Evening star., 1900-10-09
GOMPERS ON THE STRIKE
HE RECOUNTS CONDITIONS AND
CAUSES LEADING TO 1T.
The President of the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor Certain of
Its Success.

For almost century-dating back nearly
to ITO, 1t Is said-there has been trouble
between the coal miners and those who
owned the mines. Coal had been known to
exist in the northern part Of Pennsylvania
as early as 176S, but the real anthracite
industry began with the opening of the
Lehigh company's Summit Hill mines in
1920, the opening of the Schuylkill canal
from Mount Carbon to Philadelphia, and
the Reading 'ailway. the first of the coal
lines, began transportation through to Port
Richmond.
In the early days Of hard coal mining
there were many individual operators, and
men and employers were upon much the
same footing with regard to their standard
of life. There was little luxury refine
ment in the region. The records show that
In 1928 miners received 81 and laborers
so cents a day for wages In the late 30s
these workers received as low as S112 cents
and 40 cents. respectively, day. The use
of anthracite for smelling purposes and the
opening of new railroads in the decades be-
ginning 1910 and 1850 made slight i'm
provement in wages, but the hard times
before the civil war sent them back to
their old levels. Up to this time there was
almost constantly surplus of labor. In
addition, pluck me- stores had sprung up
all over the region and did their share to-
ward reducing real wages
In speaking about the present miners
strike to Star reporter. Mr. Samuel Com
pers, president of the American Federation
of Labor, recited the former conditions of
the workers.
Mr.. Gompers' Comment.
From the period when mining became a
permanent occupation about eighty years
ago., he said, 1.-The miners We're forced to
submit to conditions, which. outside of the
nominal right of self-ownership, had all the
disadvantages of chattel slavery without
any of its conpensating advantages. Oc-
cupytng the nominal status of a wage
worker, he was deprived of his wages by
force and fraud Like the Israelite brick
makers of old, in the land of Egypt, his
daily task was doubled; that is to say, for
every ton of coal credited to him, he was
obliged to produce nearly two tons. Not
only was he robbed by 'dockings,' as the
arbitrary confiscation of a large propor-
tfon of the coal which should be credited
to him was called but he also robbed
by being forced to pay nearly three prices
for the working materials, such as blasting
powder furnished him by his employers
Nor could the miner take advantage of the
law of supply and demand, which is sup
posed to regulate rents and prices, for he
was forced to live in the miserable dog
holes dignified by the name of houses, pro-
V1ded by the company for his 'accommOda-
ton. and was forced to eat. drink and
wear goods furnished at -eXOrbitant prices
by the company operator employing
him.
The normal condition of the miner being
one of hopeless poverty and chronic star
walton. when any emergency arose causing
but brief Stoppage of work, he became a
subject of charity, and constant appeals
were made in his name to all communities
to governors of states to mayors of Cities
to burgesseS of towns, and especially to the
already heavily burdened labor organiza-
ton.
such were the firmly rooted conditions
rpc rhny, fha a.
came to lead the miner from the dark val
ley of corporate greed and oppression to-
ward the upper lights of working class,
unity and liberty" continued Mr. GOmpers
The great strike inaugurated July 4, 1897,
by the 5000 miners of the United Mine
Workers of America was the signal for
l2o.oOo non-union miners to cast down their
tools and make common cause with them in
the bituminOus coal fields Despite mill
tary repression and judicial injunctions,
this strike was successful in gaining an
elght-hour day, materially increasing
wages, establishing a greater degree Of
justice and obviating the necessity for con-
slant appeals for charity.
The Present Demands.
During all this time the condition of the
miners in the anthracite regions remained
apparently stationary, but it had actually
become worse, owing to the rise in the
prices of the necessares of life. Driven
at last to action by the advantages the
companies were taking of their Inorgan-
lied state the anthracite miners met in
convention on August II, In Hazleton Pa
and formulated their requests for RENE
dy OF some of the grievances they suffered
These grievances and the remedies pro-
posed ,therefor have been briefly stated as
follows:
First. The abolition of truck stores
owned by the companies, at which the min
ers are forced to trade
Second. Abolition of the deduction of 81
NOR y fnr
selection the miners have no choice.
Third. Reduction in the price of powder
from 81. 70 to $50 per keg.
Fourth. Observance of the law that the
miners be paid In cash semi-monthly
Fifth. More equitable basis for weight
OF coal on which ton rates are paid
Sixth. An advance of 20 per cent on all
wages less than $50 per day; an advance
or 10 per cent on wages between $1..O and
sl.75 day. and 10 per cent advance on
wages above $175 a day.
Offers and Invitations Ignored.
They then asked the mine owners to be
represented in joint conference for the
purpose of devising means to adjust the
matters in dispute. This invitation the mine
owners ignored entirely. 1t was then that
the miners submitted their applications to
the national union of trade, the United
Mine Workers of America which has now
grown to more than 100000 members. The
matter TO the arbitration of disinterested
persons This. too, has been entirely ig-
nofed. Representative men in public life
as well as ministers of the gospel made
appeals to the operators to pursue a con-
clliatory policy and to meet the representa-
uves of the men in conference. Upon this
decllnation offers were made to settle by
themselves or other Nsinterested parties
all of which were entirely ignored
Authority and approval were then grant
ed the men OF the anthracite regions to
cease work. September II, and out OF the
l4Oooo men employed in that region 1885,
900 voluntarily laid down their tools of la
Dor on the Saturday evening previous and
have remained away from the mines ever
since The ranks Of the miners are being
augmented daily, and the efforts Of the
sheriffs, deputies. private police and other
agents Will not prevent the successful ter
mination of the strike of the coal miners in 4
the anthracite regions The knelI of the
infamous truck store system and the long
economic enslayement of the miner has at
length sounded"
Annual Convention of Federation.
Mr.. Frank Morrison, secretary Of the