The labor argus. [volume], August 22, 1907, Image 1

About The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915

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_ Ofy* &tlurc %xmcvsL
Vol. 2. No. 13. ~ " : =
- _____ CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA. AUG. 22. I907.
* ;&. m ________________Si.00 a Year in Advance
fZancmhas
AT KA
WILL BE A
TO I
Between the Street Car (
Labor of Charlestoi
Off All Peaci
1'ho gauntlet has heon thrown
iluw ii 1?\ tin* tn.:111:iw 11:i Yallcx
i'l; * <rt i< hi ('oinpanx to ? iri^un i /.* *'I
i:i!mir, not <?niy *?t" < 'hailoston hut
tIn- Stuti' of West Yirginia. when
1111 \ refused to !i:i\ *' further cuii
tercnce with tin' rcprcsental i\'c of
the street railway union as t In* fol
lowing statement of Board Mcminn
tit / * -1 ; 11?I of tin* National As-mei
at ion of Street ami Kleetrie Kail
wax Km ployres will show:
I have hoenjinstrueled 1 ?y hit* r
national 1 'resident. \\ . 1). Malum,
ofMreel railway association. to
I'omi' to < harlcston and make an
in \ esti^at ion of affairs ami *m
iUmx'ih' to In ino about if possible. a
sett lenient that won hi ho lair to
hot h sides. To t his oml 1 h:ivo
iHMMi working, and on an i\ ini* in
tlireity. Tuesday, August loth. I
i in hum i ialel \ started t<? net a eon
liMvmv willi ollseials of the coinI :111\
. 11111 owini^lo the alisenee ol
prominent oflieials i was miuhle lo
haw meeting until Saturday. Ai:^
ml t 711i. 1 w as accom pan ied ! ?\
Senator Lit depute and prominent
labor men of (-hurleslon. ;ind tin*
?Inest inns in dispute wn c ^.iic
nvrr. and after hair hours and a
hal! eon ferenee adjourned until
t In- ?fiieia h of l he eompany had an
opportunity lo go over mailers
that were discussed. And on
Monday e\ eninv;. Au;_rud llH'n the
con ferenee was continued for two
hours and a half, without any r.
-alts, and it was decided lo ad
? am the conference again until
I iu*sda\ afternoon. August *JOlh:
hid in the meantiiiie I came in
teleplione eominuiiication with the
oflieials of tiie company and was
informed thai it would !>e useless
lor me to meet with them again, ano
settlement of the affair could he
r? aolied. 1 have tried to he fair
and libera! with llie < omnaa\ lor
I 11111 \ real i /.c I the in con yen i'.i re
:ii?l hanKhips^thut tin* public were
brinjx placed to. -.'.ml that till* bimimss
inp-rcst \v:is also bcini^ offer ted
Mini the welfare el" liic city of
< harlesb?ii InnI to be i < ii-;d<. n <1.
;iml my ellbrt-; were t? socun- peace
ami 11m111ioii \ if it were j?.-? i 1?t
bi-tween both parties; lor in in\
opinion the < 1 iti'ci ence - were <o
slight. 1 was firm in my belief that
a peaceful solution could iiM\c
been I >i'onm 11f alioiit. ami w as disappointed
on not bein^ able to do
so* I wish the public to undei
stand that a continuation of this
st i uoole is not to our liking, but it
has reached :i point wlieie the
* onipany desires its t? submit to
their rcipu'st without i;ivin^ us an
opportunity to protect our rights
or any consideration, and tlie issue
has now simmered down to a
striii^^le against ( >; ^ani/o! Labor
on the part of the corn pa ay .
I take this opportunity of thank
inji Solictor I Jltlcpa^e and the
Labor people ei' t"! i i ? vicinby for
their hard and earnest effort am!
co-operation with me in trying to
bri1about a peaceful state oj
affairs, and i 1\ ei ai-t iiifil ' -,!
pealing to the* puhiie lor tin n -u:>
port to t he emplov es nu'.v mi stni.f.
ami to ivfrain :i< !;ir as pes^jhie
tiom pat i mi i/i wj; tin' cars of the
< otnj.;iii\ t i: 11 ' u sal is factor v settle
inent 1-- e fleete? 1.
