The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-07-05

UuCM 4 AAO NNSVUAV DVVVNs
Tons.
1850 Q4
Delaware and Hudson ............. 369l, $50
philadelphia and Reading. 70O4,127
Lehigh valley including ali its
branches. ......-............ 6,161,333
Total produced by five companies 33e2, 34
Total productions. 10000 355
| By five companies (carriers). 49,. 20,392, 3A
| Balance produced by LIS COM
pan1eS. .............. 19090,Ul1
You can see how the coal trade is
manipulated by five companies. The
Reading combine made it's appear
ance since the above was compiled
so they did not come in the official
reports. These five companies con-
troll the other lis operators who
comprise the coal barons of the re-
gion. Coke Brothers produced 1892
122 tons, which is shipped, believe,
by the Lehigh Valley; but these five
companies have control and the in
dividuals and small companies must
submit to their dictation. The gov
erment ownership of railroads would
place all on an equality. The reason
why small companies and individual
operators are not in faver of govern
ment ownership is because their am
bition is to become carriers some
day. They do not like the carriers
because they dictate prices and limit
their productions, but they are
striving to do the very same thing.
Let the government purchase the
roads and mines and all will run
smoothly. Nature will bestow it's
blessings on the human race and
especially on the miners.
sEMI-MONTHLY PAY.
Semi-monthly pay has taken up
considerable time in the legislature,
but the companies ignore the law.
On the third day of May, 1887, an act
passed both houses and was signed
by the governor, James A. Beaver,
which was intended to compel the
companies to pay semi-mOnthly, but
no penalty was attached and no one
was appointed to enforce the law.
The men could not enforce it and
consequently the law was a failure.
On the 21st of May 1891 an amend
ment passed and was signed by Gov
ernor Robert E. Pattison, which
seemed perfect and we all hoped
that it would be enforced. The pow
er to enforce the law was placed in
the hands of the factory inspector,
Robert Watchorn, a labor leader.
The important point in the amend
ment was as follows:
And in any case any individual,
firm, corporation or association, or
other employer shall refuse to make
payment when demanded, upon the
dates herein set forth, to wage work
ers, labOrerS or other employees, en-
plOyed by or with the authority of
such firm, individual, corporation or
association or other employer, the
said individual, the member of the
firm, the directors, officers and SUI
perintendents or managers of said
corpora tion and associations shall be
guilty OF misdemeanor, and upon
conviction shall be sentenced to pay
a fine not to exceed two hundred
dollars"
It soon became evident that the
factory inspector was powerless I'M
til a demand was made. The time
of payment came around and no pay
day was visible. The miners were
a little excited and commenced to
call meetings and appoint commit
tees to wait upon their employers
and see what they were to do. Were
they going to pay or not. l was Sc
lected to represent a shaft with an
other gentleman. COMMITTEES from
the different collieries were appointed
and we all met in session and organ
lied a conference. I was chosen Sec
fetary which position cost me my
situation in few months. We tried
to bring the miners of the valley to-
gether and make a general demand.
We got quite few of the collieries
W ScuU IcpIcScu dUlNcS w Jul COu-
ferences, and we waited on the
mighty sd. & H." The Superin-
tendent, Mr.. Vandling, met us and
when we stated our mission he po-
litely informed us that his company
would pay every time it was demand
ed It never occurred to me that there
was a loophole in the new law before.
The point was plain now, each indi-
vidual must demand his pay. That
settled it. No more was said, and al
though have tryed to get the min
ers thinking on the matter, nothing
was done. When the words "when
demanded" was inserted in the mea-
sure it was doomed to die the same
as all other foolish measures. The
miners are not in position to de-
mand anything, for demand is
equivalent to, "Take out your TOOLS"
Nor they never will be until the
government controls the business.
There has been no effort made this
session of the legislature to strike