Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1914-11-12
Tracy City.
SpeeiGkfO tie Nrsps


This in all probability will be my
last letter from Tracy City. Tracy i:
hne place to live in, provided you
have little money. Our miners and
mine laborers have done we'll here un-
til the last few years Now they are
barely ekeing out an existence and
they have to stand whatever is put
upon them. The last exaction of the
railroad company is going to lessen
their earnings considerably. The men
VINO produce and create the freight
must pay for their ride to tho mines
and back, some six miles away, or else
walk. am sorry for our poor OPP
pressed miners and can't help 1t. 1t
looks like what little they make is
begrudged them, even to the ride to
the mines. Oppression of the miners
was never more apparent than now.
Well, the men are not able to resist,
but will have to accept Just whatever
is exacted.
For the 40 years I've been here, !
have tried to help build up the place
and make it place worth living at,
but it seems to me Tracy City's enc
mics want to wipe her off the map and
force the miners to go elsewhere
Hardly half work and still more flesh
is exacted. Greedy avariciousness can
never be satisfied. Just what is to be-
come of our miners this winter l know
not. Their financial condition is at
at low ebb. Their moral condition is
all right, but their social life is about
on par with their financial condition.
Hard times has created distrust be-
tween man and man, which does quite
a lot of injury to each other. 1t used
to be very different. Every little pop
Inlay in and around the mines. takes
delight 10 reporting his fellow work
ers-a thing they ought not to do. Re.
ligiously, fear, they are below what
they used to be, and the man and wo-
man who stands up for the spiritual
life and its protection is rated very
low by the gang who care nothing for
this phase Of things Much could be
said about this falling away but the
prosperity of the masses is about on
par with the spiritual condition of the
place One is about as good as the
other, and a christian has as little en-
couragement as the miner Someone
may not like this comparison, still 1t
is about as true as can make it
Both have opposition that is severe.
and it comes chiefly from those who
claim to be miners and mine laborers
and christians. Neither seems to be
true for the right, and for the right
to prevail. Treat your brother right
aud help him to stand for the right.
isn't it rather remarkable that IN
weighing the spiritual condition of
Tracy City, you get very near the ex-
act weight of the financial condition
of our working men also. Well, the
same condition that embarrasses the
christian also embarrasses our best
interests,
l am sorry for the conditions as they
exist. The miner does not enjoy
free hand. His earning capacity is
hampered and he has opposition, and
when he tries to protect himself op-
position springs up and he can't help
himself AS with him SO with the
christian. The very life is being
crushed out of both by their enemies.
Well, thank God I've tried to help all
could. I've never minced matters
and don't now. We have lot of good
working men and good christians also,
but are powerless as lot of babies. I
guess I'll catch "Hail Columbia" for
this letter, but if it isn't the truth,
all of Tracy will know it for the News
is sought aud read every week and
"Uncle Tom" is complimented and
cursed as the mood strikes the readers.
Our miners need help and protection,
and so do the christians. Each have
opponents.
Now, in conclusion, let me say the
devil has arrayed his forces against
the workingman. and the church as
has never been before. He aims to
crush both and put both under the ir-
on heel of oppression, Now, nelp
yourself, Mr.. Workingman, and soon
the same thing will be said regarding
the church. Help yourself Join in
with the enemies of the church and
soon your churches will be nothing