\V m. it. I'l l \ I i>
Member National I !> aid St root
Railway \<sooiai io.i.
< >iLianf/.cil !:ih<?r will :!' < < i't tin lefi
of tin* roiu pan\ and it wi'l !?
suit in ;i rlass -d ruu'ii'le to t lit* bitter
riid. We had h opes that the
parties ouici i nol would ml t?
irether and make a ^al isf.mtei >
^ett lenient. 1?i: 1 it <o'ins thai
loroimt element of tin- eompun;.
would hear to no proposition to
reeojrnize a labor union.
That the union men v ill dank
together in the lr_dit is a eertaintx
and the iniluenee tin \ c;in ? \? j
Cfreatesi JC,<
M
NAWHA STOCK F
UX
i. ^ijrijL 1
FITTER END
\ r\
?umpany ana urgamzea
n?Company Breaks
e Negotiations,
will hold man\ sviupat hizors with
thorn, and tin* pro^pi-rts ;ii?- \?*r\
('in-' m raLii 11^ t?? si\ tin* lnast. a^
tin* iihmi ha\* in>t hi uj^ t?> lose?l??
cants ]ht hour and hoothlarks
niaki' inoiT t lian t liat and ?*\ t i y
t Ii ina to ii*ai ii. whko tin* company
havc ovorythinit to lost* ami noth
i11LT to main l?ut tin* wane slavery oj
tin if i*iupli?y?'?'<.
Ii is understood that tin < apitol
< it \ l i adns Assembly in roujuuc
lion with a ntsinln i oh business
men will ask tin* Mayor and t'ily
('ounoil to use their i n II ucucc am I
maul ollices to i*lit'ct a sal isfactory
settlement not. only in bchall of
the union men. hut t In* oil izens i".
general. as tin* present situation i*>
very i'inhana*?siii^ ami unsatis
iadoi \ I?? our oil i/?*nshi;>.
i liin^s 11:i\ i* indeed coiiii* to a
pi oily pass wJirn I Vtmsvl vn n hi
magnates say to I!11- people of
t'harleston wo own your tow n ami
what \vc sa\ ;ims regardless of the
Lil'cot it iii;i\ sia\ o. At present
they dictate to our <-i! i/t-iis what
they shall pay lor wai r. i'Mumi
us, 1 i< ? ii it I real estate) iiuto. .uns
ami cloot licit \ 11 ml. -_ia> power
o.oirieitv -transportation. street
cat to:l to ami fro:n tin- city.
!?ri<l_.c in fact they control al> 1
the {ail?1 i t - 1 am-hiscs in the city,
lit -y k'i]. '..itt '.li" \vnr;(> to all their
c 111 j?I?>\ cs an?l now l?? clap the
(*!ima\ thev will dictate what or
Lien i/nt ion. !al?,r. political. religious
05- |"i al cm.a 1 t hat 1 lmi r cm
plo \ ccs shall 01 shall not belong to.
of course exempting their private
wild cat industrial insurance as
socintion. I lie enormous profits
that thev itaii/e will of course he
invested in their home towns or in
western mining stock ami all
( 'liarlcsion iias to do is to fork over
t lie cash.
Hut we arc not disheartened yet.
Privilege lias not run its race.
The conditions that now prevail in
< iialleslon are ^raduallv develop
ifc j a demand for iiihiv c?|\iital> e
ones, and the intelligent men ami
women who ha v e I lie vvel fare of t he
citv ami its oc-.uil. -o
standing with their la***s toward
liu' morniiii;'. sin^ini; new of
ill j* : t \ . and ere : nil* the\ will i i
ia their 111 i?^Iit and a--?-it their
rights i?i" Aiiii ii":iii citizenship and
this ^ ioim 1\ t ru^i s w i 11 l>e compe! 1; d
to sit up and take notice.
1 nion men and woman of
< "naideston. renu inher \ our did ;? to
Yourselves. yuiir family. soeietx
ami vein (lod.
YEARS OF
SLAVERY
Endured By Telegraphers, But
They at Last Rise in
Their Might.
