Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-04-16
WORK, NOT STRIKE.


"whom the gods would destroy they |
fret make mad" seems likely to DO |
e1empliiied In the case Of some labor |
union members In the West unless
their brethren In the East iniorpose n
barrier. This IL tho oase with the
Colorado coal miners. The announce.
ment IL made that on May every coal
mine In tho Centennial state viii DO
shut down, and that 5000 men VIII 10
on strike The only prospect Of
change from this determination Il In
the attitude OF the United Mine
Workers Of America, which has been
in session for several days at Columbus,
o. The Colorado miners have agreed
to abide by the decision Of that body,
the chief proposition before which Ia
whether TO declare n strike from
coast TO coast, involving over l0J'
600 men. Thu Colomjo niue workert'
unions were no anxious 10 bring about
great strike that their delegate, VIM.
HoWes, was instructed to vote for II
Internationally, and 40 strong is the
feeling that Mr. Reed, the state coal
mine inspector, has come out officially
and endorsed the proposition for n
general strike.
1t Tia urged that u crisis has been
reached where the men cannot walt
for legislation. The average pay Of
coal miners In Colorado for the past
year, II IN said. has been about 81 per
day. Men have work for but one, two
or three days week, and Are ground
down by poverty. It's argued that by
cutting Oh the coal supply, wages "
miners can bo forced ny, aud that "
this policy were followed throughout
the Union 1t would improve tho con-
dltlon OF tho miners by giving them
more pay for their work.
These arguments present O very
familiar appearance to those who
watch the labor oonhols that are going
on. The last important occasion Of
their use among coal miners was the
great strike In England last summer,
The mlners there we're talked TO In
similar way. Their wages were low,
and there was fear OF their going
lower. II was argued that II the coal
supply stopped, wages would so up
and the miners would be In clover
The miners struck; the coal supply
ceased. So also did mills and factories
and workshops. People who could not
got coal for fuel turned to wood, oil
hnd other material. In addition to the
miners, tens Of thousands Of people
were thrown out OF employment; the
districts most directly Affected lost
their trade; the country was mulcled
hundreds Of thousands Of dollar. In It's
industrial productions being limited;
men, women and children, inoluding the
strikers and their families, were re.
duced to the verge of starvation and
had to strip their houses Of furniture
and themselves Of clothing 10 buy food
and then had to be supported by
charity; anu scores were starved to
death, while the restitution indirectly
caused the loss Of many other lives.
But the wages OF the miners did not
20 up. On the contrary, the men
were glad 10 get back after months Of
idleness and suffering, At ten per
cent reduction on their former wages.
IL Ihereauything that promises great.
or success to the miners OF Colorado or
the country generally In the proposed
striker No. Ipstead OF having two or
three days week, they will have no
work at all. Even the 81 q day aver.
age which they have been making Tor
part time will be- lost to them, anu they
will have TO depend for their susie.
nance on the charity Of those whom
they would deprive OF fuel, whom they
would exclude from means Of getting
even acanty livelihood by closing mills
and workshops, anu whom they would
subject to irroparahle loss anu injury.
Then when It Is All through, tho people
will not want my more coal, with the
exception Of tho naturally Increased
demand, than they use now. There
ell be- proportionately no more EN-.
ploymeub ana no more wagcs. In
act the pressure Of necessity will re-.
duce rather than increase these.
ltseemastraugs that the coal minors
will not see that u there is not sum,
Client employment In their line to en-,
gage them couotauty the only remedy
Is to reduce the number o; producer
by having them turn attention TO som,
other avocation. There Ia no method
by whiuh tasy viii be able to draw
weeks wages for work which can D.,
done IN one Or two days. Condition.
will not admit OF It, Where there Il
but one DAYS work for each Of sla