The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-06-06
A. plan 70 STOP COAL WARS
Washington eennor Writes Of the
Situation.
He Suggests that Capital and Labor
Unite. Miners, Operators and
Railroads Should FIX Prices
and Wages and Make
Binding Agreement.

an the price Of coal to point where
there was but little profit for the rail-
roads which carried it, the mine owners
Rnd operators who produced it or for the
miners whose wages were dependent
!. upon the price received for coal. These
three large interests have alike suffered
from a warfare which has been both
foolish and needless.
Last March the Ohio railroads and
operators took the initiative toward
bringing about settlement of the diff
Guilty by the formation Of an alliance
between the operators and the coal car
riers for the purpose Of securing better
results for all parties in interest, to es-
tahlish uniform rates on tho railroads,
secure stability Of prices for the coal
and through these means prevent any
further reduction in the pay of the min
ers and ultimately to increase their
wages as the price of coal was advanced.
The Ohio Coal association, which was
formed last March, is VOL organized
for this work and secures unity Of ac-
ton in the Ohio district That its for
nation was wise stop cannot be ques-
tioned The railroads for over year,
owing to the fierce competition which
existed, had been cutting prices from 20
to 40 per cent below schedule rates
This organization has succeeded in re-
storing rates to the established sched-
uie and by so doing will add from 90 to
40 per cent to the net revenue of the
roads which belong to it on all tho coal
they carry.
An obstacle to keeping up tho miners
wages has recently been encountered by
the action of the Pennsylvania and West
Virginia operators, who havo been per-
sistent in trying to drive the pay Of
miners to the lowest possible point
When the great strike Of 1894 was set
tied, an agreement was made that the
miners should receive 90 cents per ton
in Ohio and 60 cents per ton in Penn
sylyania. The Ohio operators have faith
fully lived up to their agreement and
paid 60 cents throughout the year, not
withstanding that during that time they
knew the Pittsburg district had violated
Its agreement and was undersclling Ohio
in the market, which it was able to do
on account of paying lower wages to the
miners.
There has been established for years n
the Ohio and Pittsburg districts in the
price paid the miner. This is the result
of'adifference i'll the size of screens used
in the two districts. If both districts
used the same sized screens, the wages
Tor miners would be the same, but SO
long as this is not the case the difTeren-
tlal must be maintained.
The Pittsburg operators having been
SUCCESSFUL i'll reducing the pay Of largo
number Of their miners during the year
1894, owing to the great number Of UNI
employed, are this year opposed to a
restoration to the prices agreed upon in
1884. The result is that, while tho Ohio
operators are III favor of either contiuu-
ing the wages of last yenr or even adj
yancing to higher prices, they are unable
TO carry out their wishes, but must es-
tabhsh ratio per ton which will be 8
cents less than that paid in the Pitts
burg district, the cents being the diff
ferential which have referred to.
There are times when capital Justly
complains that it has not been fairly
treated by labor. There can be no such
complaint made by the Pittsburg opera.
tors In this instance it is labor that has
been made to suffer through the short
sighted selfishness Of II few individuals
and corporations.
In 1892 West Virginia, Pennsylvania
and Ohio worked under an interstate
agreement. Miners were then receiving
IN Ohio 70 cents per ton and in Penn
sylvania 70 cents per ton The railroads
obtained satisfactory rates for the trans
4 portation Of coal, and tho operators and
mine owners made more money than
they have any time since. The results
OF this agreement and combination We're
SO beneficial and satisfactory to all in
terests that it is impossible to find
reason why tho same policy should not
have been carried out in tho following
years.
The present situation could be greatly
improved by extending an interstate Or
ganization so that it would include the
Illinois and Indiana districts Such
combination should not be looked upon
rs a trust, as it would in no sense be
one and would not be formed TO advance
prices, but only to maintain uniform
prices in the various districts.
There would be just as much sense in
some of tho street railways of New York
cutting down their fares to cents for
the purpose of taking business away
from other lines as there is i'll the cut
Z ting Of the prices at which coal is sold
or reducing the wages paid to the min