The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-11-21
COAL STRIKES.

Just as the great coal strike In England
came to an end the employees of the great
coal road in PennsylvaDia--the Lehigh
ValIey-were called out on strike by their
union. The English strike had lasted six
teen weeks and is reckoned to have cost in
loss of wages and other expenses a sum of
$50. COO COO. 1t put coal up to SIC ton to
the small consumer, and of course inflicted
serious suffering on workers In all indus
tries. Had it lasted throughout the win
ter It's effects would probably have been
widely disastrous. The dispute between
the mine-owners and the men was not over
wages, but on minor questions involving
the management of the mines. 1t might
have been settled long age, but both sides
were obstinate. and neither would yield.
until Lord Rosebery offered his services
and was accepted as arbitrator.
At Philadelphia, likewise. the Lehigh
quarrel did not grow out of a question of
wages. 1t arose from a refusal of the CON-
pany to recognize the officers of the
miners union. The president of the Lee
high informed the men that he would deal
with them individually or with their shift
bosses, and that his company would have
no dealings with any labor organization.
A few weeks ago the company agreed to
recognize the union as the organ OF the
men. 1t now repudiates this agreement,
the season and the condition Of the labor
market being favorable to an aggressive
movement by capital. On this the men
threw up their jobs. being careful to
abandon no train. but to conduct each TO
its destination. The strike will probably
be of short duration. The closing weeks
of November are not good season
to inaugurate strike. The incident once
more dictates the necessity of some
method to regulate the reciprocal rights of
employers and mploy es in industries upon
the prosecution of which the public coll
venience largely depends. All the coal
miners in the East might go out on strike,
as the Lehigh miners have done, and they
might remain on strike for sixteen weeks
as the English miners did; in that case
coal would rise TO famine prices, ana ex-
treme suffering would befall workers in
other branches of industry. Only two or
three years ago coal rose to $40 ton in
this city because of strike at the Duns-
muir colliery on Vancouver Island. and
lots of poor women and children suffered
from cold. If all the Eastern coalminers
struck simultaneously it would be i'm
possible to replace them with new labor,
so as TO maintain the required supply of
coal. But if legal impediments should be
thrown in the way of strikes-in the line
of the old New York law against combina-
lions of labor to hamper trade-employers
would take advantage of such legal i'm
pediments to subject their employees TO
wrongs for which the natural remedy is
vii ha ont nf twill
made legal offense. employers would be
masters of tha situation and the natural
rights of the workman woHld be invaded.
This would be so unfair that no Legislature
would venture on the step.
The desired method of settlement will
probably be found in arbitration. If two
great nations can settle disputes in this
way why may not employers and en-
ployes? In most cases IL would be better
for both parties to make concessions than
to enter upon what may prove an exhaust
i've contest. The objection urged against
arbitration is that there is no recognized
power to force the submission of disputes
to a non-judicial court or commission
But the law of public opinion constitutes
this power. The party to dispute that
refuses to submit its case TO an impartial
tribunal enters upon contest with a pre-
sumption against it. Public opinion will
say that it has no confidence in the Justice
of its contention.
Courts of arbitration are the result of
the natural law of evolution. 1t may not
be possible to write out code to govern
them. but as emergencies arise way to
the end will be found. 1t is safe to assume
that in most cases both parties think they
are right. What remains in such cases Is
to find out what is right-to make the
nearest possible approach to exact justice
between parties. A prompt settlement
with the least possible cost nigh: be bet
ter for the loser than protracted and ex-
pensive litigation.