New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-09-21
MINERS WAGES.
THE BASIS SYSTEM.
HE BASE" N1NIEM.
PLAN or 1T. AND ILLUSTRATIONS SHOWING ITS
OPERATION - IRREGULAR EMPLOYMENT - THE

OPERATION IRREGULAR EMPLOYMENT - THE
AKING OF THE LATE COAL COMBrNAuON
lFRox STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF TIE rRIBUNE.1
MAUCH CHUNK, Sept. 1S.-The system Of regulat-
ing the wages OF labor IN the coal regions by the
price of coal at the markets in which it is sold,
seems, on the whole. to be a fair one, provided an
equitable basis is established in the beginning and
the terms of the agreement honestly lived up to.
No principle is better settled than that which recog
nzes the right Of the aborer to a fair share of the
profits of his work, and any plan which pre-
serves ar even balance between those profits
and the wages paid, ought to be satisfactory
both TO the employer and the employed.
am not able to say, from my present information,
that the basis" system has in every instance ac-
cOmpshed all that expected Of 1t, but 1t Is the
universal testimony both of tine operators and men
with whom have conversed, that no other system
has ever worked better. The theory of the basis"
system is that, having established fair rates OF
wages when coal Is selling at An average price. the
labor employed in producing 1T is entitled to two
thirds of any additional sum that may be received
for coal or account of advance above that price,
and that should assume two-thrds OF the loss con-
sequent upon a decline below the average rate.
The operation of this system best be illustrated
by an example. In the schuylkll region the wages
paid TO outside laborers was fixed at 81 rs day
was selling for 50 ton. At 50 80 ton the decline
below basis price would be 30 per cent, the reduc-
ton @ be made in every class Of wages would be
20 per cent and the pay of outside laborers would
be 81 Os a day. The basis rate for miners working
in the Schuylkill region by the day, Is believe,
about - %. Their present pay is 81 90. Contract
miners that is those who are paid by the car OF by
the cubic yard, average about the same wages
although some earn more than others. The opera
ton of the basis system in other regions Is, be-
leve substantially the same.
Through the kindness Of Mr.. Walter Of the Middle
Lehigh Coal Company, whose mine Is really IN the
Schuylkill region, and which follows the example OF
Mr. Gowen in the regulation of wages etc, have
been permitted to look at some Of the books and
pay-rolls Of that company, and have learned
from them something of the cost OF pro-
ducing coal. and of how miners and labor
ers are treated by some of the large coal
companies The mines in the Schuylkill region
have not been idle during the present year, and am
told Nh Gowen has treated his miners more gener-
ousiv even than he was required to do by the basis
agreement. For instance, when the price OF coal
WAS about fifty per cent below the basis rate the re-
ducton Of wages should have been more than thirty
percent, but the actual reduction was iruch less
than that. Again, according to the basis system,
the wages for each month are regulated by tle
price or coal for the previous month But coal sold
Schuylkill region for August were computed IRON
August prices instead OF from those OF JAY. be-
liove though. iat the prices pad for mining ana
for labor IN the Schuylku region are now actuaiy
less than those offered in the Wyoming region,
where the strike is still IN progress he general
price offered for outside labor at NilkesDarre Is
III D. and Mr.. Parrish Il willing 10 pay %l i,
while in the Scnuylkill region only Fl Oo Is Pald
for the same class OF Labor.
But there may be other grounds for complaint be-
sides low wages and Of these. the miners say Is
irregularity of employment. I'VE might get along
with low wages some of the men say, IF We had
steady work At ~ a day. If worked all the
time We might earn $50 or S27 a month and by
pinching our families, still manage to live. But
sometimes we are not employed more than half
of the month. and that makes income tOQ
small for our support" / have not heard this
complaint from the men here in the Lehigh
Region. They have just resumed work after
six or seven weeks OF ldleIess' ana they
are not now making complaints OF any KIND, but
have heard II urged IN defence OF the strikers III the
Wyoming Valley. rhe miners of this region dld
complain, while the strike continued, OF irregular
payments, of the method Of making payments OF
arbitrary reductions whether justly or unJustlY,
do not sayl and that allowance was made for eX-
ceptiomay difficult work In driving gang-ways and
opening breasts.
The coal operators almost unanimously attribute
the labor troubles to the breaking up Of the combi-
nation which prevented the price Of coal from fall
ing below rate that made its production profitable
Some of them admit that an attempt TO hold the
market al s. 80 or even at 5 a ton, a mistake,
but they do believe that the producers of coal would
be justified I'm combining TO prevent the price rom
going below - ton. At that rate coal mining.
they saw. would be profitable and wages fair. But
there seems 10 be no present prospect OF new com
binai0n, and the wages question VIII probably nave
to be worked out in some other way. 4. L. W.
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