Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-17
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
EDITORIALS BY THE
PEOPLE.
Observation-Disclosures
Miner and Operator.

Soooooooooooooooooooooooo
Miner and Operator.
In taking up this very important sub
! iect l want to divide it as between
two persons viz: labor and capital AS
one is indispensable to the other there
| fore it is of the utmost Importance that
each should work on the lines of NUT
ual interest. Although each one occu-
pies a separate field in the coal indus
| try, yet in the aggregate of all is the
same, as labor mines the coal and pro-
duces it ready for the market. The
owner or the operator of the mine is
the medium between the miner and
consumer and pays for the value he re-
ceives which places it on a business
basis divided between labor and CAPT
tai, by giving each fair return for the
part each performed in the production.
Therefore every difference of opin-
ion trivial in it's nature should not be
allowed to enter in the way of success
in any sense; but instead, a generous
policy should be adopted and main
tanned by all concerned to the end
that both might be employed. for slack
, business on the part of one is fatal to
. the other and the consumer, also.
Therefore every change in either
should not be made independent
Ily without the careful consideration of
the interest of the other as differences
! of this kind are not then settled
, promptly and discussion is needed,
, for thorough discussion never hurt
. a just cause and an unjust cause is Of
, ten exposed by such discussion. 1t is
I we'll known fact that healthy bust
ness for the operator means plenty OF
r work and emolument to the miner. The
) two are mutually dependent on each
other as the operator could not exist
t and be leader in coal unless the min
9 err aided him in the production of 1t.
r Just the same with the miner He
t could not enter the mine and dig coal
f and earn wages unless some one fur
d nish the mine and machinery to run it.
e The market should be stimulated in
+ such a manner as to justify the operat.
: or to run his mines. 1t is just as I'M
|. reasonable to think he should run his
l. mines at loss as it is to think min
er should take his tools and enter the
= dark caverps of the earth to dig coal
n for price that would furnish him less
than living wages for himself and fam
o lily.
3 To the casual observer the many,
;, varied and vexed questions that arise
a between the miner and the operator
= are solely in the hands of the mine
y owners. But it is not SO, for the la
(. borer has an interest at stake equal to-
= if not greater than the operator
Therefore the interests of labor can
: not be successfully ignored because il
is an established fact, though not
;, recognized by some, that labor as 8
- factor in the worlds progress, has
- rights that cannot be successfully
passed over independent of the mere
" wages he receives. Hence it is a safe
=. proposition to say that failure to rec
ognize this fact is often the cause Of
:. strikes and labor troubles, for the fac
n. has been demonstrated by experience
in the affairs pertaining to the bust
- ness that an expression of an opinion
If when i'll the pursuit of the same OBJ
ject, seldom terminates with success
,e at least not with any degree of perm
ancy, because these disagreement
ID which, usually occur between the OPP
n orator and miner, are the outgrowtt
of the wrong impressions and misun
le derstandings caused very often by {
in feeling among the miners that the OPP
orator is too grasping and his divi
n. uGuuS dIS GREATER l1dl tuey SHOULD UG
ST On the other hand the operator
in such cases attaches to little import
IN ance TO the considerations of the mi
ner, especially in relation to matters
nv in which the miner is directly con
ra cerned.
,e. The operator takes the voluntary
m risk of furnishing the mine with al
d. necessary equipments to operate i
he and should have fair returns on al
capital invested and on the capital ne
NJ cessa1y for all performed. But W.
lie. should bear in mind the miners ant
others in and around the mines repre-
sent an equal interest jointly with tina
of the operator and that the risk of hi
to life is more than equal to the risk O
capital. That. is the aggregate risl
e. of the men,
by The situation of the miner while a
es his work with the surrounding cond
m. tons and with the surrounding dar
'rs gers are of great Importance. Whe
TO comparatively considered his hard
to- ships and endurance are more appal
ire ent. For when miner takes his tool
be. and places lamp on his head and er
.es ters mine, leaving behind the bea,
tiful sunlight, to perform his wor
bly, with view Of earning an honest do
lie lar, he has no idea as to whether h
ro- will walk QUITE ba hauled out Hi