Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-09-14

coal. Were they pals by the car, in
stead Of being required 90 furnish
well rounded heap ON the car at the
breakers as was originally agreed 20,
they have gradually been compelled %
Increase the amount OF coal In each
car by building the same perpendlcu-
larly from six 20 eighteen inches above
the edge They are compelled 10 pur-
chase the powder used IN mining, from
their employers. paying S2.15 per keg
for grade Of powder that can be pur-
chased elsewhere for Sl.50 per keg. and
which WHOLESALERS for about 81 per keg.
They are required by many Of the CONE
panles TO deal In Pluck me stores on
leave their employment. They must
pay 10 the company 81 per month for q
doctor whether they need him or not
and have no voice In saying who the
doctor shall be.
The smallness Of their earnings. to-
gether with the great cost Of living, has
compelled them TO take their children
from school before they have reached
the age prescribed by law and place
them at work In the breakers In order
to keep the family from starvation
when any miner feeling the burden
Of these conditions. has gone 20 the
management and asked 10 have them
removed he has been told that u ne
does not like @ he can quit When
they have organized az any colllery ana
have sent committees 10 the manage
ment asking 70 have their grievances
remedied the committee have either
been discharged OF they have been told
that the evils could not De remedled
because Of the competition from other
companies. When the representatives
OF the miners OF the whole region nave
met and asked the coal companies 70
meet them In joint convention 10 ar
range wages and conditions upon an
equitable basis. so that each VIII know
what his competitor was paying dul
no advantage could be taken Of any
one their petition Tor a conference mas
been completely ignored
when the business men, clergymen'
and other outside influences have ap.
nealad 10 the coal companies 10 cor
rect some of the evils complained OF,
their requests have been denied and
when. as a last resort, the officers Of
our organization have wired the presi-
dents of the great railroad companies
who control the anthracite coal fields
Offering 10 submit the whole question
TO arbitration. the proposition has been
treated with silent contempt. Having
exhausted an other means Of adjust
ment we have reached the point whore
we must either advise the miners OF the
anthracite region % continue working
under these unjust and tyrannical con-
dltions or counsel strike.
1--WE have chosen the latter ana,
having done SO. We invite a thorough,
impartial and public Investigation Of
the conditions existing IN the anthra-
cite coal fields We believe that the
great American heart throbs In SYM
pathy for the d0Wn-trodden and OPP
pressed. whether in this or any other
land. We know the great power Of the
public press IN m0lding public senti.
ment. with an abiding faith In the
justice Of our cause. and a conscious
ness Of the knowledge that whatsoever
else may Willy and abuse, as. the
Great Jehovah knows and understands
the rectitude of our purpose. we app
peal 20 the American people ana 10 the
American press as the greatest arbi-
tiers on earth 90 assist Us and sustain
~ In our hour Of trial
ION behalf of the national executive
board, United Mine Workers OF Amer
lea. JOHN MITCHELL. President
wv. b. WILSON, sec'y-Treas."
There is practically no means Of ar
irving az any estimate Of the resources
Of the miners available for the main
tenance OF the people TO be called out
by the strike President Mitchell and
Secretary Wilson the latter the official
head OF the finance department of the
ORGANIZATION. have hrmly declined 90
give out any figures on this point
1T would be q simple matter for the
operators" they said, ~ they knew
what amount of money We commanded
20 wait until IL Us exhausted. Moreover.
II would bc folly ON our part TO make
public at. this time any Information
upon which an estimate OF our financial
standing could be based.
AT the close OF last year there were
s3l2i bona hde members IN the Mine
Workers organization At the conyon-
uon In January it was decided 70 levy
upon each of these members an assess
ment OF % cents a month 90 De placed
IN the hands OF the national executive
bcard for use as a defense fund Part
OF tins money has been used In small
strikes, but the bulk " II is probably