Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-02-12
MINERS AND EMPLOYERS.
COAL OPERATOR HAS SOMETHING
TO SAY ON THE SUBJECT,
Calls Upon Thoughtful and Patriotic
Men to View the Dangers Incident to
Vast Combinations of Capital and
Wealth-Exorbitant Price of Powder.


Men to View the Dangers Incident te
Vast Combinations of Capital and
Wealth-Exorbitant Price of Powder.
John c. IIaddock, a prominent coal
operator who has large interests in the
Wyoming region and who is one of the
leading members of the Anthracite AL
lance, an organization formed by in
dividual operators to resist the aggres-
sions OF the coal trust. in a recent issue
of the Wilkesbarre Record has the fol-
lowing interesting communication:
''In explanation of the advertisement
which appeared in your paper offering
a reward for authentic information
touching an alleged agreement which
was made many years ago, involving at
that time an adjustment of the rate of
wages, and the price of powder, allow
me to say that it is incident to an in
quiry which Is now being made as to the
economic conditions which surround the
mining of anthracite.
"As you are aware, in the conduct of
the mining operations it has been the
custom and practice of the mining COM
panies to furnish powder to the miners
for blasting purposes. 1t is alleged by
the miners that the price charged car
ries with it an extravagant and
EXToRTIoNATE PROFIT.
1.-The mining companies and colliery
operators justify the price and profit
on the ground that the price of powder
entered into the determination of the
rate of the wage scale, under an agree
ment which was made twenty-five or
thirty years ago.
Tho Anthracite Alliance wishes to
obtain, If possible, from the miners or
their representatives, precise and def
mite information concerning that agree
ment. Should it be found as result
of the inquiry that the powder agree
ment is inequitable and unjust in it's
relation to the wages paid at the pres
ent time, it is the purpose of our organ
zation to use every legitimate influence
and effort to secure modification of
the agreement and reduction in the
price. The Anthracite Alliance is vitality
| interested in all that concerns the well
fare and development of the anthracite
industry, and it fully realizes that If
harmonious and profitable relations
are to exist between mine employe and
employer the wages the compensation
for services, must be
JUST AND EQUITABLE.
sit is notorious that the profit from
the sale of powder is from rs to 100 per
cent That fact requires explanation
and Justification, and it cannot be made
any more palatable to the public or to
the miners by assuming lofty or die
tatoral attitude when complaint is
about to be made of the extortion con-
tained in that profit. 1t is apparently
admitted that the miner or employe has
a right to present grievance to his
employer. 1t is conceded that any
number of employees may unite and dele
gate one or more of their number to
present their Complaints to an employer.
Now, If that is admitted, why should
there be any abridgement of the right
or privilege to have complaint or
cause represented by any party or or
ganization, who can do so courteously,
intelligently and effectivelyP Is not
the denial or abridgement of this right
MOST DANGEROUS EXERCISE
Of arbitrary power, and will it not be
justly construed as challenge that
must finally be accepted by the miners,
and provoke the very contention that
should be avoided?
"The anthracite carriers do not DENY
this right to locomotive engineers or to
trainmen. They do not insist that the
parties presenting grievance from
these branches of the service shall be
their immediate employees, and why
should there be any discrimination
against the miner? Surely his work re-
quires an equal amount of skill and
courage, and the risks incident to his
occupation are as great, II not greater,
than those of the railway employe, and
these risks are cons family increasing.
Does not the fact that the charge for
powder, having been silently and pa
tiently borne by the miner for many
years without effective resistance, JUS
tify the suspicion and belief that he
realizes that the most profitable en-
ployment, the "best plac es," are not re-
served for complaining miners? Has
there not been quiet but
EFFECTIVE TERRORISM
dominating the labor situation In the
anthracite regions, that has slen ced
any attempt to give expression to the
suffering incident to the wrong that has
been so fiagrantly perpetrated9
"Can we not imagine some miner
modestly and courteously requesting an
advance In the rate of wages or re-
duction in the price of powder, and
some officer, the embodiment of blatant
arrogance, bawling out, "Well, If you
don't like it you can stop!" While,
happily, the influence Of the miracle of