Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-02-05
STRIKES.

Some of the coal-bank operators in this
region are determined to have their coal
dug independent Of the striking miners,
and to this end have enlisted several
squads of " colored troops" from Rich
mond, Va. Some of the mines in this
county are now being worked by cOlored
miners, who do not seem to be under the
rule and dictation of " unions" or any
thing Of that sort. Apprehending that
their lives might be threatened, or at
tempts made to intimidste them, they
have been furnished with firearms, and
as quite a number ofthem were solciers,
it is expected they will be able to lake
care of themselves. 1t is to be sincerely
hoped that no violence will be attempted
by any one, but that the existing diff
cHlties between the mine owners and the
miners will soon be adjusted satisfacto-
rily to both parties. No one, we pre-
sumo, will seriously question the right
of an employee to discontinue his serY-
ices to an employer, if not satisfied with
his compensation. He has the equal
right to fix the price upon his labor, with
the farmer to put a price upon his pro"
duee. and to refuse to sell it if not offered
a fair or sufficient equivalent. But there
are people who do not concede to NAL
contents the right to say that others who
nav desire to work, shall not do so un-
less at q compensation equal to tnat oe-
handed by themselves. Such dictatlon
is an infractioB Of one OF the highest IN
diyidual prerogatives-the natural rlgh'
To uss his hands at honest labor to earn
a livelihood. There are no doubt to DAY
men. women and helpless little children
in this valley suffering the pangs OF cold
and unger, because of the suspension
ofoperations al nearly all the coal mines
The injury is not limited to the miners
and their families, but takes in its hare
grasp the employees Of furnaces, rolling
mills, and other branches of manufac'
turing needing large supplies Of coal
Beside. the cost of fuel is necessarily in
/ creased to consumers, and is so u ex
ira tax imposed upon them.
Strikes may possibly be a "necessarl
evil" and an inevitable result of tn
friction between buyers and sellers. We
it would seem that where there are s
many and important interests depend
, emit upon the article Of coal, as is the cas-
in this great manufacturing district
some understanding should be arrive
: at wherein these unkind, wssteful an
: impoverishing contests between opera
! tors and operatives, which occur so fire
quently, and are often protracted TO tn
injury Of all, might be almost entirel
avoided. 1t is to be hoped that a sun
Gent number Of good men may be four
on both sides who will come together !
: a spirit of justice and fairness and see
to terminate a condition of things tn
must be, in no trifing degree, calam
'e tous to all more Immediately coneerne
The importation Of operatives fro.
abroad, however, to take the places
L the miners who have struck, would see
to indicate that in the opinion of al lea
y some Of the operators the time for cor
i promise had passed. The experime
of working the mines with the black
ID however may not prove practicable,
le though just why it should not, is n
i very apparent.