The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-21
WEDNESDAY. NAY. q. ls.s.
LABOR CONTRACTS.

would be only little while before ano-
ther demand would be made upon them;
that sooner or later this night must have
come and thoy thought proper to meet
II now. It is \ mistake to suppose that
these operators arbitrarily control the
price Of anthracits COAL Suoh is not the
casa for tho simple reason that anthra-
cite GOAL is in competition with bitumi-
nous coal, and bituminous coal Is so abun-
Giant and scattered over such q wide ter
fltory that composition tends to keep the
lutce down
The strikers claim. on the other hand,
That they, are not receiving fair COM
rensation for their wages, that they have
Got received their fair proportion of the
Earnings OF the anthracite coal operators,
rnd that strike was necessary to bring
he operators to terms and to secure Tor
Themselves what is justly duo them. In
Frder to understand the situation better
z, should be known that there is differ
fnoe between the coal miners, technically
CpeakinE, and the miners help. Mining
perations are carried on by contract oe-
Veen the operators and the miners. Ihe
finer agrees to mine coal at certain
Crice and he then employs his own help.
he miner is more or less boss and
r ,tlines the work for his help. AS we
:: aderstand it. it is really the helpers who
Ere striking. They demand more pay for
G.eir work and the miner says that he is
Z liable to give it to them unless he can
Fat more pay from the operators Ac-
riding to figures which We have seen
Fl csc helpers largely outnunlbeI' the min
E S.
The miners offered to submit the Ques-
IN of dispute but the operators rejected
n offers, saying there was nothing to
bitrate.
There is no question involved in this
rike, however, about which there can
b.. no two opinions. The strikers under
Ind that soft coal can be substituted
;gely for hard coal and that SO long
r there is an abundant supply of soft
T al they cannot bring to bear the pres
re which lney deem necessary to carry
I cir point. But if they could succeed in
ting the bituminous miners to strike
til them and so tie up the coal mines
B the country they would seriously Grip
the manufacturing industries of the
untry, il they did not indeed bring
I'M to a standstill. The railroads would
/ o be seriously hurt by such a strike.
d so it is reported that the endeavor
n the strikers now is to get up sympa-
II ~, $l,a
luminous regions.
tut there is one serious obstacle in the
" OF such gigantic movement, ana
4 Is that to which we direct special at
\ ,tion. Tho miners in the bituminous
4 Hons, or the great body Of them. are
Ter contract to work for given scale
4 wages. and tho contract does not ex-
+ 3 for nearly twelve months. Laying
4 de. e you will. the moral question in
we'd, there is practical question which
Il, anthracite miners themselves cannot
,rd to ignore. It is their desire to en-
h, into a new contract with their en-
ye-s, fixing the scale OF wages at
her rate than that which has hitherto
n vailed. They would not be satisfied
a proposal from their employers to
arm to work at a higher scnls unless
HI operators should bind themselves to
II this scale for a fixed period Of time.
IL they should show so little regard
\ bargain as te compel or persuade
r brethren in the bituminous regions
Violate their agreement and to go on
lie In spite of the contract, how could
h reasonably hope to secure an agree
i II upon any terms with their employ
3 b., A contract to be worth anything
1t be equally binding on both parties
\ etc. and if these miners show that
n, do not regard their contracts, but
" they violate them whenever 1t suits
sIr purpose to do 1t, 1t Is out OF Inc
Il .tion for them to expect business men
inter into contract with them.
r e believe that no one thing had 80
r ii to do with the failure of the iron
n steel strike last year as the order
hing out a number OF workers In
riches of the United States Steel Cor
E,tion who were under contract agree
vet to work at a given scale for given
q 1t had great deal to do with shap-
public sentiment Public sentiment is
greatest power in this country, and
American people love fair play. 1t is
most impossible for great strike to
pssed un4ess 1t be backed up by public
ati,rcnt unless it have the sympathy OF
great body polite. But bargain is
bargain, and the American people be-
We in standing by a bargain when 1t
3 been made. When the Amalgamated
III doration OF Iron and Steel Workers
lde the bold statement that the rules
their union ovcrrode any contract
B lick members of the union had made
til business concerns. that moment the
II derad6n Of Labor lost the sympathy
the public and the strike went from
70 worse until, was complete and