Not at all. "The burden of the
theme" was "more wages" would
bring more comfort, more education,
etc.
Far be it from us to wilfully underrate
the mental, moral or even spiritual capac
ity of the men of this region; but the fact
still confronts this argument ol the editor
of that paper, that men ol at least ordina
rily developed minds, whose capacities re
quire appropriate mental food, dig coal at
Elk Garden mines fur 50 cents per ton,
and earn from |3 to $3.60 per day. We
have personal knowledge of these facts,
and hence must consider our brothers
defence an exceedingly week one.
This means that these people dig
from six to seven tons of coal during
from ten to twelve hours of daylight.
Would it not be better for these men
to get the same pay for less sacrifice 7
What time have they outside the
mine for mental improvement or
the duties of citizenship 7
Again, the ministers of America, it
will be conceded, s re, as a class, more cul
tivated In the different 'acuities of mind,
and hence, according to the logic of our
contemporary, require more food, and if
food, more money to purchase the same;
and yet the average salary of the minister
In this country is only SSOO per year, per
month s4l}, per week about $lO, and per
day about $1.50. About the same show
ing can bo made for school teachers and
in other branches of life.
