The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-19

the Schuyiklll county operators had the entire
market to themselves they could afford to pay the
wages. The public and the miners and operators
of the other regions were the only sufferers. After
five months of idleness in the other regions, when
the depletion of the supply had increased prices to
a high rate, and it was evident that Schuylkll
other districts, both the Lehlgh and wyoming
regions rg resumed work|the former ,p upon the
large companies in the latter ito9 basis, but at
q rate of wages far greater than had been origin
ally asked. During The few weeks of the close of
the season of 1862 when all the regions were pro-
ducing, IL became evident that the price of coal
could not and ought not be sustained at such rate
would enable the operators in all the coal fields
to pay the wages which those of one could pay
when the others were idle and accordingly, in the
winter of 1o69-70, new basis was asked for by the
operators of Schuykll county, which would en-
able them to produce coal as low 81 20 and 81 90
apsvoart ap thy rssnt vas TIE ons
strike of 1870 which kept the Schuylkill region
idle for twenty weeks. Lehigh and Wyoming CON
tinued at work in 1870; and In consequence of the
large amount of Schuylkill coal kept out of the
market the operators of the other region realized
high prices, and able to pay the high rate of
wages-the only sufferers being the public, as in
1869, and the operators, workmen and carrying
companies of the Schuylkill region. In the latter
Association agreed to a modification of their de-
mands; and in the Schuylkill region work was re-
sumed on the first of August, 1870, at what has so
frequently been alluded to in the course of this
investigation as the "Gowen Compromise" which,
while 1t adopted the same rate of wages at SO as
was paid the previous year at SO, permitted the
rate TO decrease in the same proportion as IL ad-
Vanced, and established the minimum at 81; so that
when coal sold for so at Port Carbon the workmen
received thirty three per cent. less wages than
when it sold for SO; and when S4 per ton at Port
Carbon was realized by the operator the workmen
got an advance of thirty-three per cent above what
he was entitled to at SO. Under this new basis,
work was continued in Schuylkill county during
the remaining five months of 1870, and the amount
of coal then sent to market, in addition to what
was mined in the Lehigh and Wyoming fields, was
such that prices fell to 80 % and 80 so per ton at
Port Carbon. AS this "Gowen Compromise" was
only to last during the season of 1870, it became
md in ha
month of November last the regular committees of
the Workingmen's Benevolent Association and
1871, which was entirely satisfactory to both par
ties, and which has been called the 80 30 basis.
You will remember that during the whole of 1870
the three large mining companies of the upper
wyoming region had been paying the exorbitant
% tgs cam for 1o fasneT m
to all of you that at this rate of wages the coal of
these three companies was costing them more than
they could realize for 1t during the months of Octo-
ber and November last Accordingly, they
nounced a reduction of wages to take effect on
December 1; and though this reduction was not
greater than was required to make the rate about
equal to what other men in adjoining collieries
and on the first of December. 1S70 they struck and
now desire to call your particular attention to
the fact-which is undlsputed-that at this time
there was no difficulty whatever existing between
the Workingmen's Benevolent Association and
Schuylkil, Lehigh, or Lower Wyoming districts.
In the Schuylkill region the men were working
uDuer tDo "GOWen compromise" which was to
continue during the year 1870, and their represen
tatives had agreed with their employers in recon-
mending the adoption of the So 80 basis for 1871.
In the Lehigh and Lower Wyoming coal-ields
intimaton had beer given by either side of an in
tenton to change the basis under which the
general suspension was ordered by the Working
mems Benevolent Association to take place
January TO- 1877 and this order was literally obeyed.
The object of this suspension, stated by the
officers of the Workingmen's Benevolent Associa-
ton, and published in their organ, the Anthracite
wa IN Ia ms nt
supply and advance the price of coal; and there
can be no doubt that 1t was resorted to- in the first
instance to assist the of the three large mining
companies who had been upon strike since the
first of December. and who could not hope to hold
if the coal market was being supplied from other
regions. l presume that the consideration to be
given by these of the three companies for this
assistance was an absolute adhesion to the Work
ingmens Benevolent Association, and obedience to
upon the basis. The suspension, therefore, be-
came general in all the districts on January 10TH
On On the 1Sth Of February, the General COUNCIL Of
a resumption of work; but this order was accom-
panied by claim in the Upper Wyoming districts
for the high wages of 1870, and in the Schuylkill
region it had been preceded by demand for the
old S3 minimum basis. These demands were not
acceded to, and the suspension still continues.
have thus gone over two years of alternate sus.
pensions and strikes, by which, occasionally, the
workingmen of one region would realize exorbitant
wages but always at the expense of their suffering
brethren of another who were kept in idleness by
their own actions. Out OF the last twenty-five
per Wyoming districts have been idle for nine
months-and those of the Lehigh region have been
idle for eight months-and yet, with moderate wages
and low prices for COAL they could have had steady
employment.
Let me now ask what has been the effect of this
control of the coal trade so reenlessly exercised
by the Workingmen's Benevolent Association dur
ing the last two years; mean its effect upon others
than themselves-upOn the operators, upon the rail-
road companies, upon the coal trade, upon the iron
interests and upon the State?
Before entering, however, upon this subject, de-
ire IN fauU Dnrda in nall Of al
tors. do not mean in behalf of the out of the
five hundred who has appeared here as the especial
champion OF the workingmen, but on behalf of the
remaining four hundred and ninety-nine whom the
referred to has characterized out of his choice
vocabulary of abuse, as 'lying thieves and scala
wag operators" will take Mr.. Kendrick as an ex-
ample. He commenced life as a laborer in the
mines, became a miner, worked for twenty years
as such, was made superintendent saved out of
his hard earnings enough to enable him to possess
colliery of his own, and now, when we'll ad Tanc ed
in life, he finds the accumulated earnings of long
years of toll threatened with destruction, and him
self held up to ignominy and reproach, because in
this free country he has had the courage to resist
the fierce tide Of agrarianism that has threatened
to reduce him to beggary, and TO run riot
with the property which his own patient industry
and toll have enabled him to lay up for old age.
You must remember, gentlemen, that in the effect
of these suspensions upon the two classes of men,
employer and employed, there Is wide difference.
The miner or laborer, II he does not choose to
locality; but the employer is bound to his coiery,
all his property is there invested, and upon the sue
of the enterprise depends not only his subsist
ence, but that which to some men Is dearer than
life tself-his character for commercial integrity.
The miner has no money invested in the coal 6usi-
ness. The operator may have two hundred thou
sand dollars expended at one cOliery. He may
have notes to pay and contracts for the delivery of
coal to comply WITH all of these he meet II he
is permitted TO work his mines His employees may
be anxious to work for him, and may be entirely
satisfied with the wages but the grasp of the Work
iDgmen's Benevolent Association is around their
thTOats the decree goes forth that there must be
general suspension. The poor laborer well knews