | am confident-that the
position taken by the Federation
is right and that the citizens of
this country will ratify the atti-
tude of the Federation i'm this mat
ter. | believe that they will give
to the trades unionists the same
right and privileges that are being
accorded to trades unionists in
Great Britain. as provided for bv
the trades dispute act adopted
there Two years ago. Mr.. Com
pers referred to that act in his
speech to the court Yesterday
Under that act union cannot i've
mulcted i'll dangers on. account of
Il Strike.f
1t is not likely that arguments
the appeal Will be heard in the
Court of Appeals of the District of
Columbia until March. and per
maps not then. The defendants
nave forty days in which to nrr-
fect their appeal, and upon
proper showing the Court, in it's
direction, may extend the time.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
An Absolute Outrage.

':It is an outrage, an absolute
outrage declared William ID.
Mahon, presidene of the Amalga.
mated Association Of Street Rail
way Employees. ''This is the end
of the declaration of free speech.
1t will be resented not only by
working men, but by all other
liberty loving people. They can't
destroy trades unions in this way
That was .their object. If they
put these leaders in Jail for CON
tempt of course there will be fresh
leaders to take their place to-
morrow and again fresh leaders
after that indefinitely"
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
Wants Courts Reformed.

Charles Moyer. president of the
Western Federation of Miners, in
speaking of the punishment of
GomperS and others said:
"Ihe decision Of the Supreme
Court Of the District of Columbia
against Gompers, Mitchell and
Morrison further bears out what
have for long time preached.
that it is no use for the working
class to legislate without having
the courts first reformed. | can
sympathize with the three labor
leaders. The prospect of staying i'll
Jail year or even six months is
no fun. | know. ! have been
there my SELF
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31

DISASTER
In Another 3tModel" West Virginia
Mine in Which Scores of Miners
Met Their Death.

Another mine disaster was ad-
ded to the long list that have oc-
Cured in the non-union fields of
this state, on Tuesday at the Lick
Branch mine in the Norfolk &
Western field. Twenty-scven
bodies had been recovered up to
last night and it is estimated that
the death roll will reach nearly
one hundred.
Mine cars We're shattered and
debris was blown out Of the en-
frances and a hundred feet. away
from the mines mouth. Eight
crews or rescuers are at work and
have been engaged in the search
of bodies.
In a large building near the
mines temporary morguc has
been established. There are many
pitiful scenes about the little vii
lage. Watchers sit side by side
of collins in some homes of which
there are three.
The explosion occurred in a mine
that was looked upon as a.'model''
colliery. 1t was visited by the
''legislative investigating commit
tee" wher that body toured the
state and all pronounced it one of
the "saleSt' and best equipped
mines in the state
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
Will Draw Labor Closer.

Herman Robinson, organizer of
the American Federation of Labor,
said:
81 believe the effort of the court
decision will be 4 demand on the
part of not only The workers. but
of the citizens generally. for the
repeal Of the law under which the
convictions were found. 1t is a
law that ought to be repealed. and
the American Federation of Labor
will put forth its best efforts to
have it repealed. | believe the
result of the decision in the mean
time will be that labor viii be
drawn closer together and the
unions will realize. as they never
did before what they are up
against
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
Seeds of Thought.

To be at work. to do things for
the world. to turn the current of
things about us at our will, to
make our existence a positive ele-
ment-thlS is a new JOY to the
idle man knows no more of than
the mole knows OF sunshine or the
serpent of the eagles triumphant
flight through the upper air. The
man who knows, indeed. what it
is to act. to work, cries out. This
alone is to live!'-PhillipS Brooks.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
On Paint Creek Says Presi-
dent Ben Davis---WiII De
fer1d Action Before Nation
al Board.

When asked to what would be
come OF the present controversy
Creek Settlement President Davis said:
The Paint Creek settlement stand as
made. will before National E,Sec,1-
tive Board and defend action of rnyself and
colleagues against the criticism
being iacuiged in by people.
when a body of men intelligent a
loyal to the wage workers of the
International Executive Board of the Uni
Mine Workers of America, learn true, and
actual conditions that existed the he
settlement made they will compelled to
recognize the facti that under circumstances
there was no other course to pursue the pro-
lection of the miners
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
+*They Won't Serve" :"

81 think you will find that Mr..
Gompers, Mr.. Mitchell and Mr..
Morrison will never serve their
sentences, was the comment
Commissioner General of I'm.
migration Daniel j. Keefe, form.
er vice president of the American
Federation of Labor and head of
the Longshoremen's Union, made
regarding the decision in the
Buck: Stove Company case. 'I
am not prepared to discuss the
matter any further than this pae-
dlction, 'he said, "and | WON'T
say why they will never serve their
sentences -
keefe did not support Gompers'
policy in the recent campaign for
Bryan, and he received h is present
federal position from President
Roosevelt as reward.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
ORGANIZER SINS
DOES GOOD WORK
For Charleston typographical Union
in Securing Signatures of the
Propritors to New Wage Scale.

