Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1912-10-29
OFFICIALS OF UNITED MINE
WORKERS REFUSE TO SPEAK
FROM PLATFORM WITH
HIM.
HIS ATTITUDE TOWARD BILL
CHANGING NINE GUARD SYS-
TEN CAUSES
TROUBLE.
MEASURE WHICH WOULD HAVE
PREVENTED CABIN CREEK
STRIKE KILLED BY
HIM,

ernor of West Virginia, is such that
&C. II. Edmunds and President Cairnes,
national officers of the United Mine
Workers of America. refused to
speak from the same platform with
him at the Labor Day celebration at
Montgomery. West Virginia. ON Sep
terber .. 1919.
Mr. Edmunds, who is one OF the
national organizers OF the United
Mine Workers, in explanation of the
refusal of the labor officials to speak
with DR. Hatfield, stated that the
miners and DR.. Hatfield were not in
sympathy in regard to labor ques-
lions, and that they could not appear
with him at the Labor Day celebra-
ton In the Labor Argus. published
al Charleston q few days after Labor
Day, Mr. Edmunds published the fol-
lowing report of the Labor Day cele-
bration and his refusal to speak with
DR.. Hatfield:
( Labor Day at Montgomery.
Labor Day was celebrated at Mont
gomery, w Va, by the miners to
the number of $500.
1T has been circulated abroad that
the celebration was goven by Dis
trict No. II, U. M. w. A. This Is
not true. The celebration was got
ten up by the business men OF Mont
gomery The district officers were
in no wise responsible for the cele-
bration,
Or H. d. Hatfield was billed to
address the public, and the bills read
that the miners would be addressed
by district and national officials.
Upon the arrival of President Cairnes
and myself we were approached by
the committee to take part in the
program We then and there in
formed them that we could not par
ticpate in labor program with DIR.
Hatfield, as the people whom we
represented were not In sympathy
with DIR. Hatfield, and for that rea-
son, at such a critical time in the
affairs of the miners. our motive
for appearing would likely be mis-
understood.
In Sympathy With Guard SYSTEM
j in other words, Dr. Hatfield
believed by the miners of this viciii-
. ity to be in sympathy with the guard
!, system. Last spring, when he was
a candidate before the primaries, he
i refused to plainly and emphatieally
: take a stand against the guard sys-
: TEN, and as the guard system is the
, paramount issue in the campaign, we.
, as officers of the miners union, could
: not take part in such an arranged
affair
! "The commi tee then declared to
: us that DR.. Hatfield would not be
: present and that the celebration was
given for the benefit of the Paint
Greek strikers. and that no politicians
would be permitted to appear as
speakers, only the officials of the
miners union; that ii was a labor
} meeting pure and simple. and we
were assured of the same. SO we
consented to speak, and at two-thirty
in the afternoon, the parade OF men.
women and children. accompanied by
four brass bands, wendell their way
to the residence of Mayor T. j. Davis.
, and there the speaking took place.
Killed Mine Guard BILL
The feeling OF the miners toward
DIR. Hatfield and their statement that
he is not in sympathy with the labor
! people seems TO have been based
upon his action as President OF the
State Senate in regard to a bill known
, sion of the legislature IN January,
] 1911, Delegate r. NJ Hudnall, of Ka-
I nawha County. introduced In the
House bill which had been prepared
| with the approval OF the officials OF
, the United Mine Workers and which.
| If passed as drawn, would have placed
} such safeguards around the mine
guard system that it was believed all
objections. to it would have been
; ,overcome.
: 1t is a we'll known fact that the
; trouble on Paint Greek. Kanawha
3 county, which has resulted in the loss
t OF numerous lives, the closing down
+ Of coal mines for several months and
the expense OF more than 100000 to
the state for keeping troops In the
keld, grew out OF the employment
of mine guards by the coal operators.
This tremendous cost in life and
npney would have been prevented
I and the prosperity of that section
would have continued, in the opinion OF
the coal miners, had the HudnaIl
bill been passed, and all responsible
Z ity for preventing the passage OF the
! bill is placed by them upon DIR. Hat
: field. who was then President OF the
I Senate, and is now a candidate for
? Governor
Big Majority in House.
DIR. Hudnall's bill having the APP
! proval of the miners as well az the
approval OF coal operators, passed the
House by vote of sixty to twenty
! DIR. HudnaII and Delegate Liller were
: appointed to notify the Senate Of its
! passage. Together with VIM. Stan
! ley, representing the mine workers,
: they called upon DR.. Hatfield and ex-
~ planned to him the purpose of the
4 bill. asking that it be referred to the
i. committee on labor. which was known
= to be friendly to the measure They
: were very much astonished when the
bill was finally reported to the Sen
late to hear Dr. Hatfield refer II to
. the committee on railroads The bill
4 Istill rests in a pigeon hole in the
: Ioffice Of the committee on railroads
Z because that committee was unfrsend-
I ly to It and 1t is claimed that It was
/ referred to this committee for that