Frostburg mining journal., 1880-07-31
TROTBLE IN THE MINES.

Y
of the Pittsburg Telegraph, in let
ter dated the 10th, says an ominous
storm is brewing in the Hooking Val
ley, Shawnee, New Straitsville and
Jacksonville coal regions. Thought
ful men, beth among miners and op-
orators, anticipate serious trouble be-
fore the mines are once more in sue
cessful operation.
On Thursday the 22d inst, all the
mines will he shut down. The min
ers demand so cents and the op-
orators offer but 60. As hith-
erto stated the operators are not
averse to two months strike, as it
will enable them TO advance the price
Of the stock they have in their yards
at least one dollar a ton to consum-
ers, which will be Just that much clear
gain.
There is a great deal of justice in
complaints Of the miners in these dis
tricts. They have been paid oft al
most exclusively in scrip or orders on
the company stores, which is current
only with these storekeepers. The
enormous profits charged by these
stores make so cents in scrip worth
about so or 60 cents in cash. Conse-
quently to reduce the rrice Of mining
to 60 cents and pay by the truck sys-
tam is to reduce the price Of mining
35 or 40 cents cash.
The real fight is against the truck
system. The companies are deter
mined to keep up the stores, order
system and monthly pay, while the
miners contend for semi-monthly pay
and the money Of the realm. In this
contest is on the side of the miner,
and he ought TO win even if it 10 nee
essary for the Legislature to come to
his aid by making the truck system
felony punishable by law.
The company store monopoly and
the scrip order system may be easily
illustrated. On pay day miner is
paid off in scrip that goes at the COM
pany store but nowhere else except
at ruinous discount. He wants 8
bulhel of potatoes. On his way to
the company store no passes the field
OF farmer who will sell him bush
ell of potatoes for so cents cash. But
his scrip will only buy at the compa-
ny store, and there he is forced to 90
and there he pays 70 cents for a bush
el of potatoes from the same field.
The same rule applies to everything
else. The rough miners have aptly
designated these stores "Pluckme'a."
They are simply system Of robbery
and extortion, and are largely res
ponsible for all the mining troubles.
The sooner the courts and the Legis
lature take hold Of them the better
for the mining and manufacturing in
terests of the country.
There is no reason why the mine
operators should not pay their en-
ployees every week, just the same as
newspaper publisher pays his en-
ployees once week. The coal oper-
ator claims that his contracts are
such that he cannot get his money to
make more than twelve pay days in
year. This is nonsense. The news
paper publishers contracts run from
enc 10 sly months or year, and
yet he never thinks of asking his en-
ployees to wait upon them. He pro-
vides for his weekly pay days, and,
if it is necessary for him to borrow
money he pays the interest himself
and does not exact it from his employ
eos by compelling them to wait.
The coal operators can pay as we'll
every week as he can once month
or once year. If he cannot make
his collections he is amply able to
borrow money, or 60 to his deposited
capital for it. It is simply an out
rage and an injustice that he should
make 6 per cent. on his deposits and
20 or 25 per cent on his scrip, and
through the devilish "Pluckme's"
that keep the miners in state of
bondage no better than the "pauper
labor of Europe" so feelingly spoken
OF during the political campaigns.
A large number of the miners are
improvident, it is true, but that does
not justify the "Pluckme" system of
carrying on business, for while it robs
the miner it shuts out legitimate shop
and storkeepers who would be con-
tent with fair profits.
Take tho towns of Shawnee and