New-York tribune., 1885-09-18

THE GREAT STRIKE OF COAL MINERS
The strike of coal miners at Pittsburg at
tracts attention rs in some respects one OF the
most remarkable labor movements of late
years. 1t IS to the credit of the miners, in the
first place, that the strike has so far been free
from any violence or attempted terrorism. IL
published accounts are correct, the miners have
joined in tue strike voluntarily and with ex-
traordinary unanimty OF opinion. 1t may be
that the absence Of any resort to violence Is
partly due to the unusual agreement among the
miners themselves, but in any case it is to be
recboned to their credit. On the other hand, it
rarely happens that the employers appear to
have stronger reasons for their course. IL their
accounts are at all trustworthy, and it is right
to say that they arc confirmed by what Is
known of the state of the market, it is not
possible for them to pay the wages demanded
for mining, and the present cost of transporta-
ton to market, in competition with the coal from
the Hooking Valley and tho Kanawha mines.
Without doubt the market has been over
stocked, and a considerable part of the busi
ness of the MonOngahca mines has been
secured by competitors in the Kanawha region.
Yet tho miners reason that the Monongahela
coal is so much better than the kanaw ha coal
that it ought to be worth enough more i'll the
market to justify the difference in cost of trans
portation and mining. Theories do not out
weigh facts, and whether the coal of the
MonOngahela region ought to be preferred to
that of the kanawha or the Hooking Valley
mines so far rs To warrant three cents per
bushel for mining in the MonOngahcla region
and higher cost of transportation, this at
least is certain. that of late it has not been 80
preferred.
Meanwhile, iDformanis who are well ac-
quaiutcd with the con litiOn of labor in that
rc gon state that there is already much suffer
ing among he strikers. Work has been slack,
and wages very low, for long time. The
miners connected with Unions and with the
Knights of Labor who have been dislOdgcd
from employment in other quarters during the
past years of depression and of frequent strife
between employers and employed have
naturally gravitaled TO the Monongahcla region
because of the strength of miners organizations
there and tho hope that Labor might be found III
that quarter If not elsewhere But with an in
creasing fOrco of workers there has been
steadily decreasing amount of work to be done.
The Kunawha region, rs has been stated has
diverted n considerable part of the trade
formerly enjoyed by the MononGahea region,
aud the movement Of cnal from the Hooking
Valley has also tended to oycrcrowd the
market, while the state of manufactures aud of
business generally has been such rs to diminish
coal consumption. The inevitable consequence
is that the mines have not been fully employed.
and work has been slack and ut the same time
wages have been low. lieuce it is that the
miners entered upon this struggle with scanty
supplies, and IL has already reduced great
many to n condition Of serious distress. And
vet. so hard is it for men to sec both sides, the
miners appear TO be more united than ever be-
fore. In n strike which seems to be unusually
hopeless, and which evidently involves unusual
suffering.