!" ?: more than :i nailer of a
eentuiy tli t? I? i *: i pliers ??i ihi<
ci)iinti\ have been in i spate of
- i . itude com pared w i 111 whiehtln*
>erfdnm of is almost juv;
ferablo and bein^ exiled to Siberia
!es< a punishment than the eUii'ic
ait of a mere e.\istenre in the larger
o 11 i< ?\< ??t* most of the pr? it
telegraph rorporat i??ns in the
I *i? it ed Stat e^ sit *?I < inada. Iv?pe
e i a 11 \ lias this been the ease in the
Western Union serviee. here in the
United States. lis oliieinls have
made it their business to stud\
ami i i* 1?*et methods of oppression,
rather than methods ??1* seientihe
ad . aiieemeni.
Its e\ ?*i11i\? nianaurnii ut has
deviled means to harass. li incui
and humiliate it< etup1o\? - at
every mile post during this hiiii;
period of servitude. Its theory
abor D J
ARM UNDER AUS
COUNCIL TO "
A petition was in circul
ihc requisite number of sign ui
A/I,., t.l-li .
i.uv^ui nuuuy 10 can a special
to consider and take some stoj;
ca?* strike. Up to the time of ,
not been seen in reference to t
and practice lias been ami is vol t??
rol? 1 h ?l 11 the finjiluu' and tlio
pat ron.
I ho t olej^ra phcr lias boon robbed
1 ?y technical moans liulo under
sto???1 b\ tin* general public, and
tin laoihnils us?*il an* difficult to
explain to tin- average ri*ailor.
An\ tiii-Lii aphor developing con
spicinuis merits who declined to
ilonati* tin* products of his brain
to this monslor of monopolistie
Ltroi il. lias been compolli'd to seek
ot her cmplov moot or other fields
lor it-- development: tlio sinjdccx
( option bein^ tin* present oxoon
li\o, who lias fastened a oontraot
A GAIN OF OVER
In Membership of the West Vir
Past Month?Great Act
Members Throughout
Secretary ! Listings and National'
Oiyiani/.cr < happcllc met with tin*
newly organized Local at Foil I >?
iancc. opposite < iatilcx . last week,
and had a very successful meet
The men there arc very ac
tivcaiul ?^ood results will be ol?
tallied I'm 111 the elVmv thc\ aie
putting I'm lh. They also addressed
the Local at Murk low. and had
one of the largest in '.'tinges that
lias been held in that locality for
ijiiite a>\ liile. The men manifest, a
:_iieat interest in the or?;nnization,
and they are seeking In eliminate
tlie uiideMial >le eonditions that are
-tatidine in the way of the progress
of tlie organization. On Monday
ni^ht they attended tin* Local at
11 ul:heston, and ln-ld a very j^ood
meeting. Scnne ??I* tlic men t here
are 1? ?? i in i i l'ferent to the interest of
tin* (ir^riiii/at ion. 1?111 there is "ood
|H??speets lor the stieress of the
Local.
There was an impoitant meeting
f tin* Stil ? I >ist riel Hoard last
\\ < ? ] :. Aiimui^ tin* business trimsaet?*?l
was the eleetion ? I" 1 wo mem
Hers to lili tin* vaeaneies caused 1 #\
\!in re-d^nat ion of L. F. Mrlvor,
wln? has gillie to his old home in
\ ir^inia?to follow in tin*, foot
steps of < lark .Johnson and become
a farmer- and John Weleh. who
has taken the position ol' weighing?
eoul for the roinpary. lb L.
I.? \ett. of Ilu^heston, and Mark
! faptonstal 1 were elected to till the
\aeaneies. The im-iiihen of the
Hoard presented brother Melvor
\ it h a tine Hreneh Hrier pipe, in
w 1: ieli to -moke the toliarso he will
raise dow n in 4*olc Y irjjiimy .v
i >i*-1 riot Hoard member H. I *.
