The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-14

nave not received To-Day any 1n1Orma-
| ton, direct or indirect to show that the
operators have receded from their posi-
tion."
The statement is as follows:
STATEMENT OF THE STRIKERS.
Indianapolis Sept. l3, l9o0.-rhe mem
bers of the nationai board OF the United
Mine Workers OF America, reailzIng that
the material welfare OF a large number
of the American peopIe Will be lnJurIUus-
ly affecled by prolonged suspension
| Of work in the fields Of pennsylvania,
knowing me irresistible power OF a con-
centrated pubic opinion, and having a
profound respect for the opinions of their
IeHoW NEIL, nave decided TO make a gen.
erai sta cement for the information OF the
public. No one can have a greater APP
precIati0n OF the far-reacning effect of q
strike of the anthracite coal miners. The
coal miners and their tamiiles, the coal
Companies and cOaI-cdrrytng railways are
Dut d small portion of the vast multitude
whose interests are so directly or indi-
recuy connected with the coal trade that
their welfare. The domestic fuel supply
of the West, the great manufacturing
Industries of the East, the wholesale and
retail business establishments the great
ocean, lake. canal and railroad transport
tat1on interests; laboring men and capt.
talists, Will all be affected by such gil
ganttc struggle. That the world may
know that We have done all that honor
able men can do to avoid the conflict we
herewith submit a few facts for careful
consideration: The average wages of the
anthracite miners for years have been
| less than $3.50 annually.
COST OF LIVING.
During that period of time the cost
! or many of the neceSSarieS of life has
| increased over 20 per cent. An increase
IN cost of living without corresponding
| increase in wages is equivalent to a re-
! duction in wages.
The laws of the state of Pennsylvania
make z, 400 pounds ton of anthracite
| coal, yet anthracite coal miners are COM
| PEELED to NINE from 2,700 to 1000 pounds
| Tor ton, and, in addition to that, are
| locked eXorbltant amounts, often rea eh-
! ing IL per cent of their daily earnings,
| for any impurities which may be sent out
| with their COAL Where they are paid by
| the car instead of being required to fur
| n1sh a well rounded heap on the car at
the breakers, as was originally agreed to.
| they have gradually been compelled to
increase the amount of coal in each car
| by building the same perperdicularly
from six TO eighteen inches above the
! edge. They are compelled to purchase
| the powder used in mining from their
employers, paying $2.75 per key for a
ELSEWHERE for $l.5O per key, and which
|, WHOLESALERS for about 81 per key. They
/ are required by many of the companies
to deal in pluck-lne stores or leave their
employment This must pay to the com
pany 81 per month for a doctor, whether
they need him or not, and have no voice
In saying who the doctor shall be. The
smallness of their earnings, together
with the great cost of living has com
PEELED them to take their children from
school before they have reached the age
prescribed by law, and place them at
work in the breakers, in order to keep the
family from starvation.
PERMISSION TO QUIT.
when any miner, feeling the burden
of these conditions, has gone to the man
agement and asked to have them remov-
ed, he has been told if he does not like it
he can quit. When they have organized at
any colliery and have sent comm! tees
to the management asking to have their
grievances remedled, the committee has
either been discharged or they have been
told that the evils could not be remedied
because OF the competition from other
companies. When the representa- of
the miners of the whole region met and
asked the coal companies to meet them
in joint convention to arrange wages and
conditions on an equitable basis so that
each would know what his competitor
was paying, and no advantage could be
taken OF any one, their petition for a
conference had been ignored. When the
business men, clergymen and other out
side influences have appealed to the COM
panleS to correct some of the evils COM
planned of, their requests have been de-
nied and when, as a last resort, the Off
GERS OF our organization have wired the
presidents of the great railroad compae
MES who control the coal fields, offering
to submit the whole question to arbitra-
ton the proposition has been treated with
silent contempt Having exhausted ali
other means of adjustment we have
reached the point where we must either
advise the miners of the anthracite re-
gion to continue working under these un-
just and tyrannical conditions or counsel
strike. We have chosen the latter, and.
having done so, we invite a thorough i'm
tial and public investigation of the con-
ditions existing in the anthracite coal
fields. We believe that the great Ameri-
can heart throbs in sympathy for the
down trodden and oppressed whether in
this or any other land. We know the
Ing PUBLIC sentiment With an abiding
faith In the justice Of our cause. and .
consciousness of the knowledge that
Whosoever else may villify and abuse us
the Great Jehovah knows and UNDER
stands the rectitude of our purpose. we
appeal to the American press and people
as the great arbiters on earth to assist us
and sustain us in our hour Of trial.
On behalf of the national executive
board. of the United Mine Workers of
America, we are sincerely yours.
John Mitchell, President
H. w. B. Wilson, Secretary-T'rea sTlrer.,'
Today was busy one at headoua rters.
All day long the kilograms were being
received and sent out, and tonight Presi-
dent Mitchell has enough messages to
fill two pigeon holes In his desk What
these messages contained was not given
out.
AT STRIKERS HEADQUARTERS.
Secretary-Treasurer Wilson and his
force of clerks were busy answering the