The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-14

present week stand Idle. who last week were
engaged In furnishing most OF the daily
provision Of the substance upon which the
whole English people rely for heating pur-
poses. and upon which English locomotive
or stationary engines depend for the power
needed to set their machinery in motion.
During this week. at all events. the only
coal brought to the surface In Great Britain
will be mined In Northumberland. South
Wales. and Scotland. which together COM
prise only an inconsiderable fraction OF the
British coal fields.
or course coal has already risen mate
rally In price and will 20 on rising until
the strike Is over. Inasmuch. however. as
the Intentions OF the miners were known
beforehand. tho suffering resulting from
the augmented cost OF the sole heating
agent employed In Great Britain will not
fall upon the households OF the rich and
we'll to do who proflted by tho warning to
replenish their stock Of fuel. So far as the
domestic uses OF coal are concerned. the
misery caused by the strike will be confined
almost exclusively to the poor who are ac-
customed to buy fuel from day to day.
Manufacturers. on the other hand. however
eager and pecuniarily able to safeguard
themselves against deficiency Of the
stenm-generating agent. have found 1t i'm
practicable to do so. The result Is that a
large number OF British manufactures will
have to stop work, even II the strike con-
tinucs but a week: while. should 1t last
three weeks. there will be such an arrest
and dislocation OF industry as has not been
witnessed in England since the whole body
Of agricultural laborers strhck In WAT
TYLER'S rebellion.
Tho remarkable feature OF this strike ls
that it Is not vindictive answer to a con-
ccrted reduction OF wages on the part OF the
mine owners. 1t is purely precautionary
measure. deliberately entered upon by tho
workmen themselves from the belief that
their employers would sooner or later have
made the low price Of coal pretext for cut
ting down the earnings OF the employed. In
n conference OF the Miners Federation hold
not long ago. strike was advocated on tho
express ground that it would clear the
markets Of all the coal brought to the sur
face but as yet unsold. II that surplus
which has been long accommodating could be
once used up. SO it was argued. the relation
between demand and supply would assure
higher price for the commodity for some
time to come. Acting upon this conviction.
hundreds Of thousands OF miners have de-
termined to sacrifice for at least a week the
wages that they would otherwise have
earned. and In the mean time to support
their families by means OF their association
funds and their private savings.
1t will be decided at conference OF the
Miners Federation. which will take place on
Wednesday in London. whether the strike
will be continued beyond this week. and. il
so. for how long. 1t is a memorable proof
OF the Importance acquired In our time by
economical compared with political events.
that the debates and proceedings in this
voluntary meeting OF workingmcn will. 80
far as public attention and anxiety are con-
ccrned. entirely eclipse the doings Of the
Parliament at Westminster.