The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1902-09-08

plan he proposes is a compulsory
bitration law.
Philadelphia. September S--freS'"F"'
/ George F. Baer. of the Reading eonii"S
and United States Senators quay an"
Penrose held a long conference TO-DAY !"
/ the executive offices of the headihg cum
many. IN this city. at which the ah'hia
/ .,,o coal miners strike was Thoroughly
discussed. At the conclusion OF the co"-
| ,.vo,ca President Baer issued n lengthy
renlv to the two senators. Among o'"e'
things he said;
THE manaeement of business neiohss
:. 10 Owners In the case of coal com
NAMES the law casts the managemen. anu
| control on the directors ana oihce,
! whose responsibility is to their stoSh-
holders. to the state and To the puDnN
The right of the stockholders Is 10 nav
s.oo1 management and a fair return on
sheir investment. The obligation 10 ths
state is to conduct the business IN s.ile'
conformity to the laws it has estaohsheu'
T-ha duty to the public. so far as pfac-
. ,i,at,la 10 conduct the business so as u
add TO the common welfare
..-rha coal operators say that they can
no; mine coal because the miners ni"h'
| demands which render II impossipie y
. mine coal prNntaDlN Nia''N
/ has enacted laws prohibiting the employ
mont % men in the mines unless IN.
: h,va worked two years in anthrac''
= mines and therefore they cannot Tor th'
> ,,p,a being mine coal. How. then, unee
, ,bese circumstances. can there be an.
Z violation Of public duty? III we !ieiu
. the ex;ravagant demands of the miner
we will lose money. IL we attempt TO ia
| .raas.. th.. price of coal We VIII nesli y
e tbs Industries depending upon anthraci'
incl II we increase the price on the do
: ,n.stic sizes we will be called roppt
, b,rons oppressors Of the poor, monopa
lists and enemies of mankind
: Position of Operators.
b" ..Nve have concluded. therefore. TIA
NJ. c,,r amy TO ourselves and TO the publ
< will best be served by standing hrmly o
these propositions; ........ ,..-........
tlcles or necessity in the United States
J" That wages cannot be increase
n without increasing the price OF coal, an
10 increase the price OF coal Will restris
n the market ana drive the public 10 us
nitumlnous coal. a cheaper ana NOR
abundant tue, and that a restricted mar
hSt viii curtaii production ana result Al
n depriVing the miners OF regular employ
m-nI.
p .. That we are not lighting labor or
: sanlzations- We fuzzy recognize the rip n
nL men 80 organize To protect themselve.
. from oppression and 10 benefit themseIv,.
IN any legitimate way, nut We do oppos
I. / tncir unreasonable Interference with IN,
: discipline ana ordinary MANAGEMENT ~
"WE business We VIII not permit then
4 70 select our employees. Neither politics;
/ / iehSlon- nationality nor membership IN
, labor organizations shall debar any com.
Ietent