The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-10-06

eions Of Minnesota. ana those paid men
Tor handling coal when It reaches our
city. The coal men in Duluth pay 221a
cents s. an hour for work on the dock
ana ~ cents an hour for work In the
hold OF the vessel. The miners, wages
In the iron mines will, average $2.36
q day, the shovel men and other men
VINO work about the mines, $1.75 day,
while In the anthracite coal regions,
the miners average $1.35 day. and
the men who work about the mines,
80 cents a day. 3~..--.... r.. 49,
Outside OF the sweat shop employe
there is no class in America to be
SO pitied as the miners. The majority
OF the people are in sympathy with
these men In the present strike. and
feel that they are making just hight
for their rights: for living wages, Tor
their homes, wives and children. Wnen
we think of the long months of squalor
ana misery, grinding poverty and nope
less prospects as a. reward for honest
toll and manly effort, we wonder at
their endurance and patience. =.
,-Third-They demand reduction In the
cost OF powder; claiming that the com ON:
when It can be bought for 81 wholesale
and $3.50 retail. :. T.
The mine owners claim that, while
this is true. it is part of the wage scale
and they are willing to reduce the price
OF powder, If new scale of wages Is
Fourth They demand the revision Of
the methods of weighing and measure
ing COAL They are paid so much a ton
but a; car is ton, and the miners claim
car by putting side boards on it So
that, instead of having to mine 2;24(
pounds. which Is the weight of a ton OF
coal in the state, they have to mine
from $500 to 1000 pounds. This Is
MneEe the system Of ~doekage &c comes de
ductiot for slate. rock and other i'm
purities, and it is also where the de-
mand of the miners is made that they
pc given a check weighman to represent
them.
The state law passed in 1875 pro, ides
for such weighman, but the operators
compel the miner to sign away his right
before he Is given employment. . !:
Fifth-What is to the miner the most
important Of all is the recognition: OF
tive bargain, instead of the individual
bargain of the last quarter of a cen
fury: They feel that their only hope
lies In gaining this point. The opera
tors act together; the railroads have
an 1ron.clad agreement, and the miners
now ask to be represented through a
board or business agent.
Who is responsible for; this terrible
state of affairs? The independent OPP
orator says that he is not: that he
is squeezed by the landlord, and by
the railroad company, and that he
his business going. I think Mr.. Mitchell
about states the case when he says
that the real opponents of the miner
are the nine railroads which control u
per cent of the production of the an
tn &c coal and are the sole
THESE companies. early in the. 5'7Os,
trebled their freight rates and charge,
at the present time, three times as
much to carry. ton of anthracite coal
amount of bituminous coal. The rail-
road companies pay better wages to
their miners than the independent op-
orators, and lose money as operators
but make money as public conveyers
II the miners win the independent OPP
railroad companies can be made to re.
duce their. freights, and final respon.
sibility will rest on the state for not
properly supervising the workings OF
her public highways. =. 80:
woud see Ma BE- o by a ar ans Th
men want this, but the operators will
not agree. The governor of the state
says he has no authorityt to act in tht
matter. and h0W..it will end we do; not
KNOW Out - there sEOu&uLzaI 10 u: De z. power
puDIi5-ur sIifruau:
OF freight and keep up tn
price of labor to- a. living point, to pre-:
vent the disturbance Of the coal IN,
dustry that affects the price of thu
commodity everywhere, as we have wit
messed during the past week. -.
The church has something to say
at such times as this. It speaks to thu
capitalist of the coal regions to tel
him that Christian people have no quar-
rel with him or his employees. but i
condemns any man or corporation tina
oppresses the hireling in his wages: OF
any commercial system that grind
down the laborer and deprives him ant
his family Of the comforts of home ant
the necessities Of life. - -.
The miners have done themselves ant
their cause much honor by their obedi
ence to law. May they have, the grace
and wisdom to continue as they hav,
begun. They are to be congratulated
in the main, on their advisers. The,
should turn away, as. from a deadl!
enemy from any man that would
countenance violence or the breaking
of law. Great questions like these ar
not solved by revolver, torch or dyna
mite bomb.