In nshow. writes from Tnnnelton
that tin* rco-iit strike at that pla<*e
w as not si-v. A i 1?\ National or^an
i / I . : ?11 I liiai 1 110 nil HI IS ill Ml
numbers of Local No. u;;7 settled
llm affair ami Mrmvil tin* checkoff
without outside assistance. The
Local i- !H?\\ ill :i very llnll 1 isll i !?^
< i'ih 1 it ion ami future prospects me
very bright.
hi a recent bsuoof The Ar^us it
was stated that llm 1 .liramat liehl
hail Leon attached to District No.
l<k which should liavc road that
the officials of District No. 17 had
::i\Mi thoir < tJimout Ibr such action,
but as \ ct im? action has bnon takon
b\ 11?* - National 1\? on 1 i v o board
in the in titer.
lYohdent < fai^o and National
K\culi\o board Meml?er Ken Davis
are back from Williamspoi t. Ky..
where they -ottied u dispute
to t ho --at is fact ion of all concerned.
W ;;; iaiaspt.it i- located about
in i !? - ap t ho bin Sandy river, and
is the only mine in that section
Oemonstratic
PICES CAPITOL C
rAKE A HAND
ation last night which received
jres of the city council asking
meeting of council for tonight
)s towards adjusting the street;
going to press the mayor had
he matter.
upon the innocent stockholders for
an automatic device, which Kdi
soil <1 is<?;i r? lm 1 '?r.
Those charged will* I he e\eu
enlive management ol* tlie com
pan \ seem to have operated upon
tin* theory lliat earnings ami
?ii\ idends bolonjjinj^ te liie pri\ate
iiulividuals, associated therewith
and I hey onl\ should cnjo\ tin*
luxuries of life.
In order to carr\ out this Lhcorx
the waj^cs of its employes have
been rohlcctl t*? the lowest j?onm
l?le point, ami the taiill' for tin*
public! increased t?* the hi?jhe>?l
possible point.
ONE THOUSAND
ginia Mine Workers During the
ivity Displayed by the
t the Entire District.
operating umlera eontia?*t between
t lie o|>e ra tnis :uwl t ? ' ? ?? > '
Kvery 111:111 at the operation are
members of tlit* organization ami
an* on joying prims and conditions
far hotter than prevail at an\
other place on t he river
The defunct local union at Fngio
has I?ecn reorganized with *J7 ohai
tor members, with bright prospects
for a good local in the future.
I 'residents < 'raigo and Oiirns 01
gani/.ed a new local at < Vilar < J r.?ve
the lirstofthe week with a large
membership. The ollieers elected
are all hustlers and will be heard
from in t lie near I tit inc.
< >rganiz? r < harlcs K rallmau and
L I*. I JUihani ha\c liehl some
very succor sful meetings in tinpast
week 011 briar Creek.
Sub I>istrict President Cai rues.
Organizer Charles K rallmau ami
William Fitzgerald, board Mem
her of the Street Car Workers li
tcrnat tonal I 'liion. who is lirncondacting
tlie Streel Car strike in
this city, addressed one ? 1 the
largest mass meetings over held at
.Mainiiiotli,oii Sim<la\ ov'riling .'1 la*
Mammoth local union lias doubled
its mcmbcrsh j p in the last month,
and an- now pa\ing per capita ta\
oil 1 members,
a x x
Sab I Hstrict President, ('at rues
and Secretary Morris addressed a
local meeting; at Ward last Fridar
evening, taking up a number ot"
grievances with the officials ol" the
t'oal <'ompaiiy. whieli were ami
oably settled. This local union is
reported to be in first class eondi
lion, and one of the best local
unions in the State.*
X X X
Secretary .Morris reports that in
the last three months there ha\c
been twenty local unions organized
and reorganized in the Stat",
which lew :
- H.? VI. .Ill HH-il-.lM' OJ
over ;i thousand in t lie niciiil mts.1i i}
;ind says that President John
Mitchell and the National olheej-s
are very inueh impressed with the
improved conditions in West Vir
^inia.
x x x
II. I >. (Jill. Kiimi I*u;rh. It. K.
11 ill ami W. <i. Lamastiis. were in
in the eity from Ashcamp. Mon
day. ami stated that the local
union at that place was enjoying
prosperity and growing stronger
every day. Lsil>ur I >ay will !>e
celebrated under the auspices of
the Local. which has arranged I'm
< 'ontinuhI on I *a^o 1.
m Monday
:ITY TRADES ASSE
ORE MINER?
