The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-08-06
THE MINING OF COAL.
From the Philadelphia Record.

From the Philadelphia Record.
In the progressive development of pro
ductive processes the mining OF coal has
come to be the primary Industry on whlch
almost every other form Of human ac-
tivity depends for its ways and means.
Neither manufacturing nor transportation,
nor even agriculture on any extended
scale, can be carried on without regu-
lar and sufficient supply of mechanical
power; and with the machinery at pres
ent in use coal is the only source from
which can be obtained either power or the
artificial heat which is necessary in near
ly all the operations in which human en-
ergy is employed. 1t is, therefore, OF the
utmost Importance that the business or
coal production should be relieved as far
as possible of the vicssitudes and huc-
tuations to which 1t has long been sub
jected, and that the relations between the
capital and the labor employed in It's
production should be equitably adjusted
and placed on q stable and permanent
basis.
1t is not easy, however, to conceive of
any plan by which this may be accom-
plished. The miners strike, which is at
present disturbing the peace Of num-
Der of states and checking the business
of the whole country, will, no doubt be
settled in some way or other. The diff
fcrences may be arbitrated, or the strike
may be brought to an end by the sur
render of either the miners or their en-
ployers; but no matter what may be the
outcome of this contention, 1t is useless
to hope that the forms of agreements can
be other than temporary in their nature.
The conditions which prevail in the coal
regions are such as to render a permanent
settlement of the relations between the
miner and his employer almost impossi-
| BILE According to the testimony taken by
the legislative committees which recently
| inquired into this matter, backed up by
| the observations of almost every person
| who has knowledge of the coal regions,
| the situation appears TO be this: First,
| tho possible production of the mines
| opened and ready for operation Is greatly
| in excess of the needs of the coal mar
| ket; and, secondly, the number OF Ia
| borers of ali classes in the coal regions
| is enormously out of proportion to the
| amount of work to be done. The result
| is excessive competition between the ope-
| rators, which is further intensified by the
| fact that some mines can be worked more
| easily and with less expense than others,
and the impossibility or giving either the
miners or the outside laborers full en-
ployment even when the demand for coal
| is greatest.
| These conditions are evidently the fund
| amental cause of the disorders and agita-
| tions to which the business of mining coal
| seems to be peculiarly subject as well as
| of the spirit of strife and violence which
periodically seizes those engaged in it.
| Moreover, they add greatly to the cost of
| production, because they involve a waste
of both capital end labor even In times
| of peace; and while they shall continue
| to exist it is by 10 means easy to see
how the operators can arrive at any
agreement which will withstand the test
of time either between themselves as to
the quantity of coal which shall be mined
and the price al which it shall be sold,
or with their men as 20 the wages which
shall be paid. There are also other fac
| tors of disturbances; but these might be
abated by law, and, though improbable,
it is not impossible that the output OF
| the mines all over the United States
| might be limited by mutual agreement
to the actual demand and apportioned in
an equitable percentage of capacity be-
tween the various producers But these
| reforms, while they would relieve the
miners of the robbery to which they are
now subjected and the operators of the
risk of loss from falling prices, would
not add a single days work to the aggre-
gate amount of labor to be done.
o
The most viruent element of disturb
ance in the situation, as well as the most
difficult to eliminate, Is the manifest fact
that all the miners cannot be fully en-
ployed; and there is also the further
fact that no possible advance in wages
can compensate them for time lost II
enforced ldleness. The pay which If earned
every day would enable a man to keer
himself and his family in comfort would
mean semi-straVation If earned only three
or four days a week; and as the plethora
of labor now in the coal fields .prec!ude'
the possibility of full employment being
given to all, it certainly constitutes the
gravest difficulty with which those who
hope to permanently adjust the differ
ences between the coal operators an-
their employees have to contend. 1t canno
| be overcome, as was once proposed, by
giving steady employment to sufticien
number of the most .skillful to do th'
work and leaving all the rest to shift fo
themselves as best they can, because
while this policy would no doubt in tim'
rid the coal regions of surplus labor, i
would Immediately deprive a vast multi
| tude of men, woman and children of al
possible means of subsistence, and for {
long time to come the conditions of poV
erty and suffering would be such as NJ
Christian community could tolerate in III
midst Besides, so long as cupidity shall
continue to be factor in Determining
human action 1t will scarcely be pos
sible that the coal operators, some D
| whom are not noted for either humanit!
or foresight, could be induced to unan
imously refrain from taking advantage
of the necessities of the unemployed t
reap immediate gain by getting the
work done more cheaply.
%
The problem, however is not altogethe
iEsoluble. Other means of employmen
may be found for such as desire L
abandon the hopeless struggle for lif
under existing conditions in the coal re
, gions. Mr. Claus Spreckels, Mr.. Balling
! ton Booth and others who propose I
establish agricultural and industrial col
] onies in various parts Of the country ma,
turn their attention to the strong, health
and Industrious men who have been drag
ging out q half-starved existence in tn
coal fields. If they do, and shall sue
ceed In locating any considerable mum
| Der of these men on the unoccupied asri
! cultural lands of the West-where the
I | would, at least, be sure of enough to ca
(, they will probably find them peculiarly
we'll fitted to secure the success OF sue
enterprises; and whether their ulterio
: motives be selfish or humane, they wi
not only have aided in the practice
: solution of the labor problem, but the
, win have done a good thing for the Who'll