Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-13
ALL REFUSE TO RECOGNIZE ORGANIZATION
Say Right to Combine Must Not Be
Subject Of Award.
SCORE WORKERS IN STRONG LANGUAGE
Conditions Declared Satisfactory When Men
Were Not Organised.
GENERALLY FOLLOW BAEEs ARGUMENT
Deny Allegations Made by Employees
and Claim There f. No Reason
why They should Not
BE Contented.

BE COnNenteos
WASHINGTON. Nov. 12.-That the an
thraclte coal mine owners will resist 20
the utmost every effort 10 make the recog-
milton OF United Mine Workers OF America
an issue in the arbitration, which Is now
in progress, is made evident by the replies
10 the miners statement filed by John
Mitchell, president Of their organization.
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 demands
OF the miners for an increase Of pay for
the hour work. a reduction OF hours for
time work and for the Weighing rather
than the measurement OF coal
Carroll d. Wright left for the anthracite
regions today, taking 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.
Reply of the Operators.
The reply for the Delaware & Lacka-
wanna company was made public to-
day. II is signed by w. H. Trues-
dale. president of the company. who says
that the company owns twenty-five anthra-
cite collieries and employs 1900 workmen
in this branch OF its business. Mr.. Trues-
dale, like Mr.. Baer, objects TO making
the recognition of the union one OF the
issues to be considered by the commission.
saying that in the proposition made by the
company for arbitration one Of the express
conditions was that "the findings Of the
commission should govern the conditions OF
employment between II and its employees"
He adds:
This company unequivocally asserts that
Il will under no condition recognize or enter
WORKERS OF America or any branch thereof
Nor viii 1t permit said association or Its
ioficers 20 dictate the terms and condi-
iuons under which II shall conduct Its busi-
ness.
Referring to the recent strike, Mr.. Trues-
dale says that he 10 reliably informed that
so per cent Of Its employees were opposed 20
the strike, but were forced to enter upon II
lby majority vote Of the mine workers In
other fields. Mr.. Truesdale follows closely
itha lines Of Mr.. Baer's argument al to the
dissimilarity between the work in the an
lthracite mines and that in bituminous
mines.
Uniform Price ImDracticable.
He declares that II is impossible to adopt
"a uniform rate to be paid to the miners TOR
"A unit OF coal mined at all mines. The
declaration Is also made that the anthra-
cite miners as a rule do not work as many
hours a day as the bituminous miners,
and the opinion Is advanced that II the
wages Of tho anthracite miners had been
less than that of other working men they
would have found employment elsewhere.
which they did not do.
Concerning the general prosperity he
says;
Prior TO the introduction of agitators and
mischief makers the anthracite workers
lwere on an average as prosperous COM
Hortsele and ls sonlsentsd ple as v any BODY ,n 81
country.
The wages. It is added. are such that
frugal employees have saved a substantial
amount every year.
Mr.. Truesdaie resists the demand for a
reduction OF 20 per cent in hours Of labor
saying no such business employing thou
sands OF men can hope to COM
pete successfully in the markets of the
world II its hours of labor are restricted
He declares that there is no unjust dis
elimination in the weighing OF coal. as it is
measured rather than weighed. and he
asserts that the demand is "out OF all
reason. and it's effect, so far as his com,
pany is concerned. is a demand for an ad-
ditional increase in the wages now paid
miners Of from to 40 per cent"
The present method OF measurement is
declared to be the result OF long usage
and fair to all concerned.
Fair 90 All Concerned.
President olyphant of the Delaware q
Hudson company in 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 OI
piece work, as a matter of their own voli-
tion. work only about six hours a day and
take numerous holidays. without the con.
sent OF approval OF this respondent. and
their earnings by hours Of actual work
are. therefore. much higher than those IN
any similar employment"
Denial Is made OF all the allegations In
connection with the demand for shorter
hours and It is contended that such a re.
duction necessarily would increase the price
of coal While admitting that the min,
owners sell their coal by the ton, he sayu
that the coal thus sold is a very different
article from that taken out OF the mine
Hence he contends against the change from
the present system OF payment TO that oi
paying by the ton.
Recognition of the Union.
President olyphant also takes exception
20 the proposition to arbitrate the question
OF the recognition Of the miners union
"A This position is taken on the ground that
y the organization seeks 10 control the en-.
tire fuel supply Of the country. that as the
union Is uninoorporated IL Ia incapable Of
making a binding contract and that ths
association has shown its inability to con.
troll its own members. He says his CON-
pany has no desire to discriminate against
members OF the union.
President T. P. Fowler speaks for the
Scranton Coal company and the Elk hi
Coal and Iron company. He says they owr
ten eOllieries and employ 5000 men,.
He asserts that II the average wage
earned by the anthracite piece workers Il
- less than that paid to workers In other EN-
ployment Il is because they hx their owT
hours Of labor and the amount OF theIi
fConffnuad an Qarona paaaN