The Portland daily press., 1900-10-06
ABOUT THE MINERS.
Misrepresentation That Excite Indig-
nation in the Anthracite Region.

Scranton, Pa. Sept. 29.-PeopIe not
living in this community can scarcely
appreciate the Indignation felt and ex-
pressed here over the publication in GER
tain New York and Philadelphia news
papers of statements and pictures grossly
misrepresenting the condition of the
miners of this region and their true place
in the social scale. The miners have been
pictured as living in hovels as being
virtually on the verge of starvation, as
receiving scarcely enough to olothe them
in rags and to feed them in niggardIy
fashion.
Nothing could be further from the
truth than statements Of this kind. And
the miners realize that such reports are
doing them an amount of harm that
those living at distance cannot properly
estimate. For if redress OF grievances is
secured it must be obtained here at home
where the full fac+s are known and not at
remote points where a false sentiment has
been stirred up by unfounded tales And
the miners really fear that they will be
suspected OF having inspired these stories.
AS matter of fact the miner is very
important and generally a very highly
respected element in this and in fact In
all the anthracite coal min az commun-
tiles; now and then you will find one
densely ignorant and vicious; another
whose lack of thrift and appetite for
strong drink have compelled him to live
in hOvel such as has been pictured
but such cases are the exception and not
the rule The average miner is Just as
tell Q7f, q 9 oc
we'll fed, and just as Wen housed as any
other high grade workman. He is a
factor in the local political system; is fre-
quently a candidate for office; sits in the
city councils, upon the poor boards and
upon the school boards; becomes a deacon
intendent; and in fact performs all the
duties OF q responsible citizen. Many
miners make as good wages as the best
mechanics and their homes are il very
many instances models of neatness and
comfort A large proportion own their
own homes and the more thrifty aocumu-
late bank accounts and enjoy ease in their
old age.
Their sons and daughters attend high
shoots and training schools aud become
teachers and stenOgraphers; and in the
case of the men. doctors and lawyers and
newspaper men. One OF the most promi-
nent members of the local bar, q graduate
of Princeton University and a popular
man in the highest social circles, who has
just returned from Maine, where his elO-
quence upon the stump3won him many
newspaper compliments, Is the son OF a
miner and worked about the breakers in
his early boyhood. Nor is his case an
exception. Several of the men who as
pire to office in this country this fall
either are the sons of miners or have been
miners theInseI yes. Millionaire John
Jermyn worked IN the mines when a
young man and got his financial start
there; and millionaire William ConneIl,
who represents this district in Congress,
was miner when young man, and is
apparently proud of the fact. The most
distinguished local vocalist comes from a
large mining family and several Scran-
ton cIergymen picked coal about the
breakers as boys. The list might be ex-
tended to most WearisOme length
So, the pity that has been expressed for
the miner because of false statements and
misleading pictures Insults rather than
pIacates him. Said one of them to The
Sun correspondent: ''Ihe miner Of the
anthracite region does not ask for and
does not want pity, he seeks recognition.
He believes that he has grievance that
his employer should redress, and he is
striking for what he believes to be a
principle" They may remain out for a
long time to vindicate this idea, and then
again they may with great suddenness
return to their labors provided that their
employers are willing to receive them
back again; but whatever the outcome
of the strike, the miner does not want
his social condition depreciated.