The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-06-15
A Momentous Contest.

The great bituminou coal strike has
reached the eighth week of its exist
ence. 1t is the most momentous con-
te ever fought in this country be-
tween the forces of labor and ,ap.ta
Fully $4,000 miners are acct d, and
these are scattered over the States of
Maryland, Penn sy.vania, West Vir-
GINA, Ohio. Indiana, Tennessee, Ken
lucky, Alabama, Illinois, Iowa, Mis-
souri,, Kansas. Colorado, Arka: sas, and
Indian Territory and New Mexico.
The strike hiss Eow reached the stage
where vast business interests are Grip
pied. The service of many railroad, is
paralyzed, the wheels of many mills
are motionless; ships tug idly at their
anchors, unable for want of coal to
continue their voyages, and in some
cities the supply of water AMI electric
light is shut off. In Colorado, Illinois,
Indiana, Alabama and Pennsylvania
blo1dshed has been rife and violence
still impends: the militia Of five States
are in service, and in others are hell
In readiness 10 suppress riot and pro-
tect life: fatalities, unfortunately, have
been numerous, especially in the coke
regions of Pennsylvania, and only
pretext is awaited in ether States TO
precipitato more violence and BIO d.
shed.
Among the miners and tho der end
ent on them there is much suffering,
thousands being on the verge of star
walton. Especially is this so in Ala
bama where the workers were in no tit
condition 10 strike and where soup
L. l,
sity.
Miserable Condition of the Miners.
The cause of the strike which has
resulted in such widespread stagnation
of business is twofolt. The first, of
course, is the low wages paid in the BIZ
luminous coal fields No other class of
workers than the BIT minous coal min
ers have been so harshlv treated, so
cruelty imposed upon, so wronged, so
miserable. AS rule the cost OF min
Ing bituminous cCal is fr, IN I'll 10 IS
cents a ton, of which the miner re.
ceived from 40 to 10 cents.
Out of this miserable sum he
must pay a helper and he is
-docked" for slate and dust, the
latter being deducted from the weight
His loss of wage on the latter account
depends on the honesty of his employ
err, CT rather of his employers SUPER
int endent At the ordinary mine great
in ,ustce AMI wrong are complained of
on this account. The nicer also usu-
all Y rents his cottage, or hut, from the
mine-owner, usually a corporation, ard
the rent is often exorbitant. The COM
pany also sharpen his tools for him at
generous price AM sells him his
food, clothes and blasting p)wde
charging on the average - per cent.
more than the prices charged at The
neighb Jrhood stores kept by private
persons. In this way the company fire.
quently receives back or hold back on
the store and rent accounts of its men
nearly all the wages that have be
earned during tie month.
Starvation Wages.
The average daily earning Of miner
Is less than so cents, and to add to his
burdens and the hardships Of hi t
his en- ploym mt Is Irregular. Scant as
the miners wage has been, serious re-
auctions have been made since the end
OF last summer. Fir there was cut
of 5 cents ton, AMI then in some
mines of 10 cents. What this mea:
may be judge from the fact that in tt o
Pc .ahc ntaS region of West Virginia
the men were receiving only 81 cents a
ton in 1890. Assuming tina: the aver
age pay was 45 cents ton, the last cut
brought 1t down TO 30 cents This
means earnings Of about 20 cents
day, which, with irregular employ
m mt, 'dockage," and the inCrdinate
prices charged by the company stores
brought the miners wage to the star
walton point.
While this cut in wages was in effect
In Pennsylvania. West Virginia, cen.
trail aud southern illinois and parts of
Kentucky and Tennessee reductions in
other I eds were threatened so as 10
make wages correspond.
Another Cause OF the Strike.
The second cause OF the strike was
the desire OF the United Mine Work ars
OF America ID enfore general ms. cad
OF local or district settlement. A
general sett cement would mean pro-
lection to the miners, to the CD ri.
tors and the public during the time
covered by the settlement. Local or
district settlements we're a sources OF
considerable annoyance and less TO both
operators aud miners, for, while some
operators and miners were bJrnd by
agreement, others were not so bound,
and thus guerrilla warfare was
waged on the trade. This Is we'll IL
lus rated in the operations OF the last
few yo ars. In 1886, under the old ar
rang, ment, Western Pennsylvania,
Obi ;, Indiana, part of We virginia
and Northern Illinois were recogn zed
as COM etition district. and this field
was covered by q settlement at the