Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-04-15
THE COAL INNING TROUBLES.

II coal should go up TO $40 = ton psopls who
low think lightly OF the trouble in the Schuyl- |
till and Lehigh regions would probably come to |
Voc that there was something in tho subject, af-
.er all. There is chronic disposition on the
part Of many persons to pooh-pooh all demon
STATIONS OF sighted labor. 1t should not require
many words to show that this is an illogical pos.
itiop, seeing that labor is tue backbone OF any
people and especially Of the American people,
but it does require great many,--aud then. ~
Sir Boyle Roche would have said,
they arc not convinced. Just leave
it alone. these people who hate trouble say, and
it will be certain to right ITSELF Probably but
in the meantime, men live from hour TO hour,
aud in these dsetipg but busy hours All in6nity
Of misery eau be crowded. All tho righting
that may be done after the eubsidence Of such
strike ~ now prevails in . large part Of tile
Psnnsylvania Coal country cannot undo present
wrongs, nor can future profits compensate en-.
tirely for present losses. The owners whose
mines are being flooded through the stoppaes
Of the pumping which 1t is necessary should to
constantly kept up can find no
comfort in the promise Of easier times
hereafter. The flooded mines will
doubtless sometime be cleared, but the work
then done will belong properly to that period
and will no wise remit the loss accruing now.
Tho ''letting alone" fallacy never had completer
demonstration than in this case.
or course there are grievances all ways in this
unhappy dispute, vet it seems to us to be very
clear that the working miners are tho mainly
wronged and suffering party. At best the life
Of these men is one OF great hardship, and Of
exhaust,ng and degrading toll but poorly re.
Quilted. II they were persons Of higher intelli-
gence they could not remain satisfied with such
q lot, but however low their condition they have
some idea as to what is owing them by their
employers. Regarding the present strike it is
in evidence that the miners were willing to work
At the rates allowed during the last year. But this
scale Of wag es did not suit the operators It WAS
not too high-no reasonable person makes that
claim, but their was too much coal on hand and too
much was being produced. Something must be
done to check the supply and put up tho price,
or the bottom would fall out Of divers extern
sive speculstions aud enterprises. To effect
this check on supply the easest-perhsps the
only thing to do WAS to take some course which
should make the miners indignant and
induce them to refuse to work. Thus
it happened that the prices Of labor were lower
ed, the operators knowing that the "Uhions IT
and protective societies forbade work under a
certain figure, and knowing very we'll also that
it was all their laborers could do to live at the
wages they had formerly been receiving. The
strike Was the inevitable result, and the opera
tors would have been bitterly disappointed if /
had not come.
Now il We are right in our facts, and they viii
not be questioned by well informed persons
where does the fault lie? Does it not lie wit
the great coal and transportation companies
which, together with few leading operators
have monopolzed the largest part of our mai
coal section? This is the mighty interes
which boasts that it can make an
unmske prices mot only OF its ow
product but of all the innnmerable fruit c
industries dependent upon cosl--snd what doe
it care for the humble agency which alone give
it power? 1t might be thought that it woul
care everything for an element 30 important
its prosperity, but it has reason to know that tt
miners are too ignorant OF the world. and to
distrustful of their powers, to seek other fielc
o. labor.
This question OF the relative rights Of capita
lists and workingmen is the great immedai
problem given to the American people. 1t cal
not bs that the next generation will patient
see such spectacle Of monopoly preyipg upo
individual strength as now may be beheld