Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1902-08-22
PROTECTION OF LABOR
Republican Methods Embrace
Low Wages and High Prices.
THE CASE OF THE COAL MINERS.

Trust.
President John Mitchell or the Unit
ed Mine Workers OF America has is
sued a strong. conservative statement
In reply to the letters published by the
mine operators. He gives as the reason
for holding back this statement of the
miners case. I'VE have hesitnted to
utter any word or to take any position
that would impede or embarrass easy
reconciliation with the coal operators"
Every effort was made by the miners
TO settle the matter In dispute by arbi-
tration, but every proposition was met
by the operators with the reply that
there was really nothing to arbitrate.
This puts the whole responsibility for
the strike upon the coal magnates.
Mr. Mitchell shows that the mine
workers are the most poorly paid labor
ers Ia any important American indus
try. They work less than 200 days in q
year. receiving S1.42 for a day OF ten
hours. The annual earnings OF u work.
er are less thun $500. President Mitch
ell comments:
'Such pay may supply a living on
par with some classes OF European la
borers. but who will say that 1t Is suffi-
cient to support American citizenship
or enable parents to educate and prop
erly maintain their familiesY'
The 10 per cent increase in wages
granted two yeHrs ago by the opera
tors has not benefited the miners. A
large portion OF the advance was paid
back to the companies. Moreover. the
cost or living has increased from 80 to
40 per cent, so that the purchasing
power Of miners wages Is less than be
fore the strike Of 1900. The assertion
Of the coal magnates that the efficiency
OF mine workers had decreased 1914
per cent in 1901 is coDtradieted by the
official reports, which show a decided
increase in the output per man.
The railroad presidents who-form the
! coal trust claim that they cannot pay
the mine workers decent wages with
out raising the price or coal TO con-
sunlers and thus causing great hard
ship This generous consideration for
the consuming public has not been con
| spicuous I'm the conduct OF the coal
barons heretofore. Mr.. Mitchell points
| TO the rise I'm the price of coal since the
strike began and shows the hypocrisy
OF the operators affected solicitude.
From the government reports he shows
that the coal companies have made
larger profits than ever before. Ac-
cepting President ELEPHANTS statement
that the cost OF mining coal for 1901
has Increased 13 cents per ton, II is OBJ
viOus that the coal companies are not
losing anything when they have been
selling coal at an advance OF 80 cents
per ton above the price OF 1900. This
enormous increase has been extorted
from the consumer while no increase
I'm wages has been given When the
miners make a reasonable demand for
more wages. the operators suddenly
become very solicitous for the con
sumer whom they have so cheerfuily
robbed heretofore. and appeal to the
people for sympathy I'm their struggle
against the labor unions which would
advance the price OF coal by demand
ing living wage for the mine work
ers. Such devotion TO the public inter
est is inspiring!
The offer made by President Baer OF
the coal trust to submit its books to
the examination OF the labor unions TO
prove that the earnings OF the miners
would not permit an increase OF wages
appears very fair at first sight. Presi-
dent Mitchell shows the braEen impu-
dence OF the proposition as follows:
"Eighty-hve or 90 per cent OF all coal
produced in the anthracite regions is
from mines owned and operated by the
various coal carrying railroads. The
freight charges for hauling ton OF
anthracite coal one mile are three times
as great as those OF other roads for
hauling Il ton OF bituminous coal one
mile, and as a consequence the coal
departments, while actually earning
enormous profits on a legitimate bust
ness, may and do appear to be losing
money, for the reason that the railway
departments absorb the profits OF the
coal departments by charging the coal
departments exorbitant freight rates.
They thus rob Peter to paw Paul II
cannot be said I'm exclamation TINT
there is any peculiar necessity for this
triple charge on hard coal, for all 9th.
er kinds OF freight. very much more
troublesome to handle and more per
ishable. are carried at a far. lower
rate"
No one can accuse Mr.. Mitchell OF
exaggeration or intemperance Of Ian
guage. On the contrary, he has rather
understated than -overstated the facts
and has used language too mild TO ex
press the conditions. Anthracite coal
can be carried at less cost and trouble
than can almost any other commodity
because 1t is easier to handle and prae
ucally imperishabie
When the coal companies sell coal
they are not given TO overlooking.
When they haul coal, they call 2.24O
pounds ton, but when they pay the
miner they demand that 2,74O to $3.50
pounds shall be called ton. The OBJ
orators claim this extra amount Is to
make up for unmarketable impurities.
This would be just If it were true. In