Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1901-04-13
An Interesting Document.

An Interesting DOcumehr
The history of the Georges Creek strike
of 1900 is an interesting portion OF the
Ninth Annual Report of the Bureau Of
Industrial Statistics of Maryland" just
issued.
It is besides well-written, cOmpre-
hensive and fair statement of the causes,
incidents and results of the trouble.
Indeed, in all that constitutes "h'story'
it is to be doubted whether the work
could have been better done.
The JOURNAL is especially pleased to
see one of its own contentious strongly
endorsed in the Sth "Deduction"-in
brief as below:
One of the most important questions
developed by the strike grew out OF the
charge that the operators in competing re-
gons were furnishing the means to incite
and prolong the suspension in order to en-
large the area of demand for their own pro-
ducts.
This charge, the Bureau states, was
never to its knowledge "authentically
denied" Thence
If true, adequate steps should be taken by
the Legislature to prevent the Use OF any such
means against the peace and welfare of our
people, and for thorough investigation by
the Legislature, either through committees
or by appropriating enough money to enable
this Bureau to do so, clothing it with author
ity to compel answers to its questions.
Hardly secondary i'll importance is the
suggestion in the 10th "deduction:'
The State, in its sovereign capacity, should
furnish the means whereby such disasters to
the trade and commerce of the State could be
avoided If the State has the right to step in
between two citizens who, by reason of con-
tlct of their private interests, are inficting
injury upon the entire community, or a part
thereof, certainly the State should have the
authority to step in between corporation or
corporations created by itself, and individuals
in the State, when the questions arising be-
tween corporations and the individuals are of
such an important character and so moment
Gus in their consequences as to cause the loss
of money and peace to an entire county, or
the whole State, and so far-reaching IN its ef-
feet as a coal miners strike, involving the
loss of million dollars in wages and prob
ably as much more to the trade and COM
merce of the State.
Lastly, there is another side to the
question: statement somewhat cor
roborative of the charge alluded to i'll
the Sth "deductiOn." This is found in
the 9th:
The weakness of the position of the United
Mine Workers organization in this strike was
in fact that. while demanding sixty cents for
mining coal in the Georges Creek region,
they permitted their members and men from
Maryland to work in the Myersdale region,
in Pennsylvania, for fifty five cents all during
the time the Maryland mines were closed.
Whatever the private reasons entertained by
the leaders for this course may have been, the
apparent result to the Maryland community
was that the organization was demanding
one thing in Maryland and conceding an
other within stones throw, in Pennsylvania
Indeed, both regions were included in Dis
trict Is of the United Mine Workers organ
ration, and both regions were supposed to
work under the same wage scale and under
the same conditions.
The Bureau holds sensible view of
what is desirable, but whether its plan
of introducing the Judiciary into State
arbitration measure is feasible, is ques-
tiOnable.
Nevertheless, it should now complete
its work by framing bill i'll accord with
its suggestions for the action of the next
LEGISLATURE