The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-13
OPERATORS REPLY TO MINERS
ANSWERS or PRESIDENTS TRUES-
DALE AND OLYPHANT.


Wight, recorder Of the Anthracite strike
co M issiln. to-day made public the re-
plies OF the Delaware. Lackawnnna and
Western Railroad Company, the Delaware
ard Hudson Railroad ompanvaud' the Scran-
ton and Elk Hill Coal COMPANY 10 the do
mand- made hv their EMPLOYEES through
President Mitchell Of the Anthracite Mine
Workers The reply for the Lackawanns
is signed by President W. II. Trnesdale
He SAYS the company owns twenty-five
anthracite collieries and employs i2,OOO
mine workers
,lr. Truesd,lc is as emphatic a. was
President Baer of the Reading in assert
Gag that his company objects to making
recognition Of the union one Of the Issues
to be considered by the commission. He
saws
Tie company uncquivocallv asserts that
Il will under 10 CONDITION recognize or enter
into any "srce"rcrt WI, 4" uassocl ltion
Am,ricp or any hrIrc. { ROOF Nor Will
/, Permit said association or lis On '.rs 70
i :, all conduct is husiu,ss IL clarros tfa,
sDid a~-o,i tion has been declared by the
Federal courts 80 hc urllwiul and that II ia
on'oScd 'o -" vital rrlu'l, l's of our Govern
erroln,It OF t. ucuh,rslip .isf OF all I,I-
sons Employed IN or about coal mines III the
Ii T. succeeds It will hive to rover IT
any time 20 p'ra!v1" t,e lLdnstri"s OF our
nation and trins untold suffering upon our
p'oIlc. ltS principles orlrcss the indus
trious and ambitious laborer down TO tie
standard Of =" sluesard. II has not IN -"
love q at il will ~ t'o future hesitate to $40
rihc" lie, liberty and rrolsrtv 20 4 in It's
vicious md tenn or rygrd. II denies the right
Of nan 70 ,.l l.. lIhor In a free market.
Mr. Truesdae. in answering the demand
for reduction Of 20 rcr cent, In hours OF
labor, saws that no business like mining,
EMPLOYING 'hD' sands CD! inca. can hope I q
compete successfully In the markets Of the
world If its Lu'ls f labor are rest riNted
between A. VI and 3 or $50 T.. VI He de-
clarcs that Their" is no unjust discrimina-
ton in the weighing Of coal "a II j. mca-
surel rather than weighed, and he asserts
that the demand l. ont OF all reason, and
Is effect So far A. This COMPANY j. con-
rernei, is a demand for an addit ional in
Grease in the wages now paid miners Of
from 5to 10 per cent " The present met hod
Of measurements is declared 10 be the result
of long usage and fair 10 all concerned
Mr. Truesdale SAYS his company lis not
Informed and ha- no means of definitely
ascertainng what is regarded as the 'Ameri-
can standard Of living to the maintenance
of which the annual earnings of its mine
EMPLOYEES or any of them are alleged to he
Insufficient. l. asks that this claim be more
aFCQth CIV ana lenuUelN SCI lot n.
IL alleges. however. Judging by the char.
acter of hotues in which its mine employees
live. the large percentage If whom own
their own homes, the thrifty appearance
Of themselves and families seen on Sun
DAYS and holidays when not AZ work, tho
infreQurnt cases where their wages In the
hands Of the company ara hold to satisfy
lnGa process. the large aggregate Of avings
held in savings hanks and building and loan
associations and the large sums the foreign
element Of the mine employees monthly
remit to their relatives in other countries
that the mine workers in It's employ sare
a. an average as prosperous, comfortable
and co1'eN."i (or were. prior 10 the
Introduction Of agitators and mischief
makers among them ~ any body Of workers
In similar emplovment engaged in the pro-
motion n arv industry in this country"
Mr. Truosdale denies the truth Of the
allegation that the increased cost of living
has mad" il impossible to maintain a fair
STANDARD Of living upon the present basis
of wages, and denies that the wages paid by
the company are below the fair and Just
earnings Of mine workers in this industry
and asks that proof Of this assertion be
made
In answering the demand for the a OPP
ton of svstem hv which coal shall be
wei yhed, and paid for by weight wherever
practicable, tho minimum rate per ton 10
be 90 cents for the legal ton Of 2.24O pounds,
the diferontial as now existing az the
various mines to be maintained and the
reasons -et forth In Paragraphs TO incu-
sive for such demand, Mr. Truesdale says:
It L ,so eomI nrl 'Gnies th,t ,measgre;
and lust system OF measuring tie earnings
Of it, minc employees and asks for proof Of
this assertion.
2 II admit, That when it sells or transports
coal i does 50 OIL the basis OF ton of ?,2iO
pounds.
la bDr rfDT rf,Ht tllTlT it, COtl hV tho
and IN pitching vein, bv tie ward the alleged
" Justice account OF excessive ton" does
II denies tlat to adoption of q system
Whereby co1l shall b" weighed would remove
any n.fIniia" TO- cigat,ng ara dishonesty
nWo' & miners, and further said company
has No knowl'dGc OF any unjust discriininH-
ton or favoritsm and demands proof of this
lbs inferred TINT this is intended to apply
to the practice Of docking or discipning
IN TIA cars contrary 20 their coutraCt oblga-
tons The weighing Of coal would in no way
prevent actions of this character 4 careless
or dishonest cmploye" would In no way b.
reformed by such change.
II denies TINT the change frC m q q pres
'nt system 20 tn" one requested would prove
n strong factor in 1layinG alleged suspicion
and discomfort among mine workers and
asks for proof Of this assertion.
President ELEPHANT Of the Delaware
and Hudson says his company believes II
ha~ always paid its mine employees just
and adequate prices for their services
lie says:
Those Of is employees who perform con-
tract or Ui"C" work, as matter Of their
own Volition, work only about six hours a
day and tax" numerous holidays, without
tho consent or approval of this respondent,
and their earnings, by hours of actual work,
are, therefore, much higher than those in
any similar employment. Tho satisfactory
character ot the conditions prevailing
Ia been cOuClusivclv shown by the fact
that, without any effort on the part Of this
respondent, for many wears those seeking
employment h9v" thrOngrd to the region
and a. soon a. IA" recent strike was tcrmi-
mated those employees Of this respondent
who had secured other employment i'm
mediat"ly abandoned the same and re-
turned 70 their work in respondents scr
vice ~ the present rates of payment
Both rc-idont OlvIhant and President
Fowler of the Scranton Coal Company and
Elk Hill Coal and Iron COMPANY assert that
no s"-r-coul"n' can bc entered into with
lit"d Min" Workers of America. The
ion Of his company, says Mr.. OlyIhant e,
that an" members Of no such organiZa-
u0n shall discriminate against or refuse
TO work with non-uuion men. that there
shall ho no restriction or deterioration in
the quantity or qualify Of work by reason
Of the cNi-irnc" or action Of any such union
and that 'h' suCc' -sful prosecution 81 its
business req i'rs that all it, employees shall
be treated With equal Justice. and the man
aGcnent of IT, property shall remain In the
hands of thos" 10 whom il l. intrust,d hy
T..