The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1894-05-16
The Il Strike.

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| history of the world, both in numbers
and subsequent eGects. 1t forced itself
on the attention of the British govern.
ment, and public officials high in rank al
length came forward and arbtrated the
differences between employers and min.
ers. 1t has been claimed that the British
coal strike inaugurated new economic
principle connected with the labor uues-
tion. Hitherto, when the price Of d
product fell below profitable rates, it has
been the custom of employers to recour
themselves by cutting down the wages
OF those who make the product.
Against this custom, among other
things, the British coal miners struck.
Their contention was that producers
should always receive living wages for
their work, whatever the price of the
product should be. If such price was
not profitable, then manufacturers should
combine to keep it up or to lessen operat-
ing expenses in other ways than by cut
ting workmen's wages. The coal miners
of England claim that the living wage
doctrine was established by the outcome
of the great strike.
The American strike was against pro.
posed reduction of wages in tho soft coal
mining districts and for a uniform rate
of wages throughout those districts. II
was ordered at the national convention
of the United Mine Workers April 10.
1t began at noon Saturday, April 81,
and few days afterward not less than
lac, 900 miners of bituminous coal were
out. The intention from the beginning
was to make this the greatest single
strike that was ever on In America. It
can hardly assume the dimensions the
British strike did. for American coal
miners are not so well organized as those
of Great Britain were.
The bituminous coal regions of this
country are found chiefly in Pennsylva-
mia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri,
Kansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky,
Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland.
The far western districts are In Washing
ton, Wyoming. Colorado and Indian
Territory. The strike began in Pennsyl-
vania and Ohio and spread westward.
The headquarters Of the United Mine
Workers are at Columbus, O., where the
president, John Mcbride, lives. Mr.. Nc
Bride was formerly a member of the
Ohio legislature.
The organizers of the strike calculated
that 5000 mines in various parts of the
United States would shut down. Ohio
alone contains 300 of these mines The
price paid for mining coal was. In Janu-
ary, 45 cents per ton. The operators cut
1t down to 40 cents, then again, early in
April, to 35 cents. This was the imme-
diate cause of the strike. The visible
supply of coal on hand in the region sup
piled by the Ohio river is probably
enough to last till fall. It Is different,
however, in places supplied by railroad,
where there is not more than a months
supply; in some cases not that. For the
first time the river and railroad coal
miners struck together.
In the south negro and convict labor
could readily take the place of the strik-
ing white miners If permitted to do so.
The prospect of most serious trouble
would naturally be in the south in case
strike became general there.
A peculiar situation is produced by the
fact that part of the operators consid-
cred the miners claim just and were
willing to leave wages at the old rate.
But they were opposed by determined
number who not only insisted on the
cut, but shipped their lower priced coal
in competition with that Of the employ
ers who at first refused to cut wages,
thus forcing the reduction on all.
A feature Of the strike was that num-
Der of the coke workers who at first were
not expected to join in the strike did SO.
The organizers declared that If an at
tempt should be made to substitute an
thracite for bituminous coal on railroads
and in factories the anthracite miners
would go out too.
Distinguished Crooks.
A Joker in Chicago recently sent pic