The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-05
THE COAL MINERS STRIKE.

The coal miners strike just now begun
will probably be one of the most extensive
determined and prolonged strikes that has
occurred. The conditions that have caused
it are widespread and fundamental, and
the miners are evidently deeply in earnest
in their determination to bring abr ut a
change in these conditions and secure not
only better wages but better recognition of
their rights in the future. In both of these
purposes they are entitled to and will have
warm public sympathy as long as they keep
within the lines of law and order Their
right to organize and to strike is unques-
tionable. So is their right to use every
form of combined action, cooperation and
pressure possible under the law to labor
organizations aiming to secure their own
rights without interfering with the rights
or property of others. The moment any
class of laborers, organized or unorganized,
do this they put themselves in the wrong
and cease to be entitled to public sympathy
1t is to be hoped. therefore, for the sake
of the miners and the cause they represent,
that the present strike may be an orderly
violence as have characterized many strikes
in the past. That evidently is the present
spirit and intention of the leaders, but if
the strike should be a long one it is i'm
possible to say what new phase it may de-
velop. A quarter of a million of determined
men organized these are and making
common cause for what they deem their
and while they may be entirely amenable
to the spirit and orders of their leaders
at the beginning of a strike, one cannot
foretell what may happen if, after, several
weeks of idleness and deprivation of wages,
their families suffering for the necessaries
of life, they should find themselves con-
fronted with prospect of failure and of
being forced back into a condition which
they regard as little better than slavery
Under such circumstances the Strikers NAV
become desperate and resort to methods
which they would not think of using now
At present conservative counsels prevail.
but in such large bodies of organized labor
there are always hot-heads who are ever
ready to supplant the conservative leaders
and advise violent methods when they think
the time is ripe. The miners should bear
these facts in mind and use every effort
to keep the present strike free from acts
of violence of any kind. AT the beginning
of the miners strike of 1894 which was
almost as extensive as this one promises
to be, the public at first recognized the
substantial justice of the miners claims
and wished them success, but when, after
a few weeks, it degenerated into a course
of violence, arson, murder and antagonism
to law it lost all public sympathy and ar
rayed the entire law and order element of
the country against it.
1t is evident that such a strike as this
must affect many interests and cause much
disturbance Of trade. To begin with, the
loss of wages to the miners themselves will
amount, in the aggregate, to millions of
dollars, and the withdrawal of so much
money from the channels of trade will be
felt in all the mining districts and by the
miners themselves for quite a long time
to come. In the strike of 1894, which lasted
from April II to June IS, the loss of wages
to the miners was estimated at $12 800 900
The suspension of coal shipments will af-
feet the railroad business and by cutting
down their earnings will lessen the amount
of money they can expend for wages or
betterments. 1t is understood that the mar
kets are well stocked with coal at present,
but if the strike should continue long manu-
facturers in some localities will be very apt
to feel it in the higher prices for fuel. In
directly this would operate to the advantage
of the miners, as a reduced stock and
higher price for coal would enable the
operators to resume on a better scale of
wages, but the pinch would be seriously
felt while it lasted. The strike is greatly
to be regretted, but the necessity for it is
equally so. and all must unite in hoping
that it may result in the establishment of
better conditions and better wages for the
miners