Omaha daily bee., 1897-07-05

The strike of coal miners in five
states ordered for today, together with
the disturbances in the iron and steel
industry which have thrown thousands
Of men out of employment, are TO be
dcplorcd for the check that will be
given to returning industrial activity.
The controversy between the tin plate
workers and the manufacturers over
the question of wages has been salts
factorily settled and the tin plate
mills that have beer shut down will
resume operations at once, but this
one bright feature does not relieve the
situation very much, since only II few
thousand men are affected. The very
serious matter is the Formidable strike
Of the coal miners, which will involve
nj least 100000 men and may before
it is ended embrace Il much larger
number. The effort is to make the
strike general and while miners ut
various points have announced their
determination not to join in it, the
probability is that some of them will
ultimately do so. We ave had great
strikes of miners in the past, but the
one 10Y ordered threatens to be the
most formidable the country has
known. There has been very thor
ough organization in anticipation of
the strike ana it is said the miners are
prepared TO continue it six months, if
necessary. If it should be prolonged
any such time, however, there will GER
tainly be II great deal of privation and
suffering among the miners II their
families, for II majority of these peo-
pie have nothing ahead. Their earn
ingS are SO small that men with fam
lilies cannot save; indeed, they cannot
provide themselves with all the neceS-
sarirS of life.
If I'LL is rue in the statement sent
out by the officials of the miners or.
ganization the demand of the miners
is not unreasonable. 1t is clearly shown
that the wages they have been rcceiv-
Ing is insufficient, even if they had
constant employment, which is not the
ease. II very large proportion of them
getting work only part of the time.
There is appalling distress among them
uiNt lii'h ''li'ilbl'h Sio"S o'Nt'tSS
worse. A committee of the PcnnSyl-
vania legislature Il short time ago made
an Investigation of the condition OF
labor in the Dituminuus mining regions
of that state and its report showed
u most distressing condition Of affairs.
Not only We're the miner poorly paid
for their labor, but they are practically
Il, a., -, -, - t,,.,,, -;,, -, ,I,, ',.+
that in order to keep their employment
they must deal with the ''pluck-mp
stores owned by the companies. pay
Ing eNorbitant prices for all they buy.
This system keeps the miners of Penn
sylvania in Il condition of dependence
and htlplrssness. The situation of
these people in Ohio, Indiana and Hi
nois is not very much if any better
and it is not surprising that they are
driven to revolt against their hard lot.
Whether or not they will improve their
condition by striking II is impossible
10 say. Miners strikes have not nj
ways been advantageous to the strik-
crS, but the present one may prove
so. though it is to be feared that it will
bring added privation to the mel and
those dependent on them.
The closing down of iron and steel
mills, throwing ten of thousands of
men out of work, is hardly less serious
than the miners strike. from IN indus
trial point Of view. but the mill work
CrS are better able to endure idleneSS
than the miners. These labor conflicts