Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1900-1903, 1902-11-12
OPERATORS REPLY
They Will Fight Bitterly John
Mitchell's Plans.
WILL NOT RECOGNIZE UNION.

president Truesdale, for the Delaware,
Lackawanna s. Western Co Says
That His Concern Owns % Col
Ieries-Ifuesdale Says so per Cent
of His Employees Were Opposed to
Strike, But Were Forced Into it,
Washington, November 12.-That
the anthracite coal mine own
ers will resist to the utmost every eff
fort to make the recognition of the
United Mine Workers of America an
issue in the arbitration which is now
In progress is made evident by the re-
plies to the statement of President
John Mitchell of the miners organiza-
ton 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 dWelt with especial
emphasis and marked unanimity on
this point. They also agree in resist
ing the demands of the miners for an.
increase of pay for piece work, re-
ductfon of hours for time work and
for the weighing rather than the
measurement of coal.
Recorder Wright left for tile an
thracite regions to-day, taking those
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 tS.
Hudson Co., the Delaware & Lacla-
wanna, the Lehigh Valley. the Penn
sylvania and Scranton Coal Co.
The reply for the Delaware. LacIza-
wanna & Western company to President
Mitchell's statement to the anthracite
coal strike commission was made pub
lie to-day. 1t is signed by w. III.
Truesdale, the president. who says
that the company owns 25 anthracite
collieries and employs 1900 workmen
in this branch of the business Mr.
Truesdale. 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 condi-
tions was s'that the findings of the
commission should govern the condi-
tions of employment between it and
its employees
He adds: 9sThis company unequiv-
ocally asserts that it will under no
condition recognize or enter into any
ngreenent with the association
known as the United Mine Workers of
America or any branch thereof. Nor
will it permit said association or It's
officers dictate the terms and condl-
tions under which it shall conduct IT'S
business"
referring to the recent strike Mr.
Truesdale says that he is reliably III
formed that so per cent of its en-
nloyes were opposed to the strike buI
were forced to enter upon it by ma
iority vote of the mine workers II
other fields. Mr. Truesdale 1olloWs
closely the lines of Mr. Baers afgu-
mont as TO the dissimillarity between
the work in the anthracite mines anu
Yhat in bituminous mines. ne
declares that it is impossible to adopt
:, uniform rate to be paid 10 Ihe
miners for a unit of coal mlned az
III mines. The declaration aiso
&c made that the antnfilcl.e
l1r,i,,ors as rule Go not
---or1- &c MANY hours day as 90 lne
1S;t,,Tninous miners. and the OPINION 10
odyanced that if the wages OF the an
t1,,.acita miners had been less lhln
+1,a+ of other workingmen they Woulu
bsvo found employment elseWhere'
Witch they did not do. On the polht
of general prosperity he says Inat
nrior to the Introduction OF agltatoFs
and mischief-workers the anthracite
1z,orIyers were on an average as pros
noro1s. comfortable and contented as
anv body of workers in similar employ
menf in this country. The wages, lt
Is added, are such that frugal en-
nloves have saved a 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 bus-
iness employing thousands of men can
hone to compete successfully in the
markets. of the world if it's hours OF la
hor are restricted. He declares that
there is no unjust discrimination IN
the weighing of coal. as it is measured
rather than weighed, and he asserts
that the demand is "out of all reason,
and ifs effect so far as this company is
concerned is a demand for an addi-
ffonal increase in the wages now paid
miners of from y to 40 per cent" The
present method of weighing is de-
clared to be tina result of long usage
and fair to all concerned.
President Olyphant of the Delaware
& Hudson company in his reply de-
clares that the wages paid by his COM
pany are Just and adequate. He also
saws that ssthose of its employees who
nerform contract or piece work. as
matter of their own volition work only
about six hours a day and take numer
.ous holidays, without the consent or
approval of this respondent, and their
earnings, by hours of actual work, are,
therefore. much higher than those in
anv similar employment"
Denial is made of all the allegations
In connection with the demand for
shorter hours, and it is contended that
such a reduction necessarily would in
crease the price of coal. While adj
uniting that the mine owners sell
their coal by the ton, he says that the
coal TINS sold is a very different ar
ficle from that taken out of the mine.
Hence he contends against the change
from the present system Of payment
10 that of paying by the ton.
President Olyphant also takes ex-
reption to the proposition TO arbitrate
che question Of the recognition Of the
miners union. This position 3 placed