ST'LL IN
Outrages Against Justice
prctrated by Arme(
the Livery c
T!u' min??rs of 11u? Mrs-.iUa l!;iiipc
;iiv still 011 strike, su \ s tin* 1 >nl ail h
l?:il?or W orl?l. and t ho ln\st r\ i
deiu'c t li.it the inuii sirr out :iri?*os
from tho fart l hat tin* ShorilV, or
rii 1h o r 11 i lomporaiy siihortlinalo, |
lli*' I an plo>or\s l>otootivo assooia
lion, is ->til| i uiplo\ in^ dopntios t.n
proloot Ilio proporty of tho
Stool Trust. Till' uoinpaiiN lias
ollii'os in tin* Mosalia l?loo.k. ami all
soils of i in I u i mm m *n Is am lioinjj of
f.'ivil Io \ .iiiiii; iniMi to slum h lor a
ritloaiul hi*l|? ii^ht I In? Iiallli' of
l In* I rust.
Isn't it in11n v tlial <*\ i ry inothorVs
son will i-uisi* a trust wlii'ii 11?% is
olili^oil to pa \ 1110nopo!\ pi ii i s for
tin* things In' usi'S, ami \vlii*n t ho
trust is m Irouhli' thoro am a jjjooil
l\ portion of thorn whoiionot lios
ilato to roinr to its mliof.
Tin' iniia*is am t ho tilst, nvl?o have
11: i < i i, lit' f< Mirage t?? t|Uestioii tilt*
of tin* Sift-! ( 'or|mm;it ion t??
elaim :111 llif liehes in tin* niiiit-s of
Null lit Til M j II lit \M 11;|. lllt'N as I;
I'm a small share lor themselves,
:iih1 \v I it'll I lie\ tin so : i surprising
I n I:ii i^t' 11111111?t-r of wt'll meauiiif
people oppose them, I Hit*; i list' 1111* \
:i 11 11111 im 11 to maUe :l sat*rilift' w i I li
lilt* niiin'is who art' willing to
suri tMitlt i all lliry possess lor tlir
1 i nit' lit- inf, a :o I with the hope thai
p" 'fill \ al hast \n i 11 enjoy sonit'
til llit' 11 nits t?t l hoi r t>iVorls.
Il is 11111111111natf for thf mineis
til t t?111 -t Ihal lai-lors ha\f t' 1111 rt '< I
i 1111? their fon I fsl w 11 it-It a it' lit it in
affortl with pt > p 11 la r st'ii I i nif lit, I mt
that eamiol I if lifipfl. The\ art'
simply thf f I If ft lor whifh there
must I it- soiuf < alist'. Wht'ivvrr
t lit* if is a ra<liral nsstic ia t ion of
capital. siifh as is t rpreHe ntetl m
tin- I nitfil Stat.fs Steel corpora
t ion. there will also hf lot111.1 uifii
til' thf most. extreme thoughts lor
11 if s< t] ii tit hi t?l* t.lif la I ?t ir pi t 11 ilf m .
Thf sf t wti ft) together, .just as
tlti 111 \ 11r\ ami Nvaiit. I'lif i t'a?liiif
ol" a lU'Mspaprr, publishftl in a
ininiiif lot alit> is sullif ifnt 11> hear
t mt tm r coiitent ion. We read one.
inis week that eoi i v i nee? I us that
- <*?1 it? i was bordering rinse t<?
inutility. to his idea
e\ ei \ newspaper in .Minnesota
wliieh altempl d to in* fair, the
< fovei'iior o| this Slate, ami the
iiimiiIu-is ot his eoinfiiissioii were
either cnwanls or trimmers.
He a? 1\ ised a enat <?l tar ami
feathers tor strike leaders. He
lauded the man killing tlm^s ami
professional deleetives, the most
dati^i'ioiis of men in any community
as siiitnlile candidates for
angelic honois. It w :ls notieeal>Ie,
too, that not a word of criticism
was parsed upon the Steel Corporation
or its ol'lieials, who stand
jn^i as a cliaiicc lor hehij*
wioii^ a- do llii' others lie men
t ions.
There may lie some phases in the
miners >lrike which we can noL en <lorse,
hut as :i ^eneial proposition, ?
if our choice is to between the
Steel 'irn-t and the miners, we
slnili not permit ourselves to be
accused cowardice. simply he
oa u-e the so-eai icd i till 11? 111.i;11 ami
res peel a he- people of this
countiw are opposed to the W estern
1* e<lei at ion of M iners.
