Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-10-05


of the tyrannical organization when 1t
promises to keep starvation from his
door. 1T is many years since strike
occurred among the operators Of the an
Sthracite region. The strike organized
by the Knights Of Labor in 1887 wa 8 the
last general uprising that these coal
fields have known. That was defeated,
and organized labor did not recover un-
til Mitchell came in with his United
Mine Workers. Now it seems incum-
benton the operators to defeat this or
Sganization also. If it succeeds, it will
ruin many a collierN and injure ma teri
ally the miners themselves 1t is an or
ganization whichsdoes not belong In the
anthracite region.
Still its seeds have been sowr. The
present mining population of Pennsyl-
Nania is ripe for the control of stupidity
~ is ten Years since an English, a Welsh
or an Irish member came into the iWNo-
ming valley. The Welsh and the Eng
lish are by far the most intelligent of
the miners. From their ranks come the
mine bosses and the other practical
foremen of the collierias. Not only are
these not to be succeeded by men of
their own race and kind but their chill
dren do not get into the mines They
seek epnlelymentsin the cities Many of
the clerks in the stores and banks of
NNslikesbarfe are the children of the
miners The places of these excellent
men are taken by a setsof foreigners
Who, fifteen Years ago We've hardly
known to the collieries. The Poles are
the leaders among these foreigners. and
some of them are intelligentenougi, to be
thrifty. They are. however. a new peo-s
pie They have not gained the high
places in their trade and they suffer q ii
thu. hardships' of mine conditions. Yet
more and more the anthracite region5is
Incoming dependent upon them. The
Immediate outlook is not bright. but
ne. opera torssexpect that the children of
ne Poles Will continue. az they have be-
gun, to go into the mines. Owing 1 q the
great care taken by the operators to
promote education among the children.
OF the region, and to Improve the. COM
mon schools, the sons of the Poles. Hun
garians and of other foreigners who are
content To take up the occupation of
tileir .afiels may in time take the
places of the expert English speaking
miners Who are disappearing. The Unit
iea Mine Workers have alreadyiobtainel
4 strong foothold among these foreign
ers, and the opera tors are determined 10
prevent, # possible, the establishment
OF the tNranny which that order already
s5Nefcises in the bi,usnncus region If
IN G 4 ssle was with organized anthracite
aliilers the question would be different
~ the opera tors can not tolerate the
thought of having their business under,
the power of men who Go not know its
alphabet or speak it's language. More
h.lS-i ma,
order Will POSSESS an immense power III
could then use its authority in one re-
glon in aid of its demands in the other.
Already it is giving eviGenceSof what
this power would mean for it is order
ing the bitumino,ls, miners to refuse "a
permit the shipment of soft coal 10 con
Sumers in the anthracite region. 1T is
saving TO the bituminous operators
You shall not sfil your coal 10 any one
who would naturally buy anthracite
coal if the anthracite operators reeog-.
nized and submitted to the United Mine
Workers. In order to save them sal ,..,s
from such tyranny. the operators have
devised to strike a crushing and final
blow at this organization. and to teach
the Poles and their fellow foreigners
that they can not become mas ers of ii he
Local fields 1t is for this reason that
| they have preferred To put an end to the
strike wi thput making any. concess ION IL,
the men. They would in thatteyent3 have
| lheld on to those who have not yat# gone
Into the order, while such a settlement
\ IS now under considerations and
| winch IS due tosoutside and poiifical
sol sissratiol1s, if carried out. is likely
| 10 8conNe.San impression favorable ;ostf,.
strength of the Emitted Mine Workers.
even II the settlements are made by
each operator with hi, own men.
MANY QUESTIONS INVOLVED.
! II the operators succeed in Bringing
about peace without recognizing Pres 1
4 ident Mitchell and his order there viii
be questions to settle with thei. en-
pioyes which VIII not be disposed Of by
4 10 or 10 per cent increa Sc of pay. These
lSduestions would inevitably have come
| up in time. but not now had 1t ne. beer,
for Mitchell's haste for recognition.
1 The best evidence of this is that the
strike occurred without any complaint
/ whatever from the miners directlv3sin-
/ terested But these questions are emit
I nently suitable for arbitration. If they
| cannot be determined by the parties
Involved. Doubtless this Would have
been the course. Doubtless. also. as
have suggested, such a settlement could
1 have been effected at once if the OPP
orators had overlooked the menace Of
4 the United Mine Workers and had CO.
Soperated with@tfe Markets. in going di-
! rectly and frankly 10 their men.
Nearly all the men, voluntary or in
4 voluntary strikers. believe that powder
4 should be soldto the miners at lower