The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-10-13
/. Mark Hanna,s Fine Work.

Nurse Sinclair.
Mark Hanna'S Fine Work.
Mark Hanna is getting in some fine
work just now to prevent labor
strikes. In Newcastle, Pa, a strike
has prevailed for some weeks in the
tin mills, 5000 operatives being idle,
owing to their refusal to work for
starvation wages. Mr.. Hanna has
forced the protected manufacturers to
settle with their men and work has
been resumed. There will be no trou-
BILE there until after election, when the
workingmen may expect a cut down.
In Fall River there was prospect
Of a shutdown in several of the mills
with consequent turning out of TO-
900 operatives. The reason given for
the threatened suspension was the
dizziness of the print cloth market. At
the critical moment one of the million
aire friends of Hanna placed IN Or
der for 100000 pieces of cloth with the
mill owners and the shutdown was
averted. But this relief will be only
temporary. When the election is over
the false stimulus to activity will be
removed and the operatives must face
not only a reduction of hours but a
reduction Of wages.
In the great coal mining regions of
Pennsylvania the coal barons have
been gradually reducing the wages Of
their miners and increasing the cost OF
materials and of the necessaries Of
life. The men rebelled and a glgan-
tic strike was imminent. Hanna was
alarmed. He at once ordered the
highly protected magnates to compro-
mise with their men and to avert the
strike until after election. Thetre is a
prospect that this will be done and
the national committee will make good
the deficit. But after Nov. 6 the mine
owners will tighten the screws and
force obedience to their terms.
A few of the grievances of the Penn
sylvania coal miners may be recited
for the purpose of exposing the terri
BILE system of human slavery under
which they live. They receive for ten
hours work per day SLIGO. But they
are working, only half time. There
fore their weekly earnings do not ex-
coed $3.50. They are compelled to
purchase the mining powder which
they use from the mine owners at
$2.75 per keg. This powder costs just
so cents per key to manufacture. The
combined mine owners, therefore,
make a. profit on this one item alone
of 300 per cent. A legal ton of coal
at the mines contains 2,24O pounds.
The miner is compelled to dig out over
5000 pounds before he can get credit
for ton. The miners are forced to
purchase their food-supplies at the
company stores, where they are
charged from 20 to 30 per cent more
than they would have to pay If per-
mitted to trade in the open market.
But failure to buy at the stores
means intsant discharge. Then again
they are compelled to live in houses
and tenements owned by the mine
owners. The rent paid represents %
per cent upon the cost of the dwell
ings, most exorbitant figure.
AS matter of fact, the miners or
mine operatives rarely have n cent OF
money in their possession. They are
simply able to keep body and soul to.
gether, but they are always in debt to
the company, no matter how much
they may strive to get ahead. They
are practically in the same condition
as that of the slaves in the South be-
fore the war. They are just enabled
to exist. There is no hope for them
or for their children; they can never
rise any higher in the social scale.
They must always work in the mines.
They cannot get away. Is it any won
der that they rebel occasionally? It
is strange that they demand some
share of the profits of their labor
while their employers are piling up
their millions? They are told that
they must have protection" for their
labor, but it is only their masters that
derive the benefits of high tariffs.
They get none Of them. Mr.. Hanna
has come to their relief for the mo-
ment, not from any sympathy with
their sufferings, but rather because
strike would injure the chances Of Nc.
ISinley's election. When election day
passes by he will turn them over to
the tender mercies of their cruel mas.
tiers, and their condition will be worse
than ever before. Does the laboring
mon ySrnn0uo fn no Assy1od nnatn t~