The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-10-31

OFFICIALS OF UNITED MINE
@ WORKERS REFUSE TO SPEAK
FROM PLATFORM WITH
HIM.
HIS ATTITUDE TOWARD BILL
CHANGING NINE. GUARD sYs-
TEN CAUSES
TROUBLE.
WHICH WOULD HAVE
PREVENTED CABIN CREEK
STRIKE KILLED BY
HIM.


national officers of the United Mine
Workers of America, refused to
speak from the same platform with
him ut the Labor Day celebration at
Montgomery, West Virginia, on Sep.
fterber 2, 1912.
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 DIR. Hatfield were not in
sympathy in regard to labor qnes-
tons, and that they could not appear
with him at the Labor Day celeMa-
ltion In the Labor Argus, published
lat Charleston sew days after Labor
Day. Mr. Edmunds published the Col
lowing report of the Labor Day cele-
hration 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 IT. U. M W. a. This is
4 liOb tIuG. llt CGlEUIdIlUh WAS ROl-
\ ten up by the business men of Ment-
Gomery. The district officers were
in no Wise responsible for the cele-
bration.
"Dr. f. D. Hatfiek 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 N1Uln1f VIZ wv hu
the committee to take part in the
program We then and there in
formed them that we could not par
ticipats in a labor program with DR..
Hatfield, as the people whom we
represented were not in sympathy
with Dr. 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.
/ I'm other words, DIR. Hatfield Is
believed by the miners of this yicin-
kty to be in sympathy with the guard
system. Last spring, when he was
q candidate before the primaries, he
refused to plainly and emphatically
take stand against the guard sys-
item, 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
lus that DR. Hatfield would not be
present and that the celebration was
given for the benefit of the Paint
Creek strikers, and that no politicians
would be permitted to appear as
speakers, only the officials Of the
/. miners union; that it was a labor
meeting pure and simple, and we
were assured of the same. So we
consented to speak and at two-thrty
in the afternoon, the parade OF men.
women and children, accompanied by
/ four brass bands, wendell their way
to the residence Of Mayor r. j. Davis,
| and there the speaking took place.
| Killed Mine Guard Bill.
The feeling of the miners toward
| DR. 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 bill known
as the Mine Guard Bill At the SEES
sion of the Legislative in January,
/ 1911, Delegate r. M Hudna1l, OF Ka-
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 1t was believed all
| objections to 1t would have been
overcome
| 1t is well known fact that the
trouble on Paint Creek, Kanawha
county, which has resulted in the loss
OF numerous lives, the closing down
OF coal mines for several months and
the expense of more than 100000 TOT
the state for keeping troops in the
field, grew out OF the employment
of mine guards by the coal operators.
| This tremendous cost in life and
money would have been prevented
and the prosperity of that seotiony
would have continued, in the opinion of
the coal miners, hSd the HudnalIo
bill been passed, and an responsible
lity for preventing the passage of the
bill is placed by them upon DIR. Hat.
field, who was then President of theF
Senate, and is now candidate for
| Goyerner.
Big Majority In House.
| DIR. Hudnall's bill having the APP
prevail of the miners as well as the
approval of coal operators, passed the
House by vote of sixty to twenty.
DIR. Hudnall and Delegate Liller were
appointed to notify the Senate of it's
passage. Together with VIM. Stan
| ley, representing the mine workers,
they called upon DR.. Hatfield and en-
Lplained to him the purpose OF the
Fbill, asking that it be referred to the.
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 Sem
ate to hear DR.. Hatfield refer it to
the committee on railroads The bill
still rests in pigeon hole in the
office of the committee on railroads
because that committee was unfriend-
ly to it and 1t is claimed that it was
referred to this committee for that