Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 7, No. 4, Ed. 1 Saturday, July 11, 1914 Page: 4 of 4
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THE OKLAHOMA LABOR UNIT
LETTERS FROM OUR READERS.
To the Fanners and laborer# of Ok-
lahoma:
Gentlemen: That the people are
disHatinfleti with the manner in which
they are governed is nelf-evldent.
This diMHatiafaction arises because
the voters neglect to go to the pri-
maries to select those who are to be
voted upon at the general election,
thus failing to perform their duties
as citizens. When the farmer and lab-
orer neglects to go to the polls at the
primary they are called upon to
choose between two parasites for the
legislative bodies at the general elec-
tion, and It matters not which para-
site wins at the primary the farmer
and laborer loses fri case either if
elected at the November electiou
Unless you select from among the
various aspirants for office one who
is financially, morally and politically
Interested In the same things in
which you are interested you will be
misrepresented in the law-making
bodies of the state and nation
Hpeclal interests ure planning to
take away the remaining twenty per-
cent of your earnings and you may
be assured that they know that their
representatives are right, so why not
look to your Interests with the same
cure and zeal that they look after
their own interests. s
With a lawyer for governor, a law-
yer Tn the legislature and lawyers
on the bench, is It any wonder that
we have so much law and so llttfe
government?
There are but two political policies,
the Democratic and the Plutocratic.
The plutocrats present a solid front
in opposition to their friends, the
democrats. It can hardly be denied
that the workers who are the demo-
crats are the friends of the plutocrats
us they support them and permit the
plutocrats to live on the results of
their labors. The democrats are di
vided and present a divided oppos-
ing force to the plutocrats and are
too often officered by those who claim
to be friends of democracy but whose
practices are plutocratic. The pro-
ducer and laborer should get togeth-
er and eliminate the parasites who
practice extortion upon both produc-
er and laborer. We should establish
a marketing system which will elim-
inate the wholesaler, retailer and
commission merchant and banker.
We should have a reciprocal market
and a reciprocal guaranter of credits.
tat every farmer and laborer for-
get partisanship and vote his citizen-
ship. Vote for your wife, your chil-
dren and yourself by supporting the
man who most nearly represents
your interests. Above all don't for-
get or neglect to vote as it Ib a duty
not to be safely disregarded. He-
member thai in union there is
strength and before you vote find
out how your legislative committee
have decided and act accordingly.
I am going to ask that every labor-'
lug man vote to kill that constitution-
al amendment which reduces the tax-
ing powers of the state from 3% mills
to 2% mills. Why? Because our
state Is In debt and unless we have
the power to levy taxes to pay that
debt the Interest will eat us up In
another generation. The annual in
terest Ib about $350,000.00, and unless 1
the principal l£" reduced we will be
supporting a lot of bankers and brok
ers who consume much and produce
nothing.
If the constitution changes our leg
isture we must see to it that our own
class is amply represented. It would
be well to arrange so that our repre
sentatives could board and room
where they would nave easy access
one to another and have full repre-
sentation upon important committees.
Mr. Farmer and Laborer, If you
want to enjoy the fruits of your labor
go to the primaries and vote for your
own interests, but if the only right
you care to enjoy is the right to pay
the bills of the parasitic element,
then neglect your duties as a citizen
and they will do the rest.
Yours for a good government prop
erly administrated, 1 rtm,
OWSLEY LONERGAN.
ltoute 1, Pawnee.
KEY EXPOSES COAL TRUST WITH
COPY OF OPERATORS AGREEMENT
Recent Colorado Scene Would Have
Enacted in Oklahoma if it Had Not
Been for Busby's Refusal to Sign
"Open Shop" Agreement.
Been
Thomas E. Kirby
Democrat,
For Court Clerk.
Remember this is the same office
which I now hold—only it has been
consolidated with the Clerk of the
County Court and now bears the
title of Court Clerk.
I am running on my record in
this office. I will let the voters say
whether or not I have made good.
— (Pol. Adv.)
