The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1889-07-25
MAXGMs AND MARKETS.

Theory and Praotioo-.-Prolootion and
BtarvRtion-'.lhn Lesson Of iho Or6at
Coal Minera btriko IN lllinoia.-'A uroat
Lesson That Must bo Learned
EpiTOR NEws.DEMOCRAT; The re-.
maliIublo spectacle of several thousand
working people calling upon public
charity 70 Keep them from starving TO
death, under Il system which Is upheld
by its supporters upon the prel0nBe
that II enables workers To obtain high
wages, continues aud deserves 10 ~.
tract attention, and un occasional spas.
mOdlc effort " made by the aforesaid
upholdorH Of the system to explain The
inCOngruity OF the situation,
These coal miners OF Strcntor I'LL.
nOig, now on u strike, ARE the same who
were 80 greatly commended last tall for
studying markets Instead Of theories,
liut these miners two months strike
has afforded them u series Of "com'
mencement exercises In the college Of
markets, which (th0ugh hardly IN nc,
cord with the bright promises OF the
prospectus of that institution, serves
10 mn admirable preparation for an ad.
yanCed course In what has been beau
tilully styled "high'clOss, trOncendental
college theory
The expense, however, Of this prepar.
ntOry COurge, has been by no means
light, being In fact heavier than the
students themselves can sustain, COM
pelling them In consequence to call for
outside aid. The Chicago Herald gave
lately the following vivid account of
the experience of these students OF Mr.,
llanl8on's In the protected department
Of practical coal mining IN his college
Of markets Mt Streator!
"ThrCe thousand miners and their
families are debating tho question OF
whether II Is betterto lie idle and Btarye
nj once, or 20 10 work and staryo by de.
groea There seems TO be no escape,
The men are determined, and even dea.
perate In their resistance TO u reduction
In wages, but II requires more than deS'
peratloll 10 resist the wall Of u hungry
child, The mine owners real
ize this, and are confident.
They know that the reduction
which 10 being forced on the men is an
outrage and disgrace TO civilization,
but IL Ia money IN their pockets, They
do not care II Il few women ad children
die of hunger and neglect. During the
curly days Of the strike the good people
OF Streator-which is not entirely de.
pendent upon the mining industry
gaye freely TO the families Of the work.
men. Day by day the destitutlon has
Increased until local aid IL far from
sufficient TO alleviate the distress, The
mines were closed May 1, and there Is
no prospect Of u resumption of work,
n n On May 1, tho miners were
Informed that they must submit TO n
still further reduction of 10 cents per
ton. The man who had t0iled In sub
terrunenn darkness, under treaCher
ou8 sonpston0 roof, In mud and water
breathing foul air laden with poison.
OuB gasOs and powder 8mok0-Nnd all
for The paltry pittanoe of from $50 10
$50 u month-was foolish enough TO
thinl, he was being imposed upon and
decided upon suspension OF work In
hope that rome sort of compromise
might be agreed upon The operators
"hNd nothing to albitrate," refused 10
meet with the men, and oh nged the
bUhUtUhlOU luI " luChOult NY NlNhluE
their mines for the summer The
Streator miners will probably be forced
10 surrender, They are engaged IN u
hopeless fight against u remorseoss foe.
But u may bo proper TO inquire: If
workers in protected industry can be
forced TO accept starvation wag9s,
what's the good Of u tariff Were
there no duty on coal, would the miners
be any worse OIL than they are at pres.
ent2 Aud how much below the starya.
tion roint must wages fall, before the
promised benefits of the great and glor.
iouB American protective system of
taxation begin TO become manifest ?
Plainly as conditions now are NJ
Streator, u few men, tWChgtanding
protection, are Ia possession Of auto
cratic power over the fortunes and even
the lives of. thousands Of their fellows.
What then is the magic wand that
gives the few this powerY IL may be
seen by any one, who, clearing his mind
from prejudice and the opinions lnstill.
cd by false education, will open his eyes
TO the clear light of truth and honestly
try 10 see Make q commodity of air
and men women and children would