New-York tribune., 1900-09-20
NEW-YoRK TRIBUNE. THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 90 1900
THE PASSING THRONG.

William Eleroy Curtis the well known Washing
ton correspondent, returned yesterday from per
sonal investigation Of the strike
WILLIAM situation in the anthracite regions
ELEROY OF Pennsylvania When at
CURTIS on the waIdorf-Astoria last evening
THE STRIKE Mr. Curtis summed I'D the result
OF his observations follows:
The coal operators say that Il is impossible for
on account OF the varying price which their coal
sells Coal the records show has sold at the mines
at minimum average Of 81 81 and a maximum
average OF 2 o. ton. AT the minimum price the
great deal Of money. The prices the coal brings
however are controlled by the seven railroads
prices for coai1a high one for Wt1teT and low
one for summer Tbis ts 5one NE IN ordar 40 10 i1sIcs
people 10 buy in summer. otherwise the trade
the coal is needed and this would lead 70 the
mines being worked for only six months OF the
men reply that, while they would very gladly ac-
Sherman Anti-Pooiing bin (Sn antitrust law and
the decisions OF the Supreme Court sustain the po
bids any combination tending to do away with com
Retition c and reducing prces The roads hold that
T, n0t iesaay oe enforced private arrangsment
the same end is impracticabIe The spirit OF
competition would be almost certain 70 break it.
TO ship would go 70 road and ofTer to send it
over that h1e II only he could secure fractional
would be of the past, That Is phase No l.
Phase No. ?" continued Mr. Curtis lis
that the same schedule of wages that is now in
vogue throughout the anthracite
NOT coal regions has not been changed
CHANGED for thirty years. The methods
FOR THIRTY OF management have prevailed for
YEARS. a similar period Of time; in fact
since the days OF the Molly
Maguires- II is a complicated. antiqUated and
most awkward system. The way in which the
operators figure UP the price OF powder and the
NJ he min fs zfCaIO
70 the men They cannot understand II. The
miners can't get 1t througS their heads While it
Is generally st the miners 1 consider it gntGst
methods Of management that have heretofore
United States-except only steel engravtng-that
old The great object OF this strike is to compel
I me COal 70 Re recosnizs the IT
although their position in so doing cannot be said
TO be either consistent or logical This is true. be
cause the operators have union OF their own 10
buck the railroads when they put the rates i.s
hcult 70 convince an Intelligent striker that he
organizing FOR their own protection. when he
knows that his employers are Grsantzsd for
No Is Cortlandt-st. Room No. zoos Henry 5,
Europe, although shortly expected back The coal
OF the railroads just as the miners say they wish
70 organize 10 resist the extorrons OF the opera
John DalZelI Member OF Congress from Eltts-
burg in speaking yesterday az the Fifth Avenue
Hotel OF the Republican outlook.
CONGRESSMAN said: IN far I able 70
DALZELL'S Judge. the signs point 70 Repub
OBSER- Hcau success in November. I re-
VATIONS. turned but a short time ago
from a trip Europe. and
not yet thoroughly conversant with the situa-
ton, what l heard and observed all
points TO the reelection OF William Mckinley.
shall remain in the East until October |, and then
! expect 70 speak in the West l snal SPEAK N
West Virginia Ohio InO4ana. Illinois and PROB
In OF the other Western states, possibly
Nebraska. The coal strike in Pennsylvania IL an
unfortunate thing, and much 10 be depIored- 10
think II will have great effect poilticaIiy
II would have been better however. II 10 never had
happened I have heard lot OF talk 70 the ef-
feet that politics lay behind the strike. but
doubt If this Is