H. NEEDHAM
Candidate for
Chief Mine Inspector
of Oklahoma
Subject to tKe Action of the Demo-
cratic Primary, August 4th, 1914.
I have been a miner for about forty
years, having begun as a trapper in
the mines of Pennsylvania when I
was only twelve years old, and have
served in every capacity from trap-
per boy to superintendent of mines.
I have been in active work of open-
ing, constructing and managing mines
in eastern Oklahoma. I am well in-
formed of the state of mines and the
conditions of mining in this field and
have carefully studied every mine in
operation here for the purpose of
mastering my life worw. Of the hun-
dred and odd mines, in eastern Okla
homa fields, only nine were in oper-
ation when i came here, and i am
thoroughly familiar with the meth-
ods, the difficulties and the whole
work of opening and operating all the
others.
I know the laws in force relative
to mining, their defects, their dangers
and what Is needed to improve them
and protect life and property In the
future.
The general purpose of the office
of Chief Mine Inspector Is to con-
duct In behalf of the public welfare,
fundamental inquiries, and investiga-
tions into the mining industry of the
state. The two phases of the indus
try of our state concern are safety
and efficiency—safeguarding the lives
of our miners, and insuring the most
efficient and least wasteful develop
ment and use of our mineral re
sources. ,
These inquiries and investigations
are national in scope as well as for
the state; not contemplating the safe
guarding of the life of the individual
miner, nor the promotion of the in
terest of the individual mine owner,
or operator, but seek the develop-
ment of methods that will increase
the safety of all miners and will pro
mote the upbuilding,and permanence
of the whole mineral industry.
Yet, although the advancement of
the public welfare is the primary pur
pose of the office, it Ib obvious that
broad, fundamental inquiries and re
searches cannot fail to confer bene
fits on the individual miner and the
individual mine owner, hence the
function of the state mine Inspection
may be defined as the conducting in
quiries and investigations that have
for its purpose the improvement of
health conditions; and the increase
of safety, efficiency and economic de-
velopment of the mining industry ot
the state. Hut so far this Important
office has been a failure.
The general Improvement of our
mines can only be brought about by ,
u combination of causes, the principle j
of which must be more efficient and
effective mine inspection on the part
of the state mining department, sup
plemented by sobriety, greater care
on the part of both the operators and
miners. The investigative and edu-
cational work of the National Bureau
of Mines has kept btoh the operator
and miner alive to the various dan-
gers connected with coal mining and
has shown what precautions should
be taken to avoid these dangers. But
our mining department has not had
time to study the benefits that may
be derived from these precautions.
A Chief Mine Inspector ought to
have a thorougn knowledge of the na-
ture of coal dust explosions, and the
accompanying phenomena. This is
necessary in order to devise means
for the prevention of such explosions,
and for the arrest, or rather, the stop !
page of explosions if by mischance
explosions start, it is therefore nec
essary to know how coal dust ignites
and the various means by which it
may ignite, or become inflamed, the
chemical processes that take place.
; the circumstances under which an in-
flation becomes a true explosion, and
whether detonation sometimes takes
place. As a miner I have a practical
knowledge of the natural laws under
lying ignitions and explosions, and on
these grounds 1 respectfully ask your
support. (Pol, Adv.)
.T H. NEEDHAM.
From the Pren Dispatches:
By far the niOKt sensational evidence
reganlinx the alleged Oklahoma coal
tru*t .h sprung at Sulphur. Okla., when
Oeorfi i Ke) candidate for attorney
general, read th * substance of a supple*
mental agreement of the Oklahoma ■ oal
operators In the form of a duplicate
copy of the original agreement. Mr.
K -y declared that the coal operators
wi-rt- using *-fforts an<l mone> to
defeat ti I ti i and gave this as his
reason for making public this dam-
aging evidence in advance of an op-
portunity to present It in court. Mr.
