Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-09-04
PEAC[ P[AN REJECTED
Senators Penrose and Quay Fail
to Bring About Strike
Settlement.
President Baer. OF Reading Com.
pany Declares Discussion
is Useless.
Says Treating with the Striking
Miners is Impossible a.
Present.

Philadelphia, IA, Sept. a.-Se1lsitois
Quay and Penrose have failed in thell
attempt to settle the anthracite strike
Yesterday they held a long conference
with President George +. Baer of the
Reading company, who answered them
declaring arbitration With the striking
miners is useless and impossible.
After the conference President Bacr
ing on his reasons for refusing to treat
with the men anu declaring that miners
receive fair and just wages.
In his reply to the senators President
Baer said. among other things:
Il recognize that it is your right and
your duty us senators, representing the
great state of Pennsylvania, to do
whatever can legitinlately be done to
end strike that SO seriously affects
business and brings so much suffering
to the women and children of the coal
regions. The newspapers story that [
said the strike was private affair
which did not concern the public is a
reckless fabrication.
Now, what have said, is that the
of business belongs to the
owners. In case of coal companies the
law casts the management and control
on the directors and officers whose re-
sponsibility is to their stockholders. to
the state. and to the public. The right
of the stakeholder is to have good man
agement and fair return on his in
vestment. The obligation to the state
is TO conduct the business i'm strict con-
formity to the laws ii has established.
The duty to the public is, so far as
to conduct the business so
as to add to the common welfare.
The coal operators say that they
cannot mine coal because the miners
make demands which render it impos-
sihle to mine coal profitably. and that
the state has enacted laws prohibiting
me employment of men in the mines
unless they have worked two years in
anthracite mines, and therefore they
hey cannot for the time being mine
2oal.
How. then, under these circum-
stances can there be any violation of
public duty? If we yield to the ex-
ravagant demands of the miners we
VIII lose money. If we attempt to in
rease the price of coal we will destroy
he industries depending upon anthra-
lite fuel. If we increase the price on
he domestic sizes we will be called
robher barons, 'oppressors of the poor
and enemies of mankind,
We have concluded, therefore, that
,ur duty to ourselves and to the public
MI best be served by standing firmly
IN these propositions:
i. That the wages paid in the an
hracite coal regions are, compared
WIN the wages paid in like employ |
nent fair and just, and that men will
ng to work honestly can earn more
money on the present basis of wages
nan IN any other industry engaged in !
'foauclng common articles of necessi-
y in the United States
That wages can not be Increased
WITHOUT increasing the price of coal.
ma to increase the price of coal will /
estflct the market and drive the public I
0 use bltuminous coal. Il cheaper and I
more abundant fuel, and that a re-
market will curtail production
nd result in depriving the the miners /
1 regular employment.
.. That we are not fighting labor.
examinations. We fully recognize the
light of men to organize to protect |
themselves from oppression and to BEN |
mt themselves in any legitimate way. !
'ut we do oppose their unreasonalle I
l'er1erence with the discipline and or /
mary management of our business. I
We VIII not permit them to select orr
mployes. Neither politics, religion, ma
lonality nor membership in labor or
anlzations shall debar any competent
IAN from working for us. We. arc
ghtlns the battle of freedom for the
'dividual and his right to labor on his
WIN terms.
y. That 1t is by reason OF VARYING
ond1tlons at each mine impracticable
adopt uniform scale of wages for
ne Whole region. But that at each COL
cry every complaint and grievance viii,
e taken up and investigated by tho
and adjusted when
Yer II is Just. I personally offered ia
litchell and his district presidents ia
9 with them and investigate anv
rieyance."
NEW JERSEY SHOOTERS WIN