The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-06-14
CAUSE OF THE STRIKE
COAL-MlNERS SAY IT'S STARvA-
TON WAGES.
Tho Desire of the United Mine-WOrkers
OF America to Enforce General Instead
Of Local or District Settlements Prec;pi-
tated the Trouble.
A MOmentOus Contest.

A MOmentOus Contest.
The great bituminou, coal strike has
reached the eighth week of its exist
ence. 1t is the most mOmentOus con-
te:t ever fought in this country be-
tween the forces of labor and capital.
Fully $4,000 miners are affect d, and
these are scattered over the States of
Maryland, Pennsylvania. West Eir-
ginia, Ohio. Indiana. Tennessee. Ken
lucky, Alabama, Illinois. Iowa, Mis-
souri,, kansaI. Colorado, Arkansas, and
Indian Territory and New Mexico.
The strike has now reached the stage
where vast business interests are Grip
pied. The service Of many railroad. is
paralyzed, the wheels of many mills
arc motionless: ships tug idly at their
anchors, unable for want of coal to
cities the supply Of water AMI electric
light is shut Off. In Colorado, Illinois.
Indiana. Alabama and Pennsylvania
bio odshed has been rife and violence
still impends: tho militia of five States
are i'm service, and in others are hell
in readiness to suppress riot and pro-
tect life: fatalities, unfortunately, have
been numerous, especially in the coke
regions of Pennsylvania. and only a
pretext is awaited in ether States to
Drecipitate more violence and bio d.
shed.
Among the miners and tho e deg end
ent on them there is much suffering.
thousands being on tho verge of star
vation Especially is this so in Ala
bama where the workers were in no tit
condition 10 strike and where soup
houses at the present time are neces-
sity.
Miserable Condition Of the Miners.
The cause of tho strike which has
resulted in such widespread stagnation
of business is twOfold. The first, OF
course. is the low wages paid in the BIZ
luminous coal fields. No other class of
workers than the b.tuminOus coal min
ers have been so harshlv treated. SO
cruelty imposed upon. SO wronged. so
miserable. AS rule the cost of min
ing bituminOus coal is from Ill to 66
cents ton, of which the miner re-
ceived from 40 to u, cents
Out of this miserable sum he
must pay helper and he is
latter being deducted IRON the we; ght.
His loss Of wage on the latter account
depends on the honesty of his employ
| err. or rather Of his employers SUPER
intendent. At the ordinary mine great
injust:c AMI wrong are complained of
on this account. The miner also usu-
ally rents his cottage, or hut. from tn q
mine-Owner, usually corporation. a.
pany also sharpens his tools for him at
= generous price AMI sells him his
food, clothes and blasting powder.
charging on the average >, per cent.
more than the p, ices charged at the
, neighb 'rhcod stores kept by private
ersons. In this va; the ;oihfpdniy fire
| quently receives back or hold. back on
the store and rent accounts Of its men
nearly all the wages that have be III
earned during the month.
Starvation Wages.
The average daily earning Of miner
is less than 50 cents. and to add to his
burdens and the hardships of his 1t
hi. cmploym mt is Irregular. Scant Us
the miners wage has been. serious re.
auctions have Eeen made since the end
| of last summer. Fir.t there was Gu:
Of j cents Il ton, and then in some
mines of 10 cents. What this means
may be judged from the fact that in the
| fo:ahCntas esion of West \ irginii
the men were receiving only 3. cents q
I, n in lSk. Assuming that the aver.
age pay was - cents Il ton. the last cut
| brought it down to 81 cents. This
means earnings Of about 20 cents {;
day. which. with irregular employ
IN mt, "docNage." and the inc rdirate
prices charged by the company stores
brought the miners wages to the star.
| walton point.
While this cut in wages was in effect
in Pennsylvania, West \ir2 mia. cen
trail and southern Illinois and parts o
Kentucky and Tennessee reductions in
other fields were threatened SO As t
make wages correspond.
-n..ti,-: Cause of the Strike.
The second cause Of the strike wa.
The desi-e of the United Mine Work r.
OF America to enfore general instead
Of local or district settlements. \
general sett' ement would mean pro
lection to tho miners, to the CD I'll
tors and the public during the tim.
covered by the settlement. Local o.
district settlements were a sourca O
considerable annoyance and less to bot!
operators and miners. for. while so,ce
operators and miners were b puni BY
agreement, others we're not so bound
and time guerrilla warfare wa.
..aEas ca the trade. This - well Il
LUSH ated in the operations o. the las
few years. In lS>i, under the old ar
rang. ment, Western Pennsylvania
ohi'. Indiana, part of We Virgil ia
aud Northern Illinois We're recogn zee
ae . com etition district. and this f. iG
, a al OF b1