The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-10
FY SAYS ISSUE WITH THE
 STRIKERS IS UNION OR UNION
COnfradiCfS President BaCOn'S Statement Thar the Question Was One of Collecting Assessments, and Gives the Miners Position in the Matter.

enforce the anthracite assessment from unwilling and disloya1 members of the United Mine Workers. l desire to place the issue between the Tennessee company cnd the miners squarely and plainly be- fore the public.
 Considering the action of the Tennes- see company in dealing with other classes of labor under their employ, namely. the union bricSlayers. blacksmiths, boiler smiths and machinists. in destroying their organizations at the furnace plants operated by the Tennessee company, this suspension could not be avoided Every thing was done by us that could be done to avoid an open rupture, but bearing in mind the fate of other classes of labor, no alternative was left to us but either to keep expelling delinquent members and continue to work with them.
 The Old Contract.
 Tn July of this year the operators of this district, of which the Tennessee company is part, met in convention and agreed on a contract. They did bus mess on that occasion as they have done for several years. They did not make a contract with individuals, but with the United Mine Workers as an organization. Yet they seek to force the contracting party (the miners) to work with nom union men.
 At that joint convention I suggested that thirty days contract be made be- tween us and the Alabama operators in conseqdence of the special national con vention having been called for July 1T to consider the anthracite strike and wheth- CT there was to be @ national suspension called, or the anthracite miners alone should continue to strike and be support ed financially by the miners of other states.
 This suggestion of mine was stren- uously opposed by the operators. The Alabama delegation went to Indianapolis instructed to oppose a national strike. and no national strike was ordered. It must have been apparent to the Ala bama operators that in the event of the anthracite strike being continued the men must be provided for financially. Many of them, I am glad to say, are acting in that spirit.
 "When discipline by us failed to induce our members to live up to their obliga- tions and obey the resolutions in this matter adopted by the national conven- tion. no alternative was left to us but to refuse to work with these men.
 Hopes for Solution.
 "These are the real issues that have brought the present suspension at the Tennessee companys mines. NO one de- plores this unfortunate state of affairs more than myself. 1 express the earnest hope some solution will be found in the near future satisfactory to all parties concerned.
 q am not unmindfu1 of the serious losses that suspension of work entail on a community. l have at all times had some pride in the harmonious relations that have existed between operators and miners in this district for many years, and it gives me pain that a state of af- fairs exists that may have a damaging effect and retard the progress of the Bir- mingham district.
 Tn conclusion I again repeat that we cannot work with expelled members. The right or the wrong of our position l leave with full confidence to the verdict of the public, believing that when they carefully read this statement their verdict will be in our favor"