Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1897-07-23


have so reduced the average miners IN
come that he has been driven to depres'
sion. And now when he is told by the
metropolitan press that the depression
which has accompanied. or rather
brought about his loss of income, IS
rapidly passing away, he thinks 1t time
that he should be given the opportunity
to earn a better wage. And SO the
strike.
Yet this metropolitan press that has
lnstigated the miners to embark IN
struggle that we much fear is hopeless.
for the depression and the supert1ulty OF
labor seeking employment at the mines
that has enabled the mine owners to put
down the scale Of wages is not thing OF
the past,-turns upon those whom it has
beckoned on to their own defeat, be-
labors them for striking for the increase
of pay that it has led them to believe
they could obtain, spreads out the losses
to the miners and the community that
must attend the strike, and puts the
blame for all these losses on the shoulders
of the strikers. The blame belongs on
the shoulders of the metropolitan press,
the press engaged IN putting a false
color on trade conditions, in creating
paper prosperity. The responsibility for
the strike and its attendant losses, the
responsibility for what we fear Will be
fruitless strike and the accompanying
distress and suffering of the strikers,
rests with the metropolitan press.
We do not blame the miners for strk-
ing; we wish them all success. II ever
men had cause for striking the coal
miners have that cause. We have only
one regret for their action, and that is
that the time taken for strike is i'll.
judged. If conditions Of employment
were such as made out by the metropoli-
tan press, the present would be an oppor-
tune time. But conditions are not such
as they are made out to be; there is not
enough work to 60 round; there are
thousands OF men seeking work to one
employer seeking workmen, and that
employer has but to announce his want
of hands to be overwhelmed with appli.
cants. Consequently, there are men to
fill the places of the strikers, and even
though they be men not skilled in coal
mining, they are factor greatly
strengthening the position of the mine
owners, for these idle men. seeking EN-.
ploy ment, are ready to stand the greater
part of the loss while learning the trade.
1t is true these men are not on the field,
have not the means of going where the
employment awaits them, but the coal
companies have it in their power to open
recruiting stations in the cities, to 60 to
the idle when the idle cannot come to
them.
Then, too, in condition where there
is not half enough work for the miners
already on the spot, where the miners are
impoverished and without savings, and
where their labor organizations are with.
out funds, because Of the inability Of the
members to keep up with their dues. and
most difficult to keep the lines OF the
strikers intact. So it is that we fear for
the miners in their struggle. The pre-.
requisite to a successful strike. namely.
An ending of that condition of congest.
ed labor market where there is an idle
laborer seeking for the job of his more
fortunate fellow, is wanting. When the
coal companies have to face scarcity Of
hands, and have to seek miners in order
to keep up with orders, rise IN wages,
if not voluntarily conceded, can be at.
tained by a strike, but when such con.
ditions are reversed the successful strike |
must te the exception. And conditions
are now reversed.
Yet, we repeat. If ever men had cause |
to strike, the coal miners Of today have
that cause. By cuts in the rate OF pay |
and by enforced idleness. their wages |
have been so reduced as to bring them to |
extreme poverty. We lately had a report
made by an Investigating Committee of
the legislature of Pennsylvania, to the
effect that the average earnings OF the |
miners of Pennsylvania were in the
neighborhood of but 81 week. In the
coal fields of Illinois, the average weekly
earnings of miner are given at but 50,
out of which they are expected to pay
rent and support their homes. That
they must 20 hungry is plain. So they
have been driven to desperation. Might
as we'll starve striking for living wages
as starve at grinding toll, is their feeling,
and so their resort to strike into which
they have been spurred by the magnided
reports of industrial revlvals and mini
mized reports of industrial shut downs
catered up by the metropolitan press,
reports that have given rise to false
hopes.
We have spoken of the average wage
of the Pennsylvania miner as but 81
week. But this is greater wage than
the average miner III reality receives.
Added to his loss OF income through