The Taney County republican., 1900-09-20
The Statement.

The Statement.
Indianapolis, Ind, September 13, 1900
eosrd ene ne4pals of she Tnited tied Nine workers Of
America, realizing that the material well
lare ; Of Large number 1t bS
eraI suspension Of work in the coal heiCs
Of Pennsylvania knowing the h,i irresiSta61e
apinions apG naye of their felo%men. have deeid
ec to make a general statement Tor tne
information of the public.
No one can have a greater apprecilia. ppiie
Of the anthracite coal miners than the
people. The coal miners and their faml-
rying railways are but a small portion Of
the vast multitudes whose interests are
50 directly and indirectly conn connected e with with
magnitude would materially AFFECT their
welfare, <,,., .,,..,,. =. Tho ,,o.,.
the great manufacturing Industries of the
east: the wholesale and retail business es-
and 1a
ests. Iaboringmen and capitalists. will all
b. affected by such gigantic struggle.
avoid the conflict. we herewith submit a
miner for many years have been less than
the cost of many of the necessaries Of life
| has been increased over 20 per cent: An in
responding increase in wages is equiva
lent to reduction in wages.
Abuses Alleged.
1.-The laws of the state of Pennsylvania
coal, COAL, yet anthracite coal miners are COM
PEELED to mine from 27oo to 1000 pounds
fSF in to
| ing II per cent. of their daily earnings.
for any impurities which may be sent ou: u:
furnish weli-rounded heap on the car
to. they have gradually been COMPELLED
to increase the amount of coal in each car
from six to eight inches above the edge.
They are compelled TO purchase the
psyng in ng peE ee for their grade
Of powder that can be purchased else
as an stoTss ss
month for % Doctor. @ r. % WhetSer Sphs they . need es
MIN MIN or Or not. 1 and . have IN no voice in saying
"Tbe smallnees Of their earnings. to-
eempelled ' them take est their ehidrss
from school before they have reached the
age prescribed by law. and place them nt
| The family from starvation.
Complaints Ignored.
when any miner. feeling the burden Of
these con coaditions has gone to the manage
| has been tod that if he does not like it he
can aWEntevsr quit; tnsv n.ve o,s.n,zo, ,n .n,
colliery and have sent committees to the
agent asking to have their grievances
have either been discharged or have been
told that the evils could not be remedied,
companies.
When the representatives of the min;
| ers OF the whole region have met and
asked the coal companies TO meet them
in joint convention to arrange wages and
! conditions on an equita BILE basis, SO that
was paying and no advantage could be
taken of any one, their petition for COR
| Whenever the business men, clergy
men or outside influences have appealed
to the coal companies to correct some of
the evils complained of, their requests
have been denied; and when. as last re-
| sort. the officers OF our organization have
wired the presidents of the great rail-
road conpanies, who control the anthra-
! cite coal fields. offering to submit the
| sition has been treated with silent CON-
tempt ox,.,,..os ., o., =.
adjustment. We had reached the poi1s
| where we must either advise the miners
of the anthracite region TO continue work
tions or counsel strike.
Investigation Invited.
I'VE have chosen the latter, and, hav-
partial and public Investigation of the
| conditions existing in the anthracite coal
can heart throbs in sympathy for the
down-trodden and oppressed, whether Ia
great power of the public press in mold
| ing public sentiment. With an abiding
faith in the justice of our cause and a
consciousness of the knowledge that
| whosoevcr else may villify and abuse us
| the Great Jehovah knows and UNDER
| stands the rectitude of our purpose, we
appeal to the American people and the
American press the greatest arbiters
| on earth to assist us and sustain us IN
our hour of trial.
"On behalf of the National Executive
Beard, United Mine Workers of America
we are, sincerely yours.
JOHN MITCHELL,
President.
w. B. WILSON,