The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-07-25

reason, the statement OF this nara Work-
ing class, that they are not Phi1 nh ,ils
wages, and that they and tneir Ialil. nv,
are reduced to conditions OF inc brea'0S'
hardship and distress. 81
How have they been brought TO this
hard condition. who is 20 blame, anu n nro
can they get relief? ProDaD'y 10 JIG
man Ia familiar enough win INC oPS,,
lions Of all the various soft,codl plUp'ra
ties I'm this country to speak cohCeI hlns
the figures of each I'm detail. But L am
conversant with the figures anu ma
lions of one large mining olslllct, , -
know that with unimportant val stIaricts
its history IS that Of all other oi T., 800
In the mines Of which i SPEAK ~ nj io
soft coal was sold at an average ~. VI then
one dollar per ton. Miners resei'.S tstrict
80 cents per ton To-day In thal ui1 80
coal is sold at OS cents, ana mn ~, Tbo
been receiving 37i5 cents Per W. .s and
operator gets 30 cents per Ton IcsS GO
the miner gets 17Ib cents per ION '.ss -,
IL II easy TO see that tho loss ,por tho
to the operator Is far greater ia IA ,hts
loss per ton TO the miner. no" ,rbere A.
state Of things come TO pass a roient-
only one answer BY the oTuel anu ar'J hos
less law OF competition. bVeIy 49, has
seen new mines opened; every I,airess,
seen new competitors Tor lhv 49, ~
every year has seen the prouueSS coyn.
mines offered lower and lower uiiu eS Sreat
petitive bids to the railroaus 49, 80
consuming plants. Every year llo III
rators. getting lower prices, mahlis oni ~
er profits, have, as far as they .','',or,tor
reduced the miners wages III - ~
10 the reduction Of their pronts. III tno
district referred 10 the profits OF the ope-
ratOrs have been reduced az least ov ~
lccnt while the wages OF the opeIdtNcs
have been cut down about one-thi.u, ~
result certainly does not prove ue, .iie
operators are to blame They worS az, ,hat,
coal and sell It to make money; VneS
have 10 sell at lower price theS h l,se
10 purchase at a lower cost. 10 pfouuces
at a lower cost means 20 cut down MAsys'
There is no other way OF reducing 'ne
cost. 49, l. At.A
the miner says, 1 am not getting eHousn
10 keep body and soul together VIII
work no longer. The operator says, am
sorry, but the price OF coal does not JUS
tify me In paying higher wages; a y,
How Is the miner TO be relieved? If
the answer Of the operator Is true, II com
petition has brought the price down so
low. that he cannot pay higher wages, Is
It not manifest that the necessity oi 1ns
case requires that the price OF coai shouIu
be put up and maintained at higher
How can this be done? Cannot the ope-
rators get together and make an agree
ment as TO what price they VIII charse
for coal in each district ana what wages
they will pay in each districtY would not
this be better, at least. than the perpetual
lowering OF prices by this fierce compe-
tition. and this inevitable consequent
grinding OF the life out Of the miners and
their miserable families? Does not hui
mainly seem TO require that there should
be- q stopping place. that there snould De
some living limit. below which competi-
ton should not be allowed 10 drive down
the wages Of these suffering peopleT IL
would seem so.
But IL the operators should be willing
and DESTROYS 10 come together In any min
ing district, and in their own Interest III
the interest Of the miners ana IN the IN
terest Of humanity, TO make an agreement
with each other, to MAINTAIN prices ana
paw living wages, they are 'chtroHleu
with the Antitrust law and the decision
Of the Supreme Court Of the Natloa Such
an ARRANGEMENT. however beneficial It may
be TO ali parties, however II may be re-
ouired by every consideration Of humani-
~ is contract IA restraint OF trade, ana
a violation of law, punishable BY fine and
imprisonment.
How shall the miners be relievedy
The Antitrust law says there shau DC
no relief, save through the crushing out
process Cf competition. by the elimination
Of the weak, aud the survival OF the
strong. -,
II says the public IS entitled 20 its coal
at the very lowest price TO which II can
be reduced by competition, no matter II
the miner starves and his children Gle
a lingering and miserable death.
How, then, shall the miner be renewed!
j. IL. y.