New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-02
.NR. HEWITT ON THE STRIKE
THINKS 1T OF MUCH POLITICAL SIG
NIFICANCE-MENACE OF A
LABOR TRUST
TBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. ]

Bar Harbor, Me, Sept. 1.-Abram S Hewitt
whose recent statement regarding the strike in
the anthracite coal fields has opened up a broad
field OF discussion, was asked to-day to reply
to the statements made by President Mitchell
and other prominent sympathizers with the
minerss cause. Mr.. Hewitt said he did not
wish to be drawn further into a controversy
and for that reason declined to say anything al
length. either in general a refutation Of
the arguments that have been brought forward
in the last week
In reply to Il number Of questions Mr.. Hewitt
answered casually. When asked as the sur
plus of labor in the coal fields and the limited
hours of work he said:
There is more than sufficient labor in the coal
fields at the present time. and the union is itself
responsible. in a rneas sure for the limited
amount of work and resultant pay accorded
each miner For the men being made members
Of the organization, it becomes necessary so to
subdvide the work among them that each man
is employed a shorter number of hours with a
consequent reduction of wage earnings. The
union seeks to have each man paid the same
wages for this shortened time paid when
the supply Of labor was less and the time of en-
ployn1ent longer. The men then we're paid suf
fciently high wages to maintain standard of
living that was satisfactory. as is witnessed in
the case OF many of the mines. notably the
Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company. 1t was
because of this satisfactory standard of living
and wages that the excess of labor was at
tracted to the coal fields.
Speaking Of President Mitchells statement
that the coal strike had little political signif-
canoe Mr. Hewitt cited the instance Of the last
Presidential campaign, when, he said, the labor
vote became a most important factor in national
politics and forced a compromise when there
vould otherwise have been a long fight The
situation to-day is. II anything. more sug-
gestivt, Of political possibilities than it was at
that time.
There is one phase" said Mr.. Hewitt. of
this strike to which the public whole has
not had IFS attention drawn 1t is mistake to
suppose that the mines are in the hands or
seven or eight individuals who alone reap the
rewards of victory or suffer the disadH antageS
of defeat in this crisis The mines belong TO
MANY thousands Of stockholders and bondhoid-
ers. who outnumber the men that are employed
It is vast field. divided up among all sizes of
investors Speaking of the earnings of the an
thracite mines. while they are immensely pro-
ductive and valuable industries. their earnings
are not what they are commonly supposed To ne.
In the case Of of the Oldest companies 90
ing business in Pennsylvania, the earnings for
the last sixty years have averaged approx
mately 3 per cent. The men who to-day are al
ministering these concerns are executing the
duties of their office not for their personal ends
but in the interest of a very large public Ac-
cordfng to the statements that have appeared
as coming from the miners union, it has been
suggested that the question OF higher wages for
shorter hours be met by the operators by rais-
ing the price of coal to the public, which must
be made to suffer the compromise
Mr. Hewitt drew from the case OF e. -.
Markle & Sons illustration pointing to the
RESPONSIBILITY Of the miners organization. In
the face of repeated violations Of contract ana
their agreement to submit all local differences TO
arbitration and not 10 be influenced by the dis
putes arising in other quarters, they neFerthe-
less in 1900 Mr.. Mitchell's solicitation, not
vithstanding that their condition was ernlnentlN
satisfactory joined the general strike that was
ca He'd by the United Mine Workers in that year
II is this responsibility, he said, the absence or
corporate qualities that calls for firm stand on
the ~ IT of the operators, who are IN DUTY pound
to guard their just business interests
Mr. Hewitt commented on the fact That the
public seems not to be aware that there Is grow
inns up a vast labor trust frought with Tar
greater menace tC industrial conditions thah
MANY of the so-Called monopoes that are at
tracing the attention of the entire country.