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The successful efforts that have been made in the past several weeks by the STAR and others to induce the Company to give employment in the mines to native Americans and foreign born citizens, instead of new foreigners, gives the Bonne Terre Register much pain.
It is indeed a spectacle for Gods and men when this oriflammed courtezan, maintained for years by the Company, flaunts its shame in the face of the community in a loud protest against the employment of our home people in the mines. If the Register had to depend on the patronage of the people of Bonne Terre, the action of the union men at different times indicate where it would stand. If the Register had to depend on the patronage of the business people of Bonne Terre, its advertising columns indicate a speedy trip to the scrap heap. Under these circumstances it is perhaps not remarkable that the Register objects to the working men and business people prospering through the only possible avenue, that of getting the mines to employ the idle Americans and foreign born citizens, instead of the newly arrived foreigner who has no interests here, does not patronize the stores and does not buy property.
Two weeks ago the STAR desired to get the names of all men out of jobs who would work underground. The circumstances were that there had been an understanding among higher officials that the American men would not shovel. The STAR maintained that the men would shovel if given the chance. Following the lamentable Ames affair the question of getting matters in better shape was taken up with Messrs. Bilharz and Adami and without going into long details it was understood that the men laid off by the close of Shafts 7 and 2 were to be given places, and dating from that date, at least Americans have been steadily put to work until there are very few if any men now out of jobs who will work underground. The STAR desired to find out the names of the men, if any, who did not get jobs, who ever they were, whether friends of ours or not. It was, and is, a matter of community benefit that all who will work have the opportunity. As has been repeatedly stated, Messrs. Bilharz and Adami have no favorites, no axes to grind, every worker stands on his own individuality, and these officials are only anxious to do everything in their power to insure community well being, and the well being of their employees, as has been demonstrated to every one in the re-employment of the men, and in every other situation that has been presented to these officials.
Everyone is perfectly aware that the Register is sore about the circumstances that brought Messrs. Bilharz and Adami here, but changes were found to be necessary or the company and the community would have been on the rocks. We do not care to go into a discussion covering the reasons for this condition in the Company affairs, the present situation is [what] vitally concerns the STAR and the community and the present situation is that these officials are here, they bear unexcelled reputations as men of community spirit, fairness to their men, honesty of purpose, and efficiency in their duties and the present best policy is to co-operate with them in their endeavor to keep the local plant on a paying basis, which can be helped by cordial efforts to promote good feeling among the working forces instead of the strife for which the Register so prominently stands. There is some consolation in the knowledge that the Register does not stand sufficiently high in the estimation of the men of the business community that the vaporings of its disappointment will have any effect on the situation.
If the Register could point to any record of service to the community, if it could point to any attempt to secure work for our citizens out of work, if it could point to a single instance of attempted service by bringing men and officials to a better understanding on a basis of fairness to all, if it were not recognized that in every situation the Register has been against the men in the mines, and against every individual and business that did not approve its policy of slander and hypocracy, then it might serve some useful purpose.
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