A Victim of the Labor Trust.
THE following letter recently received illustrates the fact that despotism is not all on one side in the conflict between labor and capital; and the “trust” evil is not confined to the side of wealth. There is a “labor trust” among the other numerous combines of this character, and the tyranny of this trust is quite as marked as in the trusts controlled by wealth:— “EDITOR AMERICAN SENTINEL: I was mining coal a year ago, and as crop time came on I rented some corn ground near the coal mine, about twelve miles from home and went back and forth every week; therefore I took no change of clothes. The miners’ federation had a rule that if any one died each miner would have to go to the funeral or be fined one dollar. Instead of checking off the dollar they came to me and wanted me to sign a contract that I would sanction the rules of the federation. I told them that their rule was wrong, that it would be taking my rights away from me; that they could check off the dollar if they wanted to as a fine, but I would not sign the contract. “Matters went along thus for about two weeks. The coal company said they would see that I got work; but when they saw that to keep me they might have to close the mine, they let me go. The miners said they would not bear with me any longer. “Now as the miners are organized all over the United States, I have not the privilege of working in the mines. The labor trust is a power in the earth. “The Constitution says that every man is created with equal right to life, liberty and happiness; but we see that the principles of free government are being repudiated by the people. “Farnsworth, Ind., March 12.