The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-13
Five More Answers to President
MitcheIPs Statement, and They All
Agree on Main Points.
NO RECOGNITION OF UNION
NO INCREASE IN PAY AND NO SHORT
ENING OF WORK DAY.
Union Denounced by Independent Op.
eratOrs-Lawyers Gathering
at Scranton.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12.-That the an
thracite coal mine owners will resist to
the utmost every effort to make the recog-
milton of the United Mine Workers of
America an issue in the arbitration 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 filed with the strike commission
There are five of these answers in addition
to that of President Baer, which was given
out yesterday, and all dwell with especial
emphasis and marked unanimity on this
point. They also agree in resisting the de-
mands of the miners for an increase of pay
for piece work, a reduction of hours for
time work and for the weighing rather than
the measurement of coal. Recorder Wright
left for the anthracite region to-day. tax
ing these replies with him.
In addition to the statement made for
the Reading Company by President Baer,
the list comprises the replies of the Della
ware & Hudson Company, the Delaware &
Lackawanna, the Lehigh Valley, the Penn
sylvania and the Scranton Coal Company.
The reply of the Delaware & Lackawa ma
Company was signed by w. III. Truesdaie,
president of the company, who says that
the company owns twenty-five anthracite
collieries and employs 1900 workmen in
this branch of its business. Mr.. Truesdale,
like Mr.. Baer, objects to making the recog-
milton of the union one of the issues to be
considered by the commission, saying in
the proposition made by the company for
arbitration one of the express conditions
was that 1.-The findings of the commission
should govern the conditions of employment
between it and its employees" He adds:
This company unequivOcally asserts that
it will under no conditions recognize or en-
ter into any agreement with the associa-
ton known as the United Mine Workers Of
America or any branch thereof Nor will II
permit said association or its officers to
dictate the terms and conditions under
which 1t shall conduct its business"
WE'RE OPPOSED TO STRIKE.
Referring to the recent strike, Mr.. Trues-
dale says that he is reliably informed that
so per cent. of its employees were opposed
to the strike. but were forced to enter upon
it by majority vote of the mine workers
in other fields. Mr.. Truesdale follows
closely the lines of Mr.. Baers argument as
to the dissimilarity between the work in
the anthracite mines and that in the BIZ
luminous mines. He declares that II is i'm
possible to adopt a uniform rate to be paid
TO the miner for unit OF coal mined at all
mines. The declaration is also made that
the anthracite miners as a rule do not work
as many hours a day do the bituminous
miners, and the opinion is advanced that If
the wages of the anthracite miners had
been less than that of other workngmen
they would have found employment else
where, which they did not do until they
reached the point of prosperity. He says
that prior to the introduction of agitators
and mischief makers the anthracite work
ers were on an average prosperous, COM
COntented nj
workers in similar employment in this
country" The wages. he added. are such
that frugal employees have saved a sub
stantial amount every year.
Mr.. Truesdale resists the demand for a
reduction of 20 per cent in hours of labor,
and says that no such branch Of business
EMPLOYING thousands of men can hope to
compete successfully in the markets of the
world if it's hours of labor are restricted.
He declares that there is no unjust dis
elimination in the weighing of coal and it
is measured rather than weighed, and he
asserts that the demand Is "out of all rea-
son, and its effect, so far as this company
is concerned, is demand for an additional
increase in the wages now paid miners or
from 5 to 40 per cent" The present method
of measurement is declared to be the re-
suit of long usage and fair tn all concerned.
MIR. ELEPHANTS STATEMENT.
President Olyphant, of the Delaware &
Hudson Company, in his reply declares that
the wages paid by his company are just
and adequate. He also says that those
of it's employees who perform contract or
piece work as a matter of their volition
work only about six hours 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 i'm any
similar employment.
Denial is made of all the allegations in
connection with the demand for fewer
hours, and 1T is contended that such
reduction necessarily would increase the
price of coal. While admitting that the
mine owners sell their coal by the ton, he
says that the coal thus sold is very diff
ferent article from that taken out of the
mine. Hence he contends against the
change from the present system of pay
ment to that of paying by the ton.
President Olyphant also takes exception
ton of the recognition of the miners
union. This position is placed on the
ground that the organization seeks to con-
troll the entire fuel supply of the country;
that the union is unincorporated il is i'm
capable of making a binding contract. and
that the association has shown it's in
ability TO control its own members. He
says his company has no desire to dis
criminate against members of the union.
President i. p. Fowler speaks for the
Scranton Coal Company and the Elk Hill
Coal and Iron Company. He says they
own fifteen collieries and work Is. 900 men.
He asserts that If the average wage earned
by the anthracite piece workers is less
than that paid to workers i'm other en-
ployment ii is because they fix their own
hours of labor and the amount of their
earnings without any regard to the inter-
ests or wishes of their employers and i'm
total disregard of the earnings and well
fare of every other class of employees He
declares that the men In the mines do not
work to exceed four or five hours day.
All other charges made by Mr.. Mitchell are
combated and on the question of miners
unions Mr.. Fowler says: I'VE DENY that
agreements between employers and en-
ployes through workingmen's organizations
are beneficial and successful in the BIZ
luminous coal fields or elsewhere and as
sert that any such agreement as a method
of regulating production would be and is
injurious to the best interests of the coun-
try
The statements made for the Lehigh Val
ley and the Pennsylvania COMPANIES cover
the same ground the other statements
-