Great Falls weekly tribune., 1895-08-02
THE BELT MINERS.

Since the closing down of the coal
mines at Belt there has been much
speculation on the part of the people Of
Great Falls as we'll as Belt as to the
cause OF this unlooked-for step on the
part of the company. 1t is know that the
Castner company has made large invest.
ments in developing the mines and In
the construction of the coking plant, and
that for their purpose of the chief, and, as
matter of fact, only purchaser-the
Anaconda company-both the coal and
coke were of satisfactory character In
the face of this there was the closedown.
The prevalent opinion is that it was the
result Of difference between the miners
and the management. The supposed
difference was an indefinite something SO
far as the general public is concerned.
They did not know nor do they care.
They regret that any possible cause, not
material, should occur even temporarily
to stop this industry. tits a serious matter.
The mines furnished employment to a
number of men and had a payroll of
nearly $4,000 per month. Thus far
the managers Of the company have
not seen tit to say why the mines we're
closed or what will be the duration of the
closing down. The public have inferred
and the story has been generally circu-
lated that it was because Of labor
troubles. TO this the miners take ex-
ception and the Belt union has issued a
statement from which the following
material paragraph is taken: ITO the
best of our knowledge there is not now,
and as far rs we are concerned there will
not be, any differences with the COM
pany which cannot be satisfactorily set
tied. Previous to the shut down we in
formed the management through our
| representatives that we would mine the
coal as required by them until July l
when, if it lessened our wages we would
expect an advance sufficient to make up
the difference. We continued to work
and supposed the matter settled and we
believe it was, and still believe that the
present close down is caused by matters
with which the workmen have no con-
nection whatever"
This gives the miners side Of the
story, and it contains statement that
there was an impending difference in
regard to wages. Neither the scope nor
extent of the difference is given. If the
change that was anticipated was radical
the miners were in the right in giving
notice; it it was non essential they were
wrong. Wages today in Montana are
up to the top notch, and they will re,
main there if the wage workers are hon.
est to themselves and to the employees.
If they 60 to splitting hairs and inviting
trouble, when there e no possible neces-
sity for it, only themselves are to blame
If they get the worst of it, The quota
ton that we make from the card of the
Belt miners union is not couched in the
proper language. 1t is equivocal. 1t
says the union had given notice that if
there was lessening of wages the union
would insist upon proper adjustment
TUE TRIBUNE is and has ever been an
advocate of good wages for the working
man, and it regrets that the Belt union
has not placed its position in better
light. This thing of borrowing or an
ticipating trouble is hardly proper
caper. We sincerely hope that the
mines will soon be reopened at the ole
wages, and believe that they will be.