The workingman's advocate., 1869-09-04


years Of age, and even youcger. ARE obliged
to work ten hsurs per day.
Mnch has been said about the miners
seeking to control The market. This ID The
miners statement when al the mines
are at work they can supply the market 10
about seven months. Last year 1000, 600
tons were required; this year the amount
required will be about $4,000, 900. Nov
they claim that it is much better for them
to work moderately oil the year, or at least
nine or ten months, than to glut the mar ket
in the spring, and then be Idle part Of the
year. Again, they think that it is far bet
ter to keep coal ut about SIS or So The ear
round, than to have the prices ranging from
"a to S15."
For years past the operators have com.
ueted with each other, and bulled'' the
market at the miners expense and at the
expense of the country. Now they propose
to stop this business and get control of the
market, or, il this cannos be done in everv
instance, at least to share their profits with
their employers Here seems to be the
trouble. The operators have no idea oi
being co 1tent with fair returns; and 70
share with their workmen is to them some
thing ridiculous. The sliding scale Of prices
works both ways, however for the men are
willing to mine cheaper when the prices fall
below a certain point.
Who, then, is responsible for The present
high price Of coal Unquestonably it il di-
vidcd between these three clssses
First. The great mining monopolies, the
managers Of which are not satisfied with q
fair profit ON the coal mined, but VINO bull''
the market in scores of ways.
Second. The transportation mOnOpoIies
the railroads and canals owned by these, the
small companies and the individual opera
tors, who, a rule, are fair and honorable
In their dealings with the men, would be
able 10 break the force Of speculative opera
tions aimed at the manufacturing and con
suming interests of the country.
At the very time when our great COM
mercisl centres are suffering on account Of q
short supply Of coal, and Che price is b9yc
forced to an outrageous 6gure, it is not "
usual for the railroads to cease freightins
the coal. Vast armies of railroad laborerl
are thus compelled to lie idle and directly
aid the swindlng operations. Transports.
tion tHiffs are increased cars are refused
70 the smaller companies outside of the ring
and all the machinery Of unscrupulous rail
road monopolies is thrown into the scale Il
force the psice of coal to a higher figure.
Third. The city spectators, who, to sal
the least, are not 0ver-scrupulous, take still
further advantage Of the needs Of the com
munity.
The miners themselves would prefer that
the price of coal should remain at five or 81,
dollars in New York the year round. II i
drops below the minimum price, the miners
cannot support their families, and they mus
quit work. On the other hand, they do no
desire that the price of coal should over ad
vance above the maximum figure here given
When coal sold at New York for $5 pei
ton, and at Port Carbon for So per ton, th,
wages in SchuylkiIl County was for minert
$l4 per week inside laborers, $l2 !; out
side laborers, $l1 per week. In Luzerne
miners receive SIC; inside laborers, $l4
outside laborers, $l1.50, and when prices
for coal advanced the miners demanded anC
have received twenty per cent. of said I'D.
vance. To illustrate II coal advanced e
$6 per ton at Port Carbon (Which it has mo-
yet done), the miners wages would then 81
$22 40 per week. 1t is mot the miners who
put up the price Of coal at Portt Carbon aDC
New York. They do not demand Tor receive
any advance Of wages until the coal is mineC
and sold, and the money in the pockets Of
the operators. Then they demand the twenty
per cent. Of the advance at which the Goa
was sold above the $5 or So fixed as thu
basis. But if the price of coal is reduced
their wages would be reduced without
murmur on their part.
Your committee would suggest that is 1
question whether government should no
take possession of the coal mines of thu
country, paying the present owners fail
valuation for the same, and run these mines
as the gold mines Of California have beer
run, in the interest Of the whole people
The reserve right to all the national wealth
Of the country should never pass out Of the
hands Of the people into the hands of lht
monopolists.
E. L. Rosemon, Stilman B. Pratt, SamE<
~ RlGk. John Siney, A. G. Cameron 90.
mittee.
The report was adopted and the Conven.
ton adjourned till to 2 PM.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
| A few minutes after two o'clock tie con
,vention was called to order, and the follow
/ ing business transacted
/ Mr.. Cameron, of Illinois, moved that tb'
report of the committe on Miners and Min
ers' laborers be adopted.
Mr.. Daley, of Ohio, asked why the min
| ers Of Ohio were now on a strike.
/ Mr.. Siney, Of Schuylkill, said be was no
aware that the men were now on a strike
/ There was a lock out in existence. Tn,
| Delaware and Hudson, and the Delaware
I LackawsnDa, and Western have not ye
complied with the request for a minimum
price for labor. The rest Of the men tha
have been at work have been supporting the
/ with themselves.
The report was then adopted.
Mr.. McCarty, Of Pennsylvania, from ths
committee on Obnoxious Laws, made t1e
following report:
WnEKEAs, There exists on the statute:
of the several States, enactments making il
a penal offence for the American mechanic
and laborer to combine for self-protec;ian
to secure his inaliensble rights, q lair DAYS
wages for fair days work and whereas,
such laws have been passed exclusively in
the interest and Tor the benefit of the capi-
talst, antsgonistic to the spirit Of American
liberty and whereas, there is no redress
for the mechanic or laborer in tie State oil
Pennsylvania to NIKE an appeal, if in his
judgment he thinks he is unjustly tried and
convicted under this tyrannical law there
fore,
Resolved, The workingmen Of %, United
States emphatically demand their uncon-
ditional appeal.
WM. j. CARTY,
1Hos. CULLINcToN,
WM. RAY
Agreed to.
Mr.. Kuhn, IN. Y. }, il behalf Of the New
York German Labor Union, offered the fol-
lowing:
Resolved, That it still be the duty OF each
labor organization to reply quIrterly to the
following questions
l. The names Of the labor union.
g. The number Of their members
8. How many are their usual hot-s--ci
daily labOrP
4 WHAT is the usual amount Of tie er
wsges?
g. What is the average Of their cost Of