Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-09-23
CAUSES OF coAL STRIKES.

bne hundred and hfty thousand men die
EMPLOYED. or three-fourths the total
kauber of voters in the entire State or
est Virginia, is now attracting the
ention of the country. The causes
ion lead to these mighty protests OF
BIZ are worthy of some considera-
h, and a fair presentation of some OF
m to the public will serve to show
ME people at large that the miner
pnly deserves sympathy, but that
should be some concerted attempt
rove his condition, or, at the very
give him that justice and fair
lent to which every man is en-
lie Pittsburg Dispatch yesterday
published some statistics which tend
strongly to justify strike for better
conditions. 1t sent out to its cores
pondents in the strike centres these in
structions as a basis for facts and
statistics:
First-His gross income from his la
bcf for the last year.
Seeond-The amount of rent which
he paid to the mine owners out OF this
gross income.
Third-The percentage in excess of
the market price which he was forced
to pay for his provisions at the COM
pany stores.
The answers showed that the average
miners gross income for the past year
has been $500 or $25 per month. Out
OF this he has to pay from 81 to So, an
average of Sc, to the mining company
for a miserable shanty of two or three
rooms, near the mouth of the mine.
Out of the remaining s19 per month he
must provide for his family, often from
the company store, where the prices are
fifteen to twenty per cent. above ordin-
airy retail figures, and buy oil and
powder at equally extortionate prices
With wife and family to support the
miner thus has pretty tough time of
it.
In addition he is often swindled at
the screen and through long weights,
in one instance 5000 pounds being call
ed a ton.
Under these and other similar con
dltlons the big coal companies accumu-
late surplus of.product, another screw
is frightened here and there until the
miner, unable to stand it any longer,
strikes and then the company turns
on the public and the price of coal to
the consumer is boosted until the sur
plus is worked off. This has been done
in the present case thus early in the
trouble, the advance in Philadelphia up
to yesterday having been 75c per ton,
while at Boston it has gone up to $3.50.
This makes fat pickings for the corpor-
ations, while deputy sheriffs, Pinkerton
detectives and soldiers guard the vi
entity of the mines, and shoot, as was
done Friday, Unfortunately, upon
the slightest preteXt Bye-and-bye the
miner is starved out, the strike ends,
the troops maintained at the expense of
the taxpayers, are sent home, and the
basis and the miner stands it for anoth-
er year or two, and there is another
strike
The condition OF the miner is never
improved, or only slightly and for
short periods. His average status is
always the same There is generally
nc prospect of his ever acquiring even
the most humble home, while as for
educating his family or seeing his chill
dren occupy some better station than
his own, that is utterly out of the ques-
ton nine hundred and ninety-nine
times out thousand. The miner is
seoTned because he is ignorant, vicious
and with little respect for law or order.
This indictment is not always nor even
generally true, but if it were, who can
blame him under the conditions in
which he must exist-not live? If he
works his lot in life is little better than
that of an animal, for he simply gets
something to eat. If he demands more
the corporations say profits will be inn
paired. If he strikes he is bad eiti-
zen. And If, as a natural result of his
life aud surroundings, he should be-
come disorderly, he is enjoined, inn
prisoned, fined or shot.
This sort of thing is not conducive to
the public welfare, and unless a change
for the better is brought about it will
not be good for the public purse or the
public peace.
The coal miner ought to have fair
deal He should have fair pay, the
company house ought to be abolished,
the company storewiped out; he should
pc permitted to buy his powder and oil
iIl the open market as other people DO.