The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-06-19

The operators profit has been and is
quite meager. Since the Federated Asso-
citation of Miners was organized, four years
ago, the price at the mine has decreased,
and also the freight rate to Chicago. the
latter from 81 .65 to 81. On the other hand
the mining rate has increased. The spirit
of the order was to ductuate with the mar
ket. State President Penna says: Our
principles are to rise and fall with the
markets, and this is the first downward
step we have made in three years, and we
hope in the next year to regain what we
have lost. Let us maintain our organiza-
tion."
The proposition that the operators make
regarding low coal lie also enormously stated
by Mr.. McCullOch. He says the operators
offer 20 and 75 cents straight for all thick
nesses. They do not. Their offer was 40
cents on all coal 8 feet inch, 75 OIL feet
mer, with cents additional all around for
winter
The miner is greatly embarrassed by his
friends, especially his friend the legislator.
This is done by new laws and amendments
operator that the miner can do prOfitably.
IF the miner will dig. lay road, haul cage
and dump his coal we can pay him from
Sllo to $l.go," says an. operator. At Pratt
block. At Clay City the price is As cents
for the same coal. At Clay City the miner
does certain work besides digging. which
the operator does at Pratt, thus making
difference, of 1919 cents in the miner'sfavor,
though, of course. giving him more work.
1t is optional with the miner as to which
plan to pursue. Little by little the op-
orator has had shouldered on him work
that the miner once performed and got
pay for. The operator can stand it. but it
is cutting off the miners revenue in pro-
portion as his work is lessened OF simph-
fed. When the miner and the operator
are left to themselves. as they would be
but for politicians. both prosper. The re-
suit of outside interference. especially with
legislative enactments, is to crush the
miner and drive the operator out of busi-
ness, and thus destroy the industry itself.
The May receipts at Chicago Were: In
diana coal, bituminous and all. 81, ,634 tons,
against 1910 for May, 1883. OF Illinois
coal. the total receipts from Jan. to May
81, 1889, were 5,2O4 tons, against 75l ,210
for the same period in 1885, The receiptsof
spectively, .92S and 49,, $40 tOns showing
that with general decline Illinois is hold
ing her own and largely monopOlizing the
market. as compared with Indiana. All
this, too, with large district on q strike
formidable opposition. built up during the
past two years, while Indiana miners were
working at the rates the miners now want.
The worst feature, If possible, in the table
Goals Ohio is credited with 25. 432. and
Pennsylvania with 24.032 but this is all
rail receipts. The receipts by lake are
three or more times as large. Hooking coal
is quoted at $3.50. The Miners Assembly
135, Knights of Labor, has issued a mani
festo urging Hooking Valley miners to aid
the Indiana block miners in their strike,
on the ground that if they fail to MAINTAIN
the present rate, but yield to a 15-cent re-
duction, it will drive Hooking coal out of
ha rlaf
The condition of the market has every
thing to do with this question. Evidently
a reduction, and that, too. in proportion to
what has obtained in Ohio, Pennsylvania
miner cannot win. The old order
has been changed. The. markets
are against him. Are the miners
s,tarvingi They are starving less now
than they will be at any time in the future.
if the strike is to. be maintained. Indian
apolis is helping the miner nObly, but In
dianapolis is using natural gas. and will
continue to do so, thus knocking the min
ers out of a market. But indianapolis will
miner. Neither will the world. The cheap
est fuel will be used that can be
had. Besides, every art for reliey;;
ing manual manual labor s by yda;"da machinery will
thought of those who have only manual
labor to depend upon. Indiana block coal
can be mined now for 55 cents a ton by
machinery. The operators calculate that
they can pay GO cents ton for pick min
ing. as pick mining brings more revenue to
them in rent. merchandise. etc. They offer
20. Will they introduce machines! In
thirty days they cali open all these mines
now idle with machines and at 10 cents
less than they offer the pick miners. Will
they do itf Why notf There would be no
interference from the striking miners and
nobody can say nay, unless State Senator
Byrd OF some other good Democratic
guardian of the miners should object.