The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-10-13
TRUST and MINERS
THE REAL ISSUE IN THE ANTHRA.
CITE COAL REGIONS.

the Trust PrOsecuted-They ViO-
late Boil, National and State Law.
Armed Force of the State is Be-
hind the Coal Trust.
Before another shot is fired or an
other life lost in the anthracite coal
! country it is important that the respon-
sibility for this great struggle OF 13O,-
600 mine workers against small group
! of mine owners shall be fixed.
| It is evident that the coal trust is re-
lying for victory upon a riot which will
arouse public sentiment against the
starving miners and divert attention
from the real issue. When the streets
of the mining settlements are spattered
with blood, passion will take the place
of reason.
| Rehind the coal trust are massed the
soldiery of Pennsylvania and an army
of private employees with loaded rlhes'
ready to blow the lives out of the min
ers on -rc slightest provocation. The
mine owners know that If they can pro-
woke a c1uf.ics the MEL VINO nave oee1'
for weeks pleading for living cono1-
tions and Offering to submit their grew
ances to fair arbitration Will be put IN
the position of laWbreakers.
The real issue should be consloereo
soberlv and in cold blood before brute
force usurps the scene. The coal trust
should not be permitted to hide its re-
sponsibility behind the uniforms OF the
L @< tHyvr
troops. That is an old device OF TYR
| annv familiar to the whole world.
IF anv citizen doubts that the coa
trust is deliberately attempting to in
! cite the striking coal miners to give Its
armed representatives an excuse fol
slaughtering them, let him read these
statements:
| Hazelton, Pa, Sept. 24.-Three COM
| panies of the Eighth regiment, under
! command of Colonel Hutchinson
marched into McAdoo from shenan'
doah at o'clock this morning.
Day was just breaking, but Burgess
McGeehan was up. He gave the new
arrivals a hot reception. Speaking tc
| Colonel Hutchinson, he said:
"This is disgrace and an outrage
You come here to terrorize a peaceful
community. s u. n. a. a. !. .$ @3 ~ Il
There has been q 10 .tienaonstratior
! h11l
been nos
are not needed here! You q e. are H n no I
wanted. a%&
If you come into this town a ster
further you do so In violation Of the
Ilaw.
You do not represent the state MOI
the county. You are the hirelings of {
corporation, armed by a corporation tt
defend it's property.
Get out of town and keep out Of it
You may patrol the mine property a,
much as you please, but you must no
come into our town.-Mayor Leonart
of Mahanov City in driving 200 armet
mine guards from the town.
Troops are not needed in this sectiol
of the anthracite region, and the cal
of Governor Stone to have the Nintl
in readiness has only served to incit
the men. Since the strike was declare,
the miners here nave been peaceful an,
will, believe remain so.
s
years have shown beyond a possibl
doubt that the deputies posted abou
the mines by the coal operators are re
sponsible, and not the strikers. for al
bloOdshed. Every mine in this city
completely tied up, and the leaders O
the United Mine Workers have don
everything in their power to preserv
law and order.
Troops are not needed and only dark
en- the prospects of an early settlement
Thomas F. Corcoran, Mayor of Pitts
ton.
The simple and undeniable truth i
that the mine workers of the anthracit
coal regions have entered upon thi
) struggle because the trusts have raise
: the price of the necessaries of life
) while the coal trust has held thei
, wages down. A thorough and impair
, tial investigation of the situation
. shows that meat, flour, sugar, oil, coal
) shoes, clothing and everything tha
, enters into a workingman's expens
account has risen in price from 25 t
= so per cent. These are the thing pro
mine workers have been receiving tn
: same wages they got before the trus
\ system raised the price of living.
u How can workingman live in sucl
|. circumstances? Be fair. Consider tn
: cruel lot of a mine worker, crushed be
\ tween the irresistible working of tw,
trust principles-one keeping his wages
, down and the other putting his house
: hold expenses up. How can he live
: What is he to do?
The anthracite mine workers present
ed their grievances to their emplover
! through the local mine workers. I'm
\ ions. They asked for better wages. fo
reduction in the extortionate charges
, for powder, for the abolition of the in
. famous company store system and
when sick, the right to select their ow,
> doctors.
= The coal trust ignored the local I'm
, ions OF the mine workers. The I'm
fortunate men presented their case !,
70