Key said:
I charged that a coal trust e*tste<l
A suit {lending before the district
court ;it Chickasha and information
before the corporation commission of
<'klahoni.i charge the aame thing H
I am elected 1 must prosecute these
cases and I have already guaranteed
that It will please me to do so. be-
cause I regard the form and char-
acter of this monopoly as the most
able <.f which 1 Know.
desplc
I hi
ment
e here a copy of an agree-
entered Into by and between
the members of the Southwestern
Coat Operators for the purpose < f
opening their mines on the open shop
basis." This Is an extensive gre*
ment which It is not necessary to
read in full. There are fourteen sec-
tions drafted by attorneys for the
Coal operators Aaoclation. The pre-
amble states the mine operators there-
bv combine against the United Mine
Workers of America in an agreement
not t« concede to the terms of the
witke proposal pending at that time.
Beet Ion 1 begins: "The consideration
of this agreement shall be the re-
spective covenants and agreements
herein contained ami the sum of one
■ |1> dollar by each party hereto to
the other paid," etc.
Section II divides the operators
Into class A ami class B.
Section IN pledges each part> to
the agreement to operate his mines
on the open shop p'an and ' that he will
not pa\ any higher scale of wages
than the wage scale in effect March
fUst. 1! 10." , ,
Section IV provides that "the com-
mittee shall proceed In their discre-
tion to procure a supply of miners
and laborers to operate and work
the mines of the operators of Class A
on tin- open shop plan and to fan-
all necessary and proper steps and
make all necessary provisions for the
safetv and protection of such miners
rind laborers and their property while
going to and from and engaged in
such work."
Section V binds the committee to
supplv such labor as It may be able
to secure to the operators In Class
A "or any of them as the committee
shall deem best until all the mines in
• 'hiss A shall have an adequate sup-
p'v of labor."
Now section VI Is more important
than the foregoing sections because
It Is the very embodiment of the
trust proposition. After agreeing
that the operators of class A shall
I i as designated In the fore?
going sections, it says: "such op-
erators shall retain as compensation
from the return of such mine or
nines a royalty of 10c per ton of
mine run coal upon ? 11 coal mine®
therefrom and also of cost of run-
ning and operating said mines less
the equivalent or cost of maintaining
said mines If. or when shut down.'
Section VII provides that the com-
mittee shall have access to all book"
and tl 4t the operators of class J
shall be liable for any amount that
the committee sees fit to demand,
the receipts of the committee from
such sources shall be Insufficient to
defrav all exnenses thereunder."
Sections VIII. IX and X define the
powers "f the committee in such
manner as to convey absolute pro-
prietorship
In section XI the committee agrees
that it \sMllperformMts^^
UNION PRINTER
E. B. Howard
CANDIDATE FOR
DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION FOR
STATE AUDITOR.
Do you know anyone better fitted
to handle the affairs of State Auditor
than E. B. Howard? Every voter
should avail himself of the opportunity
or investigating and selecting the moat
capable man for the office. By an in-
vestigation of the record of Mr. How-
ard it will be found that he is capable,
sincere, honest and earnest in his
the agreement" and that should a
vacancy occur on the committee it Is
to be rilled by appointment of sev-
enty-five per cent of the output ton-
nage of the operators represented on
said Kxhlblt A (Exhibit A is sup-
posed to be a list of the members of
the Southwestern Coal Operators' As-
sociation. )
Section XII obligates the operator
In c'ass H to "pay the committee
for the benefits of operators in class
A a sum equal to 20c per ton on his
output tonnage, as and for liquidated
damages" by reason of a breach of
this agreement.
Sections XIII and XIV provide for
a means by which this contract may
be terminated and stipulates that it
shall not be necessary that the oi>-
uors each sign the same copy, but
that they iiih\ sign separate copers
"and that all copies of this agree-
ment signed by any one or more of
the parties shall be held and consid-
ered as constituting one agreement. "
I ask Mr. W. K. Beaty. the lobby-
ist and spokesman of the operators,
if this contract was not presented at
the operators' Kansas City conven-
tion in 1910 In his three columns
of purchased space In the oklahoman
of June 20. 1914. marked political
advertising, he wastes tears upon
the cause of the mine laborer I
demand of him to tell the people of
this state whether or not his name
was one of the first to be attached
to this agreement. Will Mr. J O.
