The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-11-19
Goal MINE OWNERS DEFIANT.
Resist Demands Of the Miners for
Better Hours and Better Pay.

Washington, Nov. 12.-Tbat the an
thracite coal mine owners will resist
to the utmost every effort to make the
recognition of the United Mine Work
ers of America an issue in the arbitra-
tion which is now in progress is made
evident by the replies to the statement
of President John Mitchell, of the
miners organization, which have been
fled with the strike commission.
There are five of these answers in ad-
dition to that of President Baer, which
was given out yesterday, and all
dwell. with especial emphasis and mark
ed unanimity, On this point. They
also agree in resisting the demands Of
the miners for an increase of pay for
piece work, reduction of hours for
mine work and for the weighing, rath-
er than the measurement, of coal.
Recorder Wright left for the anth-
racite regions today, taking the
replies with him. In addition to the
statement made for the Beading Com
pany by President Baer, the list COM
prises the replies of the Delaware and
Hudson Company, the Delaware and
Lackawanna, the Lehigh Valley. the
Pennsylvania and the Scranton Coal
Company.
The reply for the Delaware and
Lackawnna Company, signed by W. Fl.
Truesdale, says: "This company IN
equivocally asserts that it will, under
no condition, recognize or enter into
any agreement with the association
known as the United Mine Workers of
America or any branch thereof. Nor
will permit said association Or its
officers to dictate the terms and con-
ditions under which it shall conduct
its business. !"
Mr.. Truesdale declares that it is i'm
possible to adopt a uniform rate to be
paid to the miner of a, unit of coal
mined at all mines. On the point of
general prosperity, he says that "prior
to the introduction of agitators and
mischief makers, the anthracite work
ers were on an average as prosperous,
comfortable and contented as any body
of workers in similar employment in
this country
The wages, it is added, are such
that frugal employees have saved
substantial amount every year.
Mr.. Truesdale resists the demand
for a-reduction of 20 per cent in hours
of labor, saying that no branch of
business employing thousands of men
can hope to compete successfully IN
the markets Of the would if hours Of
labor are restricted.
President Olyphant, Of the Delaware
and Hudson Company, i'll his reply
declares that the wages paid by his
company are just and adequate. He
also says that those of its employees
who perform contract or piece work as
matter of their own volition work
only about six hours a day and take
numerous holidays without the consent
or approval of this respondent, and
their earnings, by hours of actual
work, are therefore, much higher than
those any similar employment.
President Olyphant also takes excep-
ton to the proposition to arbitrate the
question Of the recognition of the
Miners Union. This position is placed
on the ground that the organization
seeks to control the entire fuel supply
Of the country; that as the union is
unincorporated it is incapable of max
ing binding contract.
President T. P. Fowler speaks for
the Scranton Coal Company and the
Elk Hill and Coal and Iron Company.
He asserts that if the averge wage
earned earned by the anthracite piece
workers is less than that paid to work
ers in other employments is because
q they fix their own hours of labor and
the amount of their earnings =,
On the question of miners unions
Mr. Fowler says: "We deny that
agreements between employers and EN-
ployees through workinglnen's organl,,
cations are beneficial and successful
in the bituminous coal fields or else
where, and assert that any such agree
ment as a method of regulating pro
duction would be, and is, injurious to
the best interest OF the public.
The statements made for the Lehlgh
Valley and the Pennsylvania COM
paies cover the same ground as the
other statements.
Hanged by a Tennessee Mob.