The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-11

In Saturdays North American of
Philadelphia, appeared a letter signed
''T. w. b." of Pittston, presenting the
operators side of the anthracite con-
troversy. 1t was in reply to an edi-
torial in last Thursdays North Ameri-
can and was as follows:
First as TO the assertion that coal miner
receives for ten hours work underground only
a dollar and a half. This statement has been
made by different writer's through the press dur
ing the last few weeks. During the last ten
years not a single instance has come TO my notice
where a competent miner has worked for any
such wage; and ! naIe been in a position to
know whether this is the case or not. The aver
age miner goes into the mines, when working fair
time, about ESQ o'clock in the morning. and gets
out about O'Clock in the afternoon. Thus he
works, as you sec, auowing onc'half an hour for
lunch which is an unusually short time for a
man to take, only nine hours day instead OF
ten. This, too, is counting the time from the
time he goes down inside until he gets outside
again, and not the time he is actually at work.
For this nine hours the wages Of competent
miner will average -. 50 per day These figures
will be backed by the pay rolls Of any company.
Although the work performed certainly is ardu-
Gus and dangerous, still il is not what is COM
monty known as skilled labor, and the rate Of
=
class Of unSkilled labor in the land.
As regards the half time referred to: Are the
operators responsible for that? Are they to
blame that the supply OF coal is so much greater
than the demand that output must of necessity be
curtailed. Furthermore, the operators coin.
ing millions while their operations are idle, and
yet while the expense Of keeping the collicry in
condition for work when work comes goes on day
by day? They must keep pumpmen, fire bosses,
hremen, engineers, stock caretakers, carpenters
hlacksmiths and repair men at work, and pay
them, too while no coal is going out and no
money is coming in Truly the laboring man
is not the only one who has reason to complain
of the short time. The operators would be as
glad to work every day as their employees.
Again, in regard to the much. h.dscussed com.
pany stores. 1t is not true that are obliged
TO trade in them or lose their Jobs. This asSer-
tion is absolutely false Reciprocity always has
been, and always viii be, religious principle
of good business, and the laboring man should be
amenable to common business usages, as well as
the merchant or the professional man. II man
has a good job with a company, there is no
reason why il the company operates a store
where goods are Of good quality and prices are
fair, the man should not give the company his
trade, as well as to give it elsewhere. That is
only common justice; and while, as | have said
men are not forced to do this it is entirely right
and reasonable that the man who does do it
man, get the better job. Is that anything more
than fair.
In regard to the scmi.monthly pay law: The
operators are willing 10 pay every two weeks at
any time their employees ask it. But, as a matter
OF fact, it would be found by personal canvass
on this question that the majority Of the men
prefer to get their money in a lump monthly
rather than in smaller sums cmi-monthly And
they are better off at the end of the year there.
for. Any economist will tell you that
| could multiply instances by the score where
worthy miners in cases Of sickness or accident
have been kept from want and starvation for
many months by their "hard.hearted masters"
and could give acceptable proof of these cases
Again, Mote the attitude Of the mine owners
who scorn the respectful invitation of the miners
10 meet them" ct. Was il respectful invita-
tion" 1t seems to me that il was hardly that
The invitation was demand thny yelling
threat to strike, and paralyze, not only the an.
thracite trade, but the commercial interests Of
the whole anthracite region, il their demands
were not complied with. Is man to be blamed
because he reserves the right TO run his own
business and resents the interference of outsiders
In that which docs not concern them; or because
he insists on treating with his employees directY
Let the men 60 directly TO their own employers
with their grievances and they will be courteous.
ly received and patiently heard. And in so far
as the condition of the trade will admit their
pClndndS VIII ne granted.
Not the demands formulated by the Hazetop
convention, however. They could not be- II
they were, every coal company in the country
would go into bankruptcy. Let us look at some
figures along this line.
The average man looks at the prices quoted for
anthracite coal at great distributing ccnters,
and seeing stove and chestnut coal quoted at
from 81 to $3.50 per ton, then looking at the
price paid TO the man who digs the dusly dia.
monds, Is apt TO say, without looking into the
merits of the question, "What thieves these opcr.
Rtors are" He does not realize that out Of this
large retail price must be paid large retail
dealers profit, a large margin 10 the sales agent
a preposterous and enormous freight rate, a large
royalty, the actual cost Of the labor, large bills
for supplies and at least a small per cent on the
two TO Ave hundred thousand dollars that are
necessary to equip a modern coal operation.
He does not realize that the expensive buildings
with their costly machinery represent an i'm.
mcnse outlay OF hard cash before a single pound
of coal can be shipped and which, when the
coal is exhausted will be practically a dead loss,
as their only value then will be as old iron and
firewood All this before the operator can realize
ss single cent Of profit for the worry and care
Of a business which has seen its best days, and
Is every day become more prohtless.
Out Of the 81 to $3.50 per ton for which the
coal sells in the retail market the operator actu.