New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-09-28

the end, both an increased demand for labor and
better wages generally follow the introduction Oh
labOr-saying machines.
Bot the increased capacity of tho coal mines of
Pennsylvania has not been attended by CORE
spending decrease in Che cost of production. The
coal mining industry of this State, therefore, lacks
that one necessary element, which would enable il
to create very large new demand for its product.
1t is true that cheap coal would help to stimulate
manufactures other conditions being favorable, and
that increased manufactures would require more
coal, but cheap coal is longer possible unless II
is produced at a loss The bulk of the coal mines OF
this State are owned or carried on, by five or SIX
great railroad companies, themselves loaded down
with debt and which are striving, without success
by their Mining and transportation business COM
hincd. 10 earn the interest on their cloiihous III
yestments. have heard Il estimated shee Ia c ns
into the coal regions, that il wond take - ~ o'
Of the price of every ton OF coal sold IN NeW-io
simply TO pay the interest az u per ceni' on Wy
money invested IN coal mines and machinery, anu
the means of transportation OF the coal 10 MART
To this of cOurSe has 30 be added the entire cos Oh
mining the coal. and of maintaining ana operailhs
the railroads and the royalty paid % The owners OF
the coal lands, before any actual proht can ac,Iuc'
And these are thcreasons WHY there cannot ne ceaP
anthracite coal, unless somebody cohnecieu cIlHeI
with the production or transportation ol IL Iosea'
If the skilled miners the most intelligent and am
bilious of those employed in the production OF coal
cannot be induced in great numbers to leave the re-
pions and engage in other pursuits the hope that
tbe unsked labOrers VIII do is still more ground
less These men, in the first place, are able to per
form only the rudcst kind of work. and have
neither the means nor the intelligence that would
enable them 10 engage in any business for them
selves. II there existed anywhere in the country
demand for men to construct railroads canals, or
to work on street improvements, which couiG not ne
SUPPLIED i'm the immediate vicinity, these aborefs
might be put 10 work. provided they were trans
ported to the place where their services were need
ed. But there is no such present demand, and The
here aud work only One.half or tWO-thirds OF the
time, than they would be almost anywhere else III
the United States.
1 have been considering the Labor Question in the
coal regions in this letter the suppositon that no
artificial means viii be adopted TO limit the produc-
ton Of coal But that superstition is not in harmony
with the popular expectation both Of operators and
miners IN the places ! have thus far visited. Al
most everybody expects at by another year, at
loast, new comb nation viii be formed similar to
that which was broken mp in August, 1876, and that
the minimum price at which coal will be allowed to
hc sold at the shipping points viii be not less than
= 30 a ton. 10 De sure Che relations now existing
between the Great coal companies are not such as 10
indicate any Immediate concert of action but IL Is
predicted that by TcXt year Mr.. GOWcn VIII De as
anxious rs any OF them % enter into an aIrau cement
provided he can dictate the terms OF 1t. new coal
combination would undoubtedly bring temporary re-
lief 10 the distressed labor 0i tine anthracite REGIONS
not by giving IL more employment but bv incrcas-
ing lis wa gees the time it was engaged; but inc
consumers OF coal would have 10 pay dearly Tor II.