The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-10-27

very coming. Peace has ruled in their
presence. and 1t cannot be fairly said
only because of their presence; no dis
turbances are threatened, one regi-
ment has already been sent home, the
early withdrawal of the remainder is
in contemplation. And in the upper
and middle anthracite fields no excuse
has been given for call for troops.
The strikers have preserved order.
Shown f1rmness and confidence. And
in the face of this show the operators
have lost their confidence.
AS we have SAID, many Of them
granting an advance in wages of 10
per cent, caused notices thereof to be
posted at their collieries. They thought
this concession would bring the miners
back to their work. But to their dis
appointment it did not. The miners
looked rather askance at these notices.
They want assurance that the rise will
be allowed in all districts, by all op-
orators, before they go back to work.
for they know full we'll that If some
operators held out those operators who
sumption Of work generally in the
coal fields, promptly withdraw 1t so
that they might put themselves on the
same competing basis with those who
held out. And the fact that the post
ing of this concession in part to one Of
the wage demands of the strikers was
not universal caused them to look ask
ance at it, as concession Of a mere
temporary nature made to break the
strike So they held firm ranks and
waited another move by the operators
which was not likely to be long de-
layed.
The operators are bulging in their
efforts to bring about a settlement of
the strike, and evincing a general bit
terness in their defeat that will not
help them. The short cut to such set
tlement is recognition of the Mine
themselves by not taking it. But of
of this we have already spoken. Sym
pathy of the public has been with the
strikers, and now that the operators
feel forced to concede an advance of
wages to the miners. they snarlingly
declare that the dear public" will
have to pay for it. Remarked direc
tor Of the Jersey Central Railroad In
response to reporters inquiry: "Well
will tell you one thing, the increase
in miners wages will have to be paid
by the consumer. Be sure of that.
The dear public which means you
and me and everyone who burns an
thracite coal, will have to pay the ad-
vance,
If the price Of coal be advanced and
that advance be added to the rather
slim earning of the miners, the public
will not begrudge it. But let it be re-
membered that the labor cost of ton
Of coal atsthe mines, and according TO-
lts from IS q !,
E! 4
would then asid to the cost ofF
ing a ton of coal only 8 or 10 cents.
Let the operators make no! greater ad-
vance in the price Of coal to the re-
tailers. If, having granted a 10 per
cent rise in wages, they advance the
price of coal more than this, we may
know they are making the rise in
wages an excuse for further squeezing
the public.
Further, let it be said that while
the profits to the independent opera
tor in mining coal may not be large,
the profits of the coal carrying roads
in the carriage of anthracite coal are
enormous. AS compared to the charges
made on bituminous coal, they charge
three freights on anthracite. 1t is said
by those who declare that an increase
in the miners wages will have to be
paid by the consumer, that "for years
the coal fields owned by the railroads
have paid them little or nothing, and
collieries have sometimes been run at
a loss." But this statement, though it
can be backed up by the books of the
coal companies, is grossly misleading.
The coal companies owned by the rail-
roads have paid them in excessive
freight rates. 1t is through such ex-
cessive freight rates that the railroads
choose to take the profits of their coal
fields. And why? Because it gives
them to take the profits of the private
coal fields without discriminating
against them in the eye of the law.