The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1917-03-02
Call on Lead Belt
Miners to Organize

phans of workingmcn, killed in the
performance of their duties, is Of
grave Importance to the community
but the right to such protection has
not been fully recognized-or ade-
quately conceded. This is especially
true in the United States. In this
country the economic development has
been without parallel in the history OF
all times ard peoples. The wheels Of
progress have revolved at an ever ac-
celebrating speed, and things have beer
accomplished with an instantaneous
suddenness, which reminds one of the
miraculous events Of the arabian
Nights.
The country has grown from a few
millions of farmers and fishermen liv-
ing near the margin of existence to
a great, wealthy nation of one hun
bred millions. Machine has supple
mented tool, improvement followed inn
provement, new methods have dis
placed old, until the country has be-
come almost choked with its prosper
ity and embarrassed with its riches
In the meanwhile, however, we have
been so dazzled by our own achieve
ments that we have failed to perceive
the other side of the shield For this
vast prosperity we have paid a large
price. We have been carried along
upon a wave of materialism and have
too largely made the dollar the unit
of success, both personal and nation
al. We would judge everything upon
the basis of cheapness, upon our abil-
ity, in other words, to compete for
foreign markets. In no other country
has life been so lightly regarded, has
the workingman been so mercilessly
exposed to violent death or grievious
injury. In no other country is there
less organized compensation for those
who are killed or manned, for those
who are sacrificed and slaughtered
that others may grow rich.
The country which spent billions
of dollars for the pensioning of its
soldiers, which at another time wiped
out at once other billions of dollars
of human prosperity, has disregarded
almost utterly the claims of men and
women who have died that our So
called captains of industry might wal
low inluxury. In no other country are
the laws against the exploitation OF
women and children so lax, so abb
surdly inadequate, so cruelty ineffec-
tive as in the United States. In no
other section of the country does the
workingman age so rapidly, nwoS9O
workingman age so rapidly, nowhere
is he cast aside with so light heart
and with so little compassion as in this
Lead Belt. When the orange is
squeezed dry the rind is cast aside.
So it is with the miner and other
workers of the Lead Belt, when from
age and other causes they are no long
er able to maintain the terrific pace
required of them they, like the orange
rind, are cast aside and the only
thing is cover the hill to the poor
house." Notwithstanding, long years of
faithful, loyal and competent service.
What we need in this Lead Belt
above all things else, is a thorough
organization. With a thorough Or
ganization we can dictate conditions
and compensation instead of a few
Eastern Shylocks who at present say
what our COMPENSATION and working
conditions shall be. We can expect
ITO voluntary improvement SiSiiSis III
compensation or conditions, so long
as men who live a thousand miles
away have charge of the great min
ing industries of our county. The
welfare of their employees or of the
county is the least of their thoughts.
Their one and only aim is to ever in
crease the golden stream that flows to-
ward the rising sun, constantly in
creasing the wealth of those who are
already drunk with wealth obtained
from the mines of st. Francois coun-
ty. This golden river is made posi-
Bile only because employees are willing
to work for a mere pittance compar-
ed to the price of lead. If it were
possible to bring the lamented Par
sons and Graves back and place them
in charge of the mines of this Lead
Belt, and with lead soaring around
the $1,000 mark, we venture to say
that the minimum wage would be S.
per day or more. Fellow workers, let
us get together, organize and have
something to say to what our COM
pensation and working conditions
shall be. LABOR.