The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-19
THE MINERS STRIKE.


IT is fortunate for the public that jealousies and
antagonisms exist between the various anthra-
cite coal regions of Pennsylvania. They are all
disposed to enhance the price of coal as much as
possible and they are well satisfied that the best
plan of attaining this end in the present state of
the trade is to suspend operations for one or two
months every year, so as to prevent glut in the
market. But their chief difficulty arises from
their mutual bad faith and the apparent impos-
sibility of securing a universal suspension of
mining operations. A few years ago there was
a very general strike in the Lackawanna region,
but at that time the operators and operatives of
the Schuylkill region, instead of cooperating in
this movement, improved the golden opportu-
nifty, and kept busily at work, thus realizing the
full advantage of the enhanced prices caused by
the idleness of their northern neighbors. Last
year the Schuylkill region began the strike,
maintained it for several months and induced
the Lehigh region to participate in it for short
period, but the numerous efforts to entangle the
Lackawanna region proved fruitless, and
it reaped the full benefit of increased
prices of coal without suffering any of
the loss and inconvenience resulting from
temporary cessation of operations. Lacka-
wanna having repaid Schuylkill by "a Roland
for an Oliver" preparations were made for
combined raid upon the public this spring and
summer, in the belief that the whole army of
coal miners would abandon their usual pursuit
at or about the same moment journal pub
lshed in the heart of the coal region announces
that they supposed they had 'formed a perfect
compact union, and it was agreed among them
that they would in all of the regions suspend
operations for at least two weeks, and longer if
it should be deemed necessary But the same
m ~, III
declares that ''at the eleventh hour the Hyde
Park miners in the employ of the Delaware,
Lackawanna and Western Coal Company, who
are members of the Miners Union, voted unani-
| mously not to suspend" and it proceeds to de-
| nounce the recusants in round terms for what it
| calls ''mean, contemplate, dishonoTable con-
| duct"
Coal consumers will take a very different view
| OF this subject, and hail with pleasure rather
than Indignation the dissensions which will avert,
| 10 considerable degree the threatened danger
OF eNtortlonate prices. The public have
Deeh Ncumized so often by combinations
that produced real or pretended scarcity of the
fuel which has become n necessity of modern
NE, that u mas little sympathy for the sorrows
depiored by the organs of the miners.
|
JIMMY HAGGERTY's COUNSEL suddenly mani
tested, yesterday, an intense desire to have his
case brought to trial, for which Mr.. Haoert tbe
Assistant District Attorney accounted Inv init.
mating that some of the Commonwealth wit.
nesses were tout of town" To-morrow wa.
fixed, however, and If all the witnesses are tber
on hand, the case will be called up. w,
need not assure Messrs. Sheppard and Hager
that the eyes of the community are upon them
and that by the display of promptness and yea
in this case they will materially increase IN,
high estimation in which they are both iustl,
held by the community, without any regard /;
party lines or affiliations. Let Haggerty be driver
to the wall now that he is in the hands of Jus
tice. Not until specimen of this class of high
handed and defiant desperadoes is securel
their outrages.