The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1902-10-11
ro7 coN59155;
|...,cratic Nominee, Sixth District.
E. J. Bowers,
Of Hancock County.
Le DEAL ISSUES INVOLVED IN
rne GREAT COAL STRIKE.

4 DEAL ISSUES INVOLVED IN
rHe GREAT COAL STRIKE.
gitb the presence of October the
nina of anthracite coal has
\ been suspended five months.
;liops Of people with winter on
4, heels are without coal.
"a though the strike should be
clared off today, normal condi-
~ could not obtain in the coal
.,ket for weeks, and perhaps
outbs. A demand which usually
tends itself over q season will
ek 10 be satisfied in a day. Rail-
,sd already taxed by an unusual
payy fall traffic will be called on
handle tonnage of coal that
bouId bave been moving from
4 mines to local depots all SUM
Congestion will bid against
Rcb other and there will be a high
femium on speedy delivery.
rices will be abnormal. Thus
e effect of the strike will be felt
snr after the labor trouble is adj
,sted or the miners or the opera
bre have submitted.
ID And yet coal consumers do not
gen know what all the trouble is
zbout. There are two sides, and
acb side has filed a statement of
~ case. These statements con-
ict. The court of public opinion
Eannot harmonize the n, nor can
determine which statement is
le correct one.
q According to the mine owners,
through their president, Mr.. John
Mitchell demand
First, recognition Of the union
s the representative of the strlk-
4rs.
& Second, An eight-hour work
Iay, and
Third, an increase of wages.
n To the first demand tie opera
Rors reply that they will not recog-
hize the union as party in the ne
gotIation. They will not arbitrate
bnd will make no agreement with
@he union. They have said that
Ahey are willing to hear their own
employees on honos and wages, and
|will make all concessions which,
|hfter discussion, shall appear rea-
soDable.
President Baer. on February Is
bin letter to the mine workers,
wrote:
1--WE will always receive and
consider every application of the
|men in our employ. We will en-
deayor to correct every abuse, to
right every wrong, to deal justly
and fair compensation for the
work he performs. Beyond this
we cannot CO."
On september 3, Mr.. Baer again
said in public statement: at is,
BY reason of varying conditions at
each mine, impracticable to adopt
a uniform scale of wages for the
whole region: but at each colliery
every complaint and grievance will
DC taken up and investigated by
the superintendents and adjusted
when it is just"
The operators say that if they
granted the demand for union re-
cognitlon they would have to adj
nit:
First, that every workman
whose name is not on the union
rolls as a member in good stand.
ing shall be discharged.
Second, that no non-union men
shall hereafter be employed.
Third, that if a union man shall
hereafter be dismissed for any
cause, he shall be reinstated or
demand Of the union or its repre-.
sentative; ! and fourth, that the
ioremen and superintendent
snall be agreeable to the union
un the other hand, the mine
workers y say this is not a fail
Statement Of the case. Then
Statement j. that on February
i4th the Unlon Mine Worker
ssns M. letter 10 the coal produc
ing companies inviting them /,
confer over the wage scale for tn,
year beginning April !. 1902. Th,
companies declined to discuss th,
question. A convention Of mel
was held and The following de
mands were made:
First, an increase Of 20 per cen
y wages 70 all men performinI
contract work.
Second, eight hours to constI
'ute day ] work for all person
smployed BY the day or week
without any reduction in thei
wage rafa. a..<I