The forum. [volume] (Springfield, Ill.) 1904-192?, 1908-10-03
TREATMENT OF MINE WORKERS
Fought Organization of Union in His
Mine Until 1899.
Futile Attempt to Organize Steven.
sons Miners When He Was
Candidate for Vice Presi-
dent in 1902.


unionists have been scanning the rec
ord Of Adlai e. Stevenson, Democratic
candidate for governor, on his treat
ment of mine workers in the mines of
the Mclean County Coal company, at
Bloomington. They have discovered
that he has been persistent opponent
Of organized labor ever since the or
ganization of the company in 1888. He
fought the organization of the union
In his mine until in 1899, when, by
joint agreement with all the other
operators in the state, the miners CON-
PEELED him to submit to the organiza-
ton of his employees
Mr.. Stevensons attitude toward the
miners was shown by the extent to
which he and the other members Of
his company went in refusing to treat
with them. They even ordered the
representatives of the mine workers
off their premises and declined to
listen to any offers or requests they
had to make.
Biography is Misleading.
In the biography of Mr.. Stevenson,
Ill lOluIutul 1c1uOCIdlS vi lllluOlS,
a history of the Democratic party in
this state, published by the Democrat
Publishing company OF Chicago in
1899. the following statement is made:
Besides his legal business, Mr..
Stevenson is interested in a number
Of business enterprises and manages
a large coal mining industry near
RInnno n is toJ,1 10 foo tb,,t
there has never been a strike at the
mine."
In the official report made to the
state bureau of labor in 1883 by James
Freer, of Peoria, then inspector for
the Third inspection district, compris-
Ing many other counties than that OF
Mclean, there appears under the head
of "Strikes" the following language:
"There have been only two strikes
In this district during the last year.
The first was by the miners employed
by the Mclean County Coal company
at Bloomington. The company hav-
ing discharged a few of their employees
for taking leading part in forming
a union, the miners as a body came
OuI VII Il Sll LAC W nave InOSc WHO
had been discharged reinstated. After
q three weeks parley, the company
having succeeded in getting other
miners, the old miners returned to
work.
Mr.. Stevenson was then and is now
president Of the Mclean County Coal
company.
Failed Again in 1902.
In 1892, when Mr.. Stevenson was
candidate for vice president, another
effort was made to organize his men.
M. d. Ratchford, of Massllon, Ohio.
was employed at that time as an or
ganizer for the National Union of
Miners. He and others visited Bloom
ington for the purpose of comforting
with Mr.. Steyepson's employees with
the view of having them join the
union. These representative of organ
lied labor were denied an interview
with the officials of the company and
In fact were not allowed anywhere ON
the company's premises. Again the
effort of The miners , organize was
defeated.
Last Mine OrganI1eu.
No further attempt to get the CO.
operation of the miners employed by
Mr.. Stevenson was made until the fall
of 1897. AS a result of the suspen-
sion of mining in Illinois and other
states, an agreement between the
operators and miners was reached. In
consequence of this agreement every
coal mine practically in Illinois be-
came unionized except the mine owned
and operated by Mr.. Stevenson and his