The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-05-09

81 securing living price Tor the ore, uuu
this az led 70 the discharge Of several
hundred men. The producing capacity
Of the mines OF this region Is easily
fifteen millions 81 tons. The market
demands from eight TO ten millions tons.
This is the condition. Now what will be
done with the surplus II il Is mined? 10
cannot be sold because the market docs
not want it.
II the big mines try 20 see how cheap
they can mine, and il they go into the
market to force sales by cutting prices
IN two, then what will be the result?
The lttle mines viii be forced to sus-
pend. and ilfthe fight for supremacy the
wages Of the miner will be cut in two so
as TO permit OF meeting the competition
That would be the Inevitable result.
With the shutting down Of the weaker
mines the stronger would again pat up
the price Of ore aud regulate the product.
To this end the business IL fast drifting
The indiscriminate fighting OF one an
other has injured the iron ore producers.
II has hurt the shareholder and 'abofer.
In the scramble for business the past
three years the mining companies have
found just what was predicted would be
met with-loss OF capital and reduced
wages to miners.
IL is not an easy problem to sntis-
iactorily solve. What is needed isbetter
business conditions. What We lack ~ a
market for all the ore that can he mined.
and market will not bc had until
capital is satisfied ii can invest money
securely and proiitably. The business
OF the country is not healthy. IL needs
n tonic What the iron ore districts
need is McKinleyism, and this is synony-
nous with republicanisrn. American
affairs have never thrivcd under an
administration that has inclined to-
wards the iallacy OF free trade, and
during periods when protection was
observed and when its principles had n
majority to support Thorn in the halls oil
congress this has been the most SUCCESS
full country the sun ever shone upon. 1t
il useless to mine iron ore il IL cannot be
disposed Of. IL is worse than useless
because the surplus damages the market
and drmoralizes the business OF the com
panies and the men whom they employ.
1t 10 time Of much trial, and during
the period that will eapse until a better
business administration OF affairs can bo
secured we must all make the best Of il.
We must try To take care OF those who
are with ms, and use our best judgement
in Fastening the day when Improvement
can be brought about.
In times like these there are men who
arc busy sowing the seeds OF discord
among the wage earncrs. Their sole
object in doing this is TO help themselves.
They care not how much they distort
the truth SO long as their personal aims
are eratilied. They have no thought OF
the harm they do TO the workingman on
his family. They are seeking 10 have the
workers support them in idlencss. IL
Is these fellows who are now complaining
that the mines are restricting products
They are the same fellows who were
finding fault with the companies a few
months ago because the latter did not
combine for better price.
AS we hive said. il is not pleasant
business condition that conironts us
but we must make the best OF IL. Tho
lighting Of these companies is not the
way 20 secure the most they can extend
in the way of favors. The miners OF thin
city have been urged TO make this war
upon their employers by men who
wanted Office. IL was q and mistake
We have often said many innocent men
get injured in such practice. IL is not
healthy, nor can such n course succeed.
friendly one. What capital and labor
should do is TO get nearer each other,
not further apart. The widening Of the
breach between tho men aud the com
panies is what these agtators desire to
accomplish. IL is by this disruption
that they live, for when the men and
companies agree the labor disturber
finds his occupation gone.
These men have already causcd great
injury to many homes. have brought
hardship and sorrow 90 many a family.
and IL Is high time the workingmcn saw
the danger to themselves IN following
such leadership. In union there is
strength. That's right, and the greatest
possible strength is had whom the work
ingInen and the companies GET together
and operate tremendously. That'Hthe
kind OF a union that would bring peace
and plenty. Iron Ore.
------~-----~----~------s