International Typographical I'm
ion Organizer Ned Sims, Of Wheel
ing, has been in the city since last
Saturday. having been called here
to assist the Charleston local in
securing Il settlement of contro-
versy with three large Offices
which arose over the new scale to
go into effect tomorrow for two
years.
Several special meetings of the
union have been held this week
and through the untireing efforts
of organizer Sims two of the offices.
parties to the dispute have signed
up and the indications are that the
other will do so today.
The members of the union are
highly pleased with the manner in
which Organizer Sims has handled
the situation. His work here
clearly shows that President
Lynch could have made no better
selection
The new scale calls for a sub
Stantial increase i'll wages and all
the typos Will spend L Happy New
Year.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
Decision Will do Good.

James w. Dongherty, secretary
of the International Brotherhood of
BookbinderS. said:
'"rhe quickest way os making
an unfair and bad law fo repug-
nant that it must be replaced is
its enforcement. For that reason
it is perhaps "A good thing after all
that this decision has been rem
dered. People will have time to
do Il good deal of thinking before
the appeal is heard, and this may
sound the death knell of the unfair
law which has been invoked in
this deciSion.'
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31

Company is endeavoring to do the
same thing to the officers of '.Big
g. as has been done to Gompers,
Mitchell and Morrison, / suppose
it would be the part Of wisdom for
me to remain silent. But wisdom
or no wisdom, 1 will state that !
believe that it has come to a
serious pass when officers of a
labor organization can be sent to
Jail for expressing an opinion or
telling the truth, or doing for his
organization what is perfectly legal
-spite-ef>-a any judge / believe
further that this conviction and
Imprisonment will do more to
awaken the people Of the country
to true sense of their danger than
anything that has happened in
years.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
Will Serve Useful Purpose.

=. II. Morrisey, until recently
Grand Master of the Brotherhood
Of Railway Trainmen, discussing
the decision of Judge Wright said:
''1n the light Of this decision
and others that have been rendered
against labor in injunction cases it
is not strange that labor organi-
cations should demand the passage
of laws guaranteeing trial by jury
in contempt cases. This decision
will surely emphasize the need of
such Il law, and in that respect
will rerve a useful purpose
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
Chicago Workers to Protest.

Labor leaders in Chicago are
1uulng Il protest against the
ing OF Judge Wright. of the
'd"ral Supreme Court of the
t',~L1ct of Columbia, imposing L
.L >"ntance on the three heads of
.'' american Federation of Labor.
e d" executive board of the Chicago
Grafton of Labor was called to-
-.. n"r and the following telegram
H~ drafted, which was sent to
STUDENT Gompers. Vice President
'''"h"lI and Secretary VI orriSon the
GERS sentenced to be punished: !:
he executive board of the
.rago Federation of Labor
..'"igcS the fullest possible support
.. 'tr hundreds of thousands of
thIZcd workmen and women OF
lag" III your splendid fight for
>3eech and free press. .Jails
'." no tcrrorS which will deter
Zee american citizen in the present
.h''~t for the perpetuation of our
".TIN and our demand for equal
ar'lr" for all
hnr right of free speech and
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
AND
POORLY HOUSED
Workmen and Their Families Con-
stantly on the Verge of Want
Exc Out Precarious Exist
anCe.
anCe.

Few wage earnerS receive suf-
fcent wages to furnish their
families decent living: The great
majority eke out precarious exist
ence. underted, insufticiently
clothed, poorly housed constantly
on the verge or want. The aver
age American work man lives from
hand to mouth, compelled to go
into debt as soon as he is out of
work. To keep even with the
world he must work every day,
carefully consider the expenditure
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
DRASTIC
DECISION
In the Gompers-Mitchell- Morrison
Case Commented on in Pointed
Manner by the Cleveland Citizen
---Labors Stand Clearly Defined.

'In sentencing Samuel GOmpcrs
to prison for alleged contempt of
court for one year, John Mitchell
for nine months, and Frank
Morrison for six months and in
going out OF his way to denouncc
trade unions in scathing language.
Justice " right. of the Supreme
Court of the District of Columbia.
has done the labor movemedt a
splendid service.
'Ihe detendentS pinned their
faith and hope on the conSti-
tutional provision-the funda-
mental law OF the cland-guarantce
ing the right Of free speech and
Il free press. The court con-
temptuously ignored that basic
principal of this government-the
cornerstone Of the Tree Republic.
Instead a TRADE, such as has sell
dom been heard from the bench
was delivered at the heads of the
defendants (and the labor move
ment as whole .becausc the men
at the bar had dared to stand upon
their blood bought rights and
question judge made law and the
usurpation of a judiciary that is
becoming irresponsible and in
toXlcated with its stolen power.
"Ihe whole Wright decision
sounds like Il page from Roman
history, or the tyrannical edictS III
Britain before Runnymcde. or the
DEGREES in France before the Revo-
luton. or the cocrcivc dcclar-
ationS in America before Bunker
Hill, or the bred Scott inflmy be
fore Fort Sumpter. or the present
brutal ukaSeS promulgated daily
in unhappy Russia.
''The Wright pronunciamcnto
viii have the effect of arouSing the
working people of this country
from their lethargy as nothing has
done or could do in the present
generation. The words have been
uttered that will rally the hosts of
labor to the cause from Atlantic to
the Pacific. from the lakes to the
Gulf.
American labor Will never con
sent to be driven back into slavery
or trudaliSm. 1t stands for the
right to strike and to withdraw
It's purchasing power from any
who would oppreSS the workers
1t demands the same right to bring
working people into the union that
employers claim for themselves to
drive or coax them out OF the
union.
Organized labor stands for free
speech, public assemplage. and a
free press, and all the powers of
hell and usulping courts Mill not
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
Will Stimulate Labor.

