Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1875-04-11
THE TROUBLE IN THE COAL
MIN ~.

16uusyIVHni8 bTo tuo iiVSS S0Asous
that have occurred for years. Fol
weeks our press dispatches have been
teeming with accounts of the riotous
Il p~rncsedings Of the miners of that sec.
ton and X correct reports have been
.uiveh, the movement has assumed an
importsnee almost sufficient to be
!. tsn96d,, e revolution. But doubtless,
: sstated in our dispatches to-day, the
acceunts have been exaggerated. A
committee of prominent men, repre-
senting both citizens and miners, have
assured Governor Hartranft that the
reports Of the troubles have been ove
drawn, and promise, in case of the
withdrawal of the military, to aid the
civil authorities in maintaining order.
Allowing, however, for a reasonable
anount Of sensational coloring, still
tho matter is serious enough to affect
all the leading industries in the East
which depend upon coal consumption.
The Merchant aud Banker, q leading
business Journal OF New York, and al
though perhaps . little prone to view
such subjects from the side of capital,
generally y fair commentator, has the
following article upon the causes and
probable effects of the movement:
1.-THE leading companies no long
since were compelled to reduce the
price Of coal, the better to adjust their
business to the stagnation in the great
iron and other manufacturing indus
tries. Heving large stocks on hand.
with but little demand, they partially
4 ceased. work in order to let their sur
plus work off. This was followed by a
resolve to reduce miners and labor
ers' wages 10 per cent. On January l,
1875, notice of this reduction was given
1t the mines, aud the next day q gen
eral strike took place, the men refusing
to accept the reduction. Galleries
which were closed then have remained
closed W since, while those in which
the miners resolved to continue work
At the reduced rate Of wages have been
in active operation up to date. We
have it on the authority of close OBJ
servers, that II tho desire of the men
could find = fair expression it would
be found that they are largely in favor
Of resnmipg work at the reduced sched-
ule; but such is the despotic influence
which overshadows them that No
expression OF the kind can at present
be looked for; and so it will only be
when the pressure Of starving women
and children makes itself felt by the
individual striker that he will condo.
scend to pause and reflect. To all APP
pearances this, the turning point, L.
not remote. The Society are doing
ont funds; but with forty thousand
Idle men on their hands they must
speedily reach the bottom Of their
purse, and then, ~ we have said, the
! end oft all must be . resumption Of
labor ON the terms proposed. And
thus, while an army Of workmen are
reducing themselves to a condition of
positive pauperism, cannot they see
that the Capitalists" the owners OF
the coal and the coal mines, are actually
improving the prospective condition
OF their market by le~ssening produc-
tionf The stagnation in trade has also
been, indirectly, . benefit TO them. II
the National Association were acluated
with . sincere desire to promote the
interests Of their followers, they would,
In view OF the PROSTATE condition OF
nearly ell the leading industries which
depend upon coal consumption, have
advised them to keep at work at the
best terms they could obtain until such
time as the country could recov-
or its former prosperity, when
their demand for better pay might he
urged with more reason and with a
better prospect Of success. As IL Is, we
suppose there is nc help for it but to let
the thing run its course For, If one
body Of mel will thus deliberately alb
, so0Ssen s~stf.cpptrol and place them
selves, ljks re- 9spy sheep. under the
contrl ID sadthss body which has its
owpssudr t~oserve,in spite Of conditions
which they cannot control, nothing but
time and bitter experience will open
their eyes to their folly. Even il
starvation does not compel them to
capitulste. tho Influx Of lsborers from
other parts OF the country must settle
the question against them. The num-
Der Of unemployed workmen through
out Pennsylvania to-day Is ssid to be
unprscedentedly large. In Philadel-
phia alone. the estimate Is between
forty and my thousand. II the
struggle Of this great army Of indnstri-
Gus men and women to get bread, shell
tsr and fuel would make q sad story
Nit could be told,' hat inexpressible
FOLLY, what suicidal submission ia
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