The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-14
An Inexcusable strike.

II the plans OF the officers Of the United
Mine Workers do not miscarry before next
Monday the miners OF the wyoming an
thracite region will on that day go on strike,
and according to their own estimate 1t will
prove the most serious and disastrous cpl
sode in the history OF our coal industry.
The coal operators or employers OF the
various groups OF miners affected. say that
their employees have presented no grew
ances TO them, and that II they have any 10
present they stand ready 70 receive them.
Their attitude toward their men is concilia-
tory and friendly, n their p~redisposition
10 make concessions Is unmistakable. The
whole trouble lies in the fact that the de-
mands made upon them originate with and
emapate from a wholly outside organiza-
ton. the United Mine Workers. which seeks
to exercise jurisdiction over both the miners
and the men who employ them. This the
latter will not submit to. holding that they
have a right to conduct their Owl business
according to their own ideas. and that they
can best adjust their differences with their
employees IL any such differences really
exist.
As the United Mine Workers is an organi-
zation which could have nc reason for con-
tinuing to exist If there are no differences
between employers and employees. and as
IL assumes TO regulate at all time the re-
lations between employers and employees.
It will be seen at once that there is no real
question of grievances, but only one OF the
reorganization Of the organization. 1nas-
much as the organization Is peculiarly
susceptible to political influences Of the
worst kind. IL will be at once apparent how
broad the ground IL for the refusal Of the
operators. at this particular time. especially,
10 yield TO its dictation.
In our observation there has not be-
fore obtained 30 excellent a relation as
at present between the coal miners and
their employers. In the first place there
has been plenty of work. which Is a
Fundamental requisite IL the men are
TO be satisfied in an industry which
Is governed by the scale. In the second
place the prevailing wages have been
good and the consequent earnings large.
There has, OF course. been the specific
grievance of the price OF powder. a grew
ance which is for the most part imaginary.
but which the employers ought to have elm
mated long ago. The price Of powder was
originally regulated in the interests Of the
miner; then 1t became an integral feature
OF the scale: and as It stands to-day II Is
allowed for in the scale. that is the miner Is,
and for a long time he has been, paid more
wages than he would have been were the
powder item not there. The fact that he is
paying an arbitrary price for powder is
something that the miner is bound to mis-
construe. II avails nothing to point out
TO him that his a are correspond
ingly increased and that there is no
wrong lone him; he cannot and he
will not see it in the proper light.
To us 1t seems TO De a stupid regulation and
Its utility now wholly obsolete. II is a con-
slant source OF misunderstanding and dis
satisfaction and it should be dropped. We
are informed that n majority OF the coal
operators are in favor Of so doing. and that.
II they were at the present lime able TO deal
with their men. they would drop it.
We assume that the United Mine Workers
are justified in their prediction that the
coming strike will be the most disastrous
and ruinous in the history OF the coal trade.
1t will Also be the most ~inexcusable. and an
immense body Of men will have 20 pay a
fearful and unmerited penalty for their
share in gratifying the selfish ambitions Of
one or two professional ~agitators.