The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-09-27
PENNSYLVANIA coal STRIKE.
A Preacher Describes Conditions In the
Coal Regions Blames Coal operators
for the strike.

A Preacher Describes Conditions In the
Coal Regions BIsmss Coal Operators
for the strike.
Rev Charles VI. Afford, OF Philadel |
phja, taking THE Great strike" rs the
theme II = recent discourse, is report
ed by the Philadelphia Times As say
ing:
Zone Of the greatest strikes Of histo-
ryisupon US The -hAme Of it all is
that the innocent wives aud Children
and CT liens must bear the brunt OF
suffering.
"The average wage, which n less
than ~ cents er day, Is not sufficient
To support family. Recently the cot
Of living all over the country has In
creased 20 per cent The greed Of the
operator has unlawfully increased 70
almost double the number OF pounds 70
tn. ton which the miner must furnish
He has also increased the price OF pow
der Der Neg from 81 90 TO 81 10. he ha'
compelled them To purchase at the com
pAny's high price store and TO pay =
dollar per month for the company
Doctor, whom they do not need. After
the miner girls and bears IL for time
he begins To grumble and discomfort
begn us to show itself. The profession
al agitstor appears upon the scene and
his oratory fans the smoudering EN-
beers OF anger Into fame. Grievances
are presented by he men 10 the opera
tors The operators ignore their pei
tions and demands, aud the strike l.
then instituted. The companies then
attempt To introduce non-union men
which leads TO open rupture. Deputy
Sheriff., armed with rifles, take hand
which brings on pitched battle, re-
sulting In the loss Of life. rhe state
militia IL called out to quell the riot.
BACK TO THE MINIS.
"Finally, after a long period OF in
tense suffering, starvation makes the
miner submissive, and sends him back
into he mine at the old starvation wa
ges, while great military debt is sad
died upon the community to be paid by
the innocent taxpayer
There is true history OF the aver
age anthracite coal strike. Such a
strike, therefore, cannot be the sOlu-
tion OF these difficulties between the
employer and the employee. One hun
dred and forty-two thousand miners
united at the polls will accomplish far
more than I'M ted in a strike.
"The poverty and degradation Of
their wretched novels which 1 saw
while on trip of inspection in that re-
gion lead me to deeply sympathize with
the down trodd, miner.
"The operators are responsible for
the strike.
"The operators can and should con-
oede to the miners just d. mand.
eff It is true, as one operator has
said, that the mine owners could not
afford to pay the 10 per cent. raise, as
they control prices, they could make
the consumer pay it, just as corpora
tiOns find ways to make the customer
pAy for their revenue stamps. They
could at least remove the other grew
ances, and by compromise prevent
the strike
"Their refusal to arbitrate places the
responsibility of the strike upon them.
''ln strike might prevails, while in
arbitration right prevails. IN. opera
tors refusal to arDitrate indicates that
their cause is Unjust The statement
that the operators will not recognize
the Mine W orkers' Union, but deal di-
rectly with their own men is fallacous ;
for their own miners are invariably
discharged when they come to the OPP
orators with grievances.
THE PUBLIC SUFFERS.
1.-The general public, which has ia
ken the deepest interest In this subject
has labored hard to avoid the clash, and
will be an intense sufferer when it
comes, has been treated like the men
and the union, with scorn.
"What right have mine owners, who
reject the demands of a suffering pub
lie that these difficulties should be set
tied by arbitration and thus save the
community from a bloody and costly
riot, what right, | say, have they to de-
mand or expect protection from this
same public? The public will be ex-
peoted to pay the expense of the ope-
rators' riot, which it is granted no op-
portunity to prevent. This is certain
ly the worst form of taxation without
representation. II the operators ask
the State to send its militia to protec I
them from this riot of their own max.
ing they ought TO be presented with the
bill
THE GOLDEN RULE.
"If the statement of an operator is
true, that the terrible condition of
$4,000 of our citizens is unavoidable,
and they must continue in slavery and
always live like cattle, then We have an
awful state of affairs in free America
Such conditions must and will. be
changed.
"lf he golden rule was put into prac-
tee by the mine owners and operators
these conditions would soon improve "
A Pertinent Truth.
Home & Farm,
A trnth that the 20 rr,ous - . =. u {,