G. O. Pratt chairman of the ex-
ecutive committee of the Anal
gamated Association of Street and
Electric Rrilway Employees sent the
following telegram to Mr.. Com
pers:
''Justice Wright's decision
sentencing yourself, Morrison and
Mitchell to Jail will not compel
me to patronize the Buck Stove
Company or buy any article made
under unfair conditions. There
are inherent individual rights
which no court can deprive me Of.
1t is Il strong Endorsement of your
position during the recent cam
paign.
ait proves the contention made
by labor during the last Presi-
dental campaign that labor needs
more favorable legislation. 1t is a
further evidence of Che seemingly
determined effort to destroy the
men who have worked for many
years for the cause of labor.
However, it will stimulate
labor and cause completer or
ganizatiOn and firmer stand to
support the friends of labor and
te dis cover.the men who are active
in opposition to the worliingman's
INTEREST,"
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
Decision Denounced.

Interviews given out by promi
ncnt labor officials throughout the
country indicate deep seated in
digmation with the decision of
Justice Wright. Resentment is
openly expressed at the character
ot the language used by the judge
and his very evident bias i'll taking
occasion to ucnounce the unions.
Some of the interviews reported
are herewith given:
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31

prevail against the militant work
ing class.
These are times that try mems
souls. ana every conscientious man
and woman who tolls, who wor.
ships liberty and scorns slavery in
any form, should and must come
TO the rescue. The lines are
drawn; the issue is clear; the battle
is on between
"ilutocracy and Democracy!
Nv hich do YOU chooseI-,'
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
Judges Have Gone Mad.

Henry Abrahams, secretary of
the Boston Central Labor Union
said: "It seems rs though the
judges have gone mad. Slowly
and insidiously our people have
been deprived of their liberties.
This sentence is 4 blow at the free
dom of the press.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
Settles First Strike

The long drawn out strike of the
marble cutters employed by the
W. X. Thompson Marble Com
ranN at Denver, Col. has been
settled though the intervention of
the recently organized Building
Trades Department of the A mar;7
can FederatIon of Labor. The
company areeS to withdraw the
so, 900 DAM re suit against the
union men, pay minimum wage
OF - for an eight-ho day and
completely unionize the shop.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
VIII Awaken the People.

James Tole, president of Typo
graphical Union No. 6. which is
now involved in a contempt of
court suit resulting from the But
terick strike, said:
GAS the Butterick Publishing
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
Labor Aroused
To High Pitch

to arouse the laboring men Of this
country as they have never been
aroused before. 1t will bring
them into political action and
make them more than ever dis
contented with present condi-
tionS.''
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31

free press as guaranteed by the
constitution shall never be sur
rendered -
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31

Fay mp your subscription and
vote for yourself or friend for one
ot our grand presents.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-12-31
ONLY PAPER

In the State 80 Raise its Voice ia
Protest Against the Lawless
"GUARD SYSTEM. -
The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-07-18
A Mistaken Notion.

1t is not a good thing for this coun-
try when two men can name the
next president. Yet this is just what
two men have done this year. Either
Taft or Bryan will be the next presi-
dent Of the United States and Theo-
dore Roosevelt and William Jennings
Bryan are the two men who dictated
the nomination of these candidates
in spite of all opposition The people
have no voice whatever in the matter
except to vote forone OF the two men
Burlington Clipper.
The Banner does not believe this
statement or any part Of it to be cor
rect Had President Roosevelt new
or indicated who he favored as candl-
date the judgment of the Republican
party would have selected Taft as the
best fitted and most likely to be a
strong vote puller. Had Bryan re-
manned out of the country during the
canvass the Bryan enthusiasm
throughout the great bulk of the Dem
ocratic party was so strong that no
other candidate could have stemmed
it.
The Banner requests the Clipper
to think over the voters Of its ac-
qualntance and marx down the names
of the Republicans who were bull
dozed by the president into support
ing Taft and the Democrats who were
afraid to oppose Bryan. Also to note
what federal employees in Vermont
were forced by the administia-
ton to work for Taft Had It been
done anywhere Il would have been
here in Vermont where Republican
ism is so strong.
Is 1t not true rather that the bitter
est opposition that Taft met was from
the men who hate Roosevelt and that
Taft would have had an easier road
without RoOsevelt's support? In our
humble opinion, the Republican con
lvention at Chicago and the Democrat.
ic convention at Denver both express
ed the honest wishes of large ma
jority of the two parties respectively
This talk of the Roosevelt steam rol
Ter and the Bryan road machine is
we believe, mostly the talk of dlsap
pointed admirers of other aspirants
none of whom at any time stood a
ghost of a show.