The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-01-25
TO-DAY we CELEBRATE.
United Min. warksr. c.l.hra.e 81,

United Mine Workers Celebrate 25th
Birthday Of Union Today.
Their faces are black with coal.
dust, their hands are calloused with
toil, their backs are bent beneath
the weight Of years of labor; they are
OF many nationalities and speak di.
verse languages-the great army Of
coal miners, hundreds OF thousands
strong, enrolled under the banner OF
the United Mine Workers of America.
An over the United States and Can.
ada the members OF this powerful,
labor organization will celebrate to,
day the tw~enty:htth birthday Of its
founding.
Columbus was the birthplace Of the
great federation Of those who delye
in the bowels of the, earth. 1t was on
January rs. 1890, that delegates from
a number of the coal mining districts
of America assembled in the Ohio
capital city and completed the or.
ganization of the United Mine Work.
ers OF America. The new union start.
ed with only a few thousand mem
bcrs, but, thanks to the labors of
John Mitchell, John Mcbride, and
scores of other pioneers, It has ex-
tended its influence to nearly every
coal district Of the United States and
Canada.
American coal miners had engaged
In several fulfil attempts at orsaniza.
ton before the u. NJ. W. A. was
launched. The United Mine Workers
was an amalgamation Of two such
bodies, the Progressive Union Of Min;
ers and the National Trades Assem-.
bly, No. 1876. The latter was the min.
ing branch Of the Knights of Labor.
About half a century ago the min.
ers made their first attempt at or
ganization. The workers in the mines
of the BelleEflle, ILL.,, district founded
the American Miners Association.
Thi movement was started in the
early days Of the Civil war. 1t spread
rapidly, and organizations were et.
fected in Missouri, Ohio, Indiana and
West Virginia Is well as in Illinois.
This body was well and honestly
organized, and It might have proved
successful except that SO many Of, the
Influential men Of the union enlisted
in the Union army. While the min.
ers were fighting their country's
battles the union languished.
After the war an attempt was made
to revive the association, but there
were SO many unemployed men, and
wages were SO low, that successful
organization was then impossible.
Men almost fought with each other
for Jobs in the coal mines. and were
willing to accept any wages that was
offered.
About a decade after the close OF
the war the Miners and Laborers'
BENEVOLENT Association was launched
by John siney. 1t was largely con
fined to the anthracite fields. siney
and other leaders we're sent to prison
for participation in strikes, and the
union was killed.
In 1885 there was a meeting Of
mine workers in indianapolis, called
by John Mcbride, and the National
Association Of Miners and Mine La;
;borers; was formed. It was affiliated
with the Knights of Labor, but the re-
lation! was not entirely satisfactory.
and the knights organized a National
Assembly OF miners. The Progress
sive Union Of Miners was also in tho
field. and the miners were divided
into three factions. In 1888 they held
a Joint convention in Columbus, and
out OF this grew the meeting Of Janu.
airy Is, 1890, when the United Mtne
Workers was born. The new inter:
national union started with only 2
few thousand members, but 1t gained
rapidly, and has survived many great
strikes and bitter labor wars. 1t Is
now one Of the most remarkable bod:
les Of labor loyalists to be found any.
where in the world.
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