IMiterhaugh, who heads the McAlester
Fuel Company, and who used a half-
page In the McAlester News-Capital
on June 23. 1914 to deny what I said
about the coal trust and to charge
me with demagogery, deny that he
Mi-ftded this committee if live that
operated and practically owned for
the consideration of one dollar every
mine In the Oklahoma coal Held. I
ask both of them If they will in-
clude in the literature that they and
their hirelings are sending broadcast
over the state the name of the at
torney who drew this contract and
the name of the coal operators com-
mittee who employed him to draft It.
I have not time to take up all of
the things that I know aliout the
coal trust in one speech. I am simply
giving just a few salient points that
the people of the state may under-
stand why the coal operators and
newspapers that they control 'are
righting because I had the temerity
to charge that a coal trust existed.
I want the people of the state to
know their methods as revealed tn
this Kansas City agreement. I want
the people to know that they give
this committee unlimited power to
employ guards and hirelings to en-
force the open shop proposition n
oklahoma. I want the people to
know that but for the better judg-
ment and sterling manhood of the
late William O. Busby the scene in
Colorado that has appalled the nation
might have been enacted in Oklaho-
ma In 1910
It has not been my Intention to de-
vote any more attention to the coal
mine situation in Oklahoma than
many other propositions that are
equally important In so far as the
attitude of the next attorney general
Is concerned.
1 am not making a one-ldead cam-
paign and primarily 1 am guarantee-
ing if elected to enforce every law
on the statute hooks of oklahoma In
so far as it is within the province
of the attorney general. Parentheti-
cally. 1 might say that an opponent
of mine, who presumes to be running
on a one-ldead platform, quotes me
as saying that I mean to enforce the
laws In a "safe and sane" manner-
Inasmuch as he claims however, that
those opposed to my policy should
\ ote for him. It is but natural to
Infer that he guarantees to enforce
the law in an "unsafe and Insane
manner,M which is probably true as
far as the ordinary judgment of the
Political Adv
work as a public servant for the
people of Oklahoma, particularly as
a member of the present State Board
of Affairs. Both as a private citizen
atrd as a public official he has ever
been true to the interests of Organ-
ized Labor.
For the benefit of those union men
in Oklahoma who do not know him
personally it will be well, possibly to
state that in the year 1890, at the age
of 18, he became a member of the In-
ternational Typographical union and
was a delegate to the international
body at the convention held in Detroit
in 1899. During the years of 1899-1900
he was Secretary of the Missouri State
Federation of Labor. He is a Ken-
tuckian by birth.
Mr. Howard applies honesty, ener-
gy and the practice of economy in
every detail as a public official and
always fights with tenacity for what
he believes to be right. One instance,
called to mind, is his vote and state-
ments backing up his vote, in the
letting of the printing contract for the
Oklahoma Code. This work was let
to the Pioneer Printing Co., of St.
Paul, an out of state printing concern,
the bid being $14,950. Mr. Howard
favored this work being done in Okla-
homa and so voted.
Union men should majce an inves-
tigation of these matters and in so
doing will find that Mr. Howard will
stand the acid test. Vote for him and
be assured of having a loyal friend at
court. (Pol. Adv.)
POLITICAL AmOHCEMEITS
We are authorized to announce
j. j. Mcalester
as a candidate ft>r President Board
of Agriculture of Oklahoma, subject
to the decision of the democratic pri-
mary, August 4, 1914.
We are authorized to announce
A. T. EARLY
as a candidate for the office of County
Judge of Oklahoma County subject
to the decision of the democratic pri-
mary, August 4, 1914.
Myron Pyle
Democratic Candidate for.
County Judge
O. L. PRICE
Democratic Candidate for
County Judge
OF OKLAHOMA COUNTY
We are authorized to announce
HARRY HICKEY
as a candidate for the office of Sher-
iff of Oklahoma County, subject to the
Democratic primary.
Vote For
JAMES W. PICKENS
as a candidate for the office of As-
sessor of Oklahoma County, subject
to the Democratic primary, August
4th, 1914.
