Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1902-06-28

oOAs ho AOAAO"0s
THE average of anthracite selling
prices for 1901 must have been 30 to
40 cents higher than in 1900, and the
/ profits of the coal mining operations
| of the Delaware & Hudson in 1901
were $1,407,307."
The statement ridicules as absurd
| the offer of President Baer, the recog-
nized spokesman of the coal trust, to
/ submit the books of the coal COM
panies to prove that wages could not
be increased.
In this connection the statement
calls attention to the fact that ton
/ of coal as the consumer understands
! it, is not a ton of coal as the miner
/ is paid for, that is to say, that the ton
of coal sold the customer weighs 2240
| pounds, while when the miner is be-
! ing paid for his labor he is required
! to produce and load from 2740 to 2790
! pounds for ton, against which "fla-
grant injustice the anthracite mine
workers SO vigorously and justly pro-
/ test"
The companies assert that the ex.
| cess weight is required to compensate
| them for impurities and refuse matter
that is loaded with the coal and can
not be marketed.
IF their statement be true" says
the statement, why is it necessary to
continue system of docking by which
at times they arbitrarily deduct from
miners earnings from 10 to Is per
cent of the total as a penalty for load
already penalized him in excess
weight?
1T must be obvious to every intelli-
| gent observer that the coal companies
derive considerable income from the
continuance of this system of measur-
ing the earnings of their employees, as
they thus receive a large amount of
marketable coal for which they return
no compensation to the miners. The
miners have asked that the coal they
produce shall be honestly weighed and
correctly recorded.
This recital of facts disposes of the
operators claims that they can not
afford to pay living wages for faithful
/ service and unceasing toll amid sur
roundings constantly fraught with the
/ gravest danger"
/ The statement tells of the fatalities
among the miners and says:
Eight times as many men and boys
are killed and injured annually in the
anthracite coal mines of Pennsylvania
! as were killed and wounded in the
American ranks in the Spanish Ameri-
can war in Cuba"
The statement says that according
! to reports of various chiefs of police
there have been less infraction of laws
and fewer arrests during the time the
strike has been in progress than for a
like period preceding it.
Concluding, the statement says: at
is now apparent that the real purpose
of the coal operators is to destroy or
ganization among their workmen. If
by any chance they should succeed in
! their design-which is not at all likely
another labor organization will
spring from the ruins of the United
Mine Workers of America, and the
contest for living wages, for humane
conditions of employment, for better
education, for higher citizenship, will
go on until the men who produce coal,
the originating power which drives the
wheels OF commerce and industry, the
product that is SO essential to the well
fare of society, the mineral which is
| the very foundation of our nation /
prosperity, shall receive for their la
Dor sufficient compensation to relieve
them of the necessity of sending their
boys and girls, of tender years and
frail physique, to the mines and mills,
there to destroy their youthful vigor
In an effort to assist their underpaid
parents to maintain their families.
Conscious of the great responsible.
ity resting upon us, apprehensive of
the danger threatening our commercial
supremacy should the coal miners OF
the entire United States become par.
Elephants in this struggle, we repeat
our proposal to arbitrate all questions
in dispute, and if our premises are
wrong, if our position is untenable, II
our demands can not be sustained by
facts and figures, we will again return
to the mines, take up our tools OF
industry and await the day when we
shall have more righteous cause to
claim the approval of the American
people.
JOHN MITCHELL,
president r. M w u