The Portland daily press., 1900-10-15
THE MINE OWNERS AND THE
MINERS.

The anthracite coal miners decided to
accept the ten per cent increase OF wages
offered by the mine owners on these con-
ditions: First, that the mine owners shall
continue to pay the advance for six
months; second, that they shall abolish
the sliding scale; third, that they
shall agree to adjust other grie7-
anees with committees Of their own en-
pIoYes. In case the mine owners refuse
to accept these conditions then the miners
propose that all questions at issue be re-
ferred to a fair and impartial board Of
arbitration. The convention made no
demand for the recognition OF the
miners union On their face certain
ly these proposals seem to be
fair and reasonable. It is surely not
unreasonable for the miners to ask that
the increase OF wages offered shall con-
tinue for some definite time, and in
view Of the probability that scarcity Of
coal resulting from the long idIeness Of
the miners VIII keep the price
pretty well up for six months to come
that period is not an unreasonable one.
The merits Of the second eondition-the
abolition OF the sliding scale-ars not so
clear. Intimate knowledge Of the facts is
necessary for correct conclusions on this
point, but it is a condition that would
probably not prove very onerous to the
operators. The third conditlon-that the
other grievances be adjusted by confer
ence between the operators or owners and
their employes-involYes nothing but
what the operators have always professed
re adiness to assent to. Conference with
the union, or men representing the
union, is what they have objected to.
They have always professed willingness
to meet their own employees. AS an
alternative to the acceptance of these
conditions the miners offer arbitration
before fair and impartial tribunal. 1t
is little difficult to see how, if the oper-
ators reject the conditions before speci-
fed, they can refuse the arbitration plan
without greatly prejudicing themselves
and their side OF the question in the
eyes CT the general public. OF course it
is within their legal right to reject arbi-
tration, but If they are disposed to deal
fairly with their employees this method
ought to commend itself to them. 1t may
be difficult to get fair and impartial ar
hitrators, but 1t will not be impossible If
the two parties to the contest work sin
csrely to that end. The alternative Of a
settlement Of the strike by one Of the
methods suggested by the convention is
its prolongation with serious loss to the
mine owners, severe suffering on the
part of the miners and their families.
and an increase in the price of one OF the
necsssaries OF life which will bear heaT-
lily on the poor all over the land, The
operators viii have TO set out some very
strong reasons to justify themselves be-
fore the public IN rejecting the miners
conditions and also arbitration. It will
not be enough for them to say that they
have a right to manage their own prop
erty as they see fit, for while that may in
a sense be true, il is also true that a
moral obligation rests upon them to deal
fairly with the workmen who help
create their wealth, and with the public
who are dependent upon them for one Of
the necessaries of life. Their right Of
ownership and control of the anthracite
coal supply is to be exercised with proper
regard to the rights OF others. Neither
individuals nUr corporations ought to be
permitted to take possession Of the neces-
saries Of life, and refuse the people access
TO them on reasonable terms.