We are authorized to announce
GEO. BAKER
as a candidate for re-election to the
office of County Treasurer of Okla-
homa County, subject to the decision
of the Democratic primary Aug. 4tli,
1914.
We are authorized to announce
GEO. A. MATLACK
as a candidate for the office of County I
Attorney of Oklahoma County, sub- I
ject to the decision of the Democratic
primary, August 4th, 1914.
MRS. ANNA BURKS LOVE
Democratic Candidate for
Re-election
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF
SCHOOLS
?
I hereby announce myself a candi-
date for the office of County Clerk of
Oklahoma County, subject to the
Democratic primary of August 4th,
1914. This is the consolidated office
A County Clerk and Register of
Deeds. M. CORNELIUS.
EDWARD DEWES OLDFIELD
announces his candidacy for Judge
of the District Court of the Thirteenth
Judicial District comprising Oklaho-
ma and Canadian counties, subject to
the Republican Primary, August 4,
1914.
(Three candidates to be nomi-
nated.)
WAGE SCALE APPROVED.
Des Moines, la., July 10.—Members
of the United Mine Workers' union
in this district have endorsed the new
wage agreement drawn up at the re-
cent joint conference in this city, and
peace In the Iowa coal fields is as-
, sured for the next two years. A num-
. her of inequalities . have been ad-
I justed.
Thor Motorcycle Co.
1 lO West Second St
Oklahoma City
I
AGENTS FOR THE CELEBRATED
Thor Motorcycles
All Models Carried in Stock
We do repairing and carry a full line of repair*
THE MOTORCYCLE THAT MADE ITS WAV
BY THE WAY ITS MADE
Geo. Baker
Democratic Candidate
For County Treasurer
I want your support, believing
one good turn deserves another
(Pol. Adv.)
STANDARD ENG. 00.
—mjh~
r~b
dn
— MOVCO TO
5 W.GRAND AVE.
Best Equipped Ptar\t
irv tKe 6outK\iJe.st
OKLAHOMA CITY
HE OKLAHOMA
WHEN ATTHE GROCERS
ASK FOR
Acme Flour
• BECAUSE IT IS
ALWAYS GOOD: BESIDES
IT IS MADE IN OKLAHOMA
ONE GROCER IN EVERY
TOWN SELLS IT
OONT FORGET
Acme Milling Co.
Flours of Quality
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA.
A?
Wal.
use THe UNION LABEL ON EVERYTHING
CANDIDATES
Write or phone us
for prices on your
campaign printing
Our facilities enable us to do
printing a little better and cheap-
er than others. We make a spec-
ialty of Placards, Posters, An-
nouncements and Cards.
5,000, $ 5.00
10,000, 9.00
25,000, 20.00
PRINTERS PUBLISHING CO.
CORNER MAIN AND HARVEY OKLAHOMA CUT
10c
THE
10c
LYRIC
Phone W. 496
Five Big Hippodrome Acts.
Four Reels of Moving Pic
tures, and Illustrated Songs,
Continuous Program.
ALWAYS'
TEN CENTS
Dr. Geo. W. Bowling
DENTIST
Ancient Irish Words
The three most ancient words in the
Irish language, it is said, are Tor, a
tower; Cir, a hound, and Bo, a cow.
EXAMINE OUR DENTAL WORK
as carefully as possible and if you
are a judge of
GOOD DENTISTRY
you will pronounce it above criticism.
We "know how" and we use only the
Best materials that will make every
job lastingly satisfactory.
Make an appointment with us.
132 1-2 W. Main Street
OKLAHOMA CITY
Who are your friends?
Mr. Laboring vian - is'n't it the firm — who
makes your dollar do the most buying - we claim
to be — and ask you in our store to prove it to you.
Our stock is in the best of sluipe now - and we can
please you.
"The Peoples Favorite Store".
DOC & BILL
THE HOUSE FURNISHERS
Caah or Payments
108 W. Grand Phone W 260
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Zeigler, C. C. Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 7, No. 4, Ed. 1 Saturday, July 11, 1914, newspaper, July 11, 1914; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc157208/m1/4/: accessed March 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.