The miners are charged with
treason because a lew sorialists on
th Mes;;i?a Kan^i- parade on the
p. ehi^liwa\s iimler a red ban
in-; by the >ide of the St a is ami
Stripes. '! he union is not responsible
?.ri u hat the soeialists max
11 o. hut is tht- Steel Trust free
from the accuralion of treason far
more dangerous than the raising of
a re.l banner!
They speak about anarchy on
the Mevafa Ii in^'e. So far as we
have been able to ascertain, after
a careful -can-li through our die
tionarie-s. anaichy means disre
spect of the law. Ilavo the miners
shown any disposition to pro-!
Sept. 2nd!
IMBLY
> STRIKE
PROGRESS.
: and Society Daily Peri
Thugs Clothed in
if the State,
\i?ke law I ess n ess ami disordci'* No;
l ho real culprits, and tlio real
anarchists, are tlie paid tools of
the Steel Trust. temporarily cloth
cd with t he livery of t he State.
The trial of the miners at 11 iI>
l>inj? is the best ev idence of the
truth of this posit ion. The fact
developed in the* examination of
witnesses that it was the paid detectives
who were responsible for
w hatev or t rouble took place, and
these were lion citizens of Minno
sola, who aided as deputy sherilfs,
contrary to the laws ol this State;
and the assistant county attorney ,
in his zealous desire to cater to the
Steel i 'orporat ion, did his level
best to shield this flagrant viola
t ion of t he la w .
Over at Virginia a mm participant
in the strike, a foreigner who
could not understalid t he laneua^e,
was walking across the wide do
main of the Oliver Mining <'oin
puny, ami was stopped by a posse
ol deputies. lie could not under
stand them, nor could they appreciate
his explanation. They then
placed him under arrest-, ami
through his ignorance of what they
intended t?? do with him, he at
loin pled to run away. One of our
cowardly pence ollircrs, ?1?*|?nt i/? ? 1
I?v Sheriff bates, who ^cts the
\ oh-s of wurk in^mcn rvrry time
ho runs lor Sheriff, forthwith rais
oil his trusty ^iin, lired ami th?'
csea piman I>it, I lie d list? shot, in
the back. Ho today is stru^lin^
I iot wi'on I i Io and deal h .
Thosi' dojuitios wore placed al.
tholooation ol' tho Oliver Mining
Ooinpany to protoottho property.
This man was attempting to j^ct oil'
tho property. and while doin^ so
was shot by an expert man killer
ol' tho Stool Trust.
It. afterwards developed that, tho
uoumlod man was ^oin?^ to visit
his brother in law who lived on
the location. Those sacred pro
port y rights of the prosit Stool
Trust must bo preserved at.
any oust. What, is human life to
it.' It has been11ic so used to kill
iu?? men in tho mines, that it on
tortains no scruples about assassi
Hating them with its unscrupulous
h i re I in^s.
WORKING GIRLS
C A rDTTrrer rrvoe.
oiiv. jlmi 1v.1l jil wILL3
To Fight the "Open Shop" System
Of the New York Shirt
Manufacturers.
Thei r wjis :i ?1 ramat ie scene last.
Friday in Ne. w York at a mass
meet in^ nl' 1 .">00 girls em ployed us
shirtmakers, and who have been
locked out l?y t heir emplnveis to
compel them to work under the
"open shop" system, and it lie
in# a new union and having no
funds to give strike lienelits to
worthy members who may become
destitute, the orators made a
strong appeal for aid. A young
and pretty girl arose, and walking
up to t he speaker, said:
"Here, take my gold ring,
please, I cannot wear jewelry
while others around me may
starve."
4;Kut. liiv idrk" in..
or.itor. '\vnii may need tin* money
should the strike continue. You
iniiy want to pawn the ring your
sel IV'
' Oh. do please take it.'? urged
the girl. as she hurst into tears.
The siglit of the weeping girl ma le
the other girls in the hall hysterical.
and they threw watehes. hraeelets
ami other jewels into the hat
of the astonished speaker. The
jewelry will be converted into
money.
The Tabor Argus *?1 .tM> per year.
Kvery working man should rea l it.