The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-04-28
Keep the Good
Work Moving

Editor Pennington Times:--
Keep up the good work. Something
has happened that makes me think
because you have permitted some
of the fellows to express themselves
through your columns, that the min
ing companies are waking up. Public
opinion can do lot of things if it
gets started, and just now there seems
to be good bit of very public opinion
concerning the unequal distribution
of the bonuses that have been lately
coming to the laborers here in the
Lead Belt
The matter that has quickened my
hopes is the recent allotment by the
Federal Lead Company of a 20 per
cent bonus to the employees of its
Lead Belt railroad. This sure begins
TO look good, and we of the M. R. &
B. T. almost hope-but, pshaw! what's
the use of dreaming?
But isn't it an outrage? Here's a
bunch of officials living in New York,
growing rich by the tremendous rise
in the price of lead and so drunk with
their prosperity as to wholly disre-
gard their obligations of honest duty
to those whose labor is helping to
pile up their wealth. Think of it!
Lead at 1925 and we railroad men as
deeply involved in the process of get
ting the metal to market as anybody
but not a moments consideration do
we receive. The officials of the ST.
Joe Lead Company are either insen-
sible to the principles of fair dealing
and justice toward employees or alb
solutely dishonest. One thing, they
are too far away from the "base of
supplies" They are not in touch and
do not understand the condition of The
men who toll for them from years
end to years end. What this corpora
Seion needs is to be in the control Of
men who are nearby all the time
Some native" who is thoroughly
conversant with the peculiar condi
tons existing here, and who, above al
else, is square and unprecedented il
the favor Of any class of employees.
The men employed on the M. r. &
B. T. r. r. have been Disseminated
against, mistreated, and hoodwinked
ever since the control of the corpora
ton passed out of the hands of Par
sons and Graves. The present man
agement has seemed at times to b.
totally blind to any sense of obliga
ton they might owe TO the railroad
men. We all know we are working
for the st. Joe Lead Company, anC
we are beginning to get mighty sort
because this corporation does not show
any disposition to share with US any
of the bonus money being granted tt
miners. There is one way we car
bring the company to terms but w
do not like to resort to that. We mucl
prefer to settle our controversies il
a peaceable manner than otherwise
However, we cannot wait forever fol
these sleek, avaricious "toads" to fine
out we too are helping fill their purs
es. Just now our eyes are on Mr.
Robert Holmes of st. Louis. He is ;
home product and seems to understand
conditions here. According to tn,
| fight he is making he indicates dis
position to fairness and equality thai
makes US think if he wins bis fight
we will find him as ready to hear u:
as he will be to hear others. In this
event everything will work out al
right. But unless something hopeful
occurs soon we may decide to take
things into our own hands.
Anyway, the Federal has woke up
maybe the st. Joe will do so, too
Here's hoping.
A RAILROAD MAN.