The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-06-12

iase Legislature, Is eQuRlly miners buSo-
cate. although he is at a disadvantage in
not being miner. That does not count, how
ever, for Byrd is fully as yociferous against
the coal barons, as his clique sty les them,
as McQuade, who has worked In coal. But
there Is q significant difference between
them. Byrd Is shouting to the miner not
10 accept the reduction, because he wants
to lead him in the Voorhees, procession.
McQuade is crying ont TO the cOal-worker
not to take any less than the Ss prices. and
to light il out on that line, even If he never
works any more in the Clay county coal
fields. He wants to bring the miner into
the Gray ranks. and into his own. for
MeQuade is candidate for sheriff of Clay
Byrd" said gentleman, "in his efforts
to hold the miners TO Voorhees,, went to In
dianapolis the other night, and ut a relief
meeting said the operators In Illinois are
paying 20 cents. He did not state. however,
that that that rate is paid in only one place. and
brushing the road, or putting the refuse
coal on IL. That ID cents to each man repre-
sents what the operators previously had
done themselves. The miner now does the
80 cents. for mining proper. Byrd said,
again, that the operators had violated their
contract with the miners. That is not
SO. On the contrary the operators
and miners practically united In
bringing one firm to task for paying less
firms men went t" work at the reduction
offered, but it was compelled not only to
adhere to the contract but to pay the
miners the remainder that would bring the
done. The firm that violated the agree
ment said it could not find a market for its
coal under the 1888 contract. Byrd. during
the last campaign, was very much
distressed over four shafts Of the
closed about three weeks before the
last election. He cavorted over Clay
county crying out that it was done to in
tiuence votes for protection. He also re-
ferred to this matter at the relief meeting
failed to state that those shafts have never
been worked since October. They will re-
main idle until block coal has better
show in the market. The truth is that for
trade per cent and fs the
bituminous increased 80 per cent. 1t was
during this considerable decrease in one
and increase in the other coal that
the Brazil Block Coal Company
open in order to give the men work at the
1885 price. 1t was running along in antici-
patton Of better times, and when 1t saw
that they would not come closed the shafts.
The company also, during last summer, to
meet this false anticipation of q prosperous
market abroad. sunk new shaft. 1t has
never been worked. for the condition would
not justify it. There is more politics than
question of wages IN this strike, for the OPP
orators have given their ultimatum. The
miners can accept it or not, as they see fit"
The Watsons have what is called the
South shaft. "Black-legso as the nom
union men are termed, are working there,
the strikers say, for % cents. THAT is a
move of the operators. said Secretary
Krouse, of the executive board, an intelli-
gent miner. but one loyal to his OrgaDiza-
tion. They hope to work along in that
way to get enough block coal for immediate
demand, with the hope of seeing the strik
we are and go to work in the other mines at
would not be long until the
South shaft would fall under the
low rate. At that shaft is one of the best
places to stand strike, 1t is down at
Hoosierville, and the strikers are all well
fixed. If they should fall into the tempta-
tiOn of taking the IS cents in this case, it
would not be long before they would be
tSe trick Z. ve an9 ratHertban work for e S. CENTS
when only 40 is offered at the other mines.
have decided to stay with the rest of us.
All we ask is last years prices. and
it must be that or nothing. AT Carbon 80
three mines. the coal from which is worth
ten cents more on the ton than elsewhere.
I tfie furee Mines two picked and one ma
chine. are good, end ting digging is better
than elsewhere. We can get bonus OF 20
cents there, but the strikers will not take
it. The machine mine more than the other
considerations would stand in the way.
For the machine the operator cuts the coal,
but the miner does the drilling, loading.
cleaning slate. and laying the track. The
slate and track belong to outside work, but
the miner is compelled to do it. and for all,
under the present proposition, would get
only 80 cents"
On the miners side another thinSis urged
IL 4 4tx<.
relation low" coal bears to the scale pro-
posed. The strikers say the operators do
not consider "low" coal, and that their
20 cents for summer and Is cents
for winter means straight rate for the
must be dug with great difficulty: After
inch he is in "low5 coal. and he
wants extra for that. when we
asked the, operators" continued Mr..
coal, if we accepted their proposition, the
committee representing them took a day to
consider an answer. Two of the committee
voted to allow us last years scale on low
coal--just what We wanted. But the
third voted against US. i inquired of the
two favoring us why the rate was not es-
tablished. They said that two-thirds OF
the operators were unwilling to pay last
years scale, and that it must be 20 and
70 cents straight. That means a reduction
40 on the lowest. For low coal we haye re-
ceived as high as S1.05 ton."
The miners themselves say they see that
politics is entering into the matter. By
those who realize what that offensive ele-
ment Will do regrets are expressed. 1--WE
would rather have the politicians keep out
of this" said one. "SOme of US know what
McQuade and Byrd are after. But the
strike will go. on until we get What
we ask or the operators close their
shafts against us entirely" 1t was
suggested that all miners were not on the
same footing and perhaps could not treat
idleness with the equanimity that others
showed. Il am pleased" )" said the striker,
Ito see the well-to-dO and the poor among
us standing shoulder to shoulder with
equal, determin alton, 1t is true many
miDers have been improvident, and now
that they need something to carry them
through. have not the ready cash or credit
at the stores.n When asked to what the
lack of credit could be attributed
the striker quickly and emphatically named
the company store. That store" he con-
tinued, 'beguiles the striker with the prom
ise of cheaper goods. He left the merchant
in town and traded with the company.
Now. since he can get nothing from the
in town. and some of them would not get it
if they did. But the condition is not as bad
as has been represented. although some
rather do anything than be termed black
legs They will not starve when
there is plenty in the land. The operators
say they have no market. and we say we
have no labor at the prlce they want us to
take. We are told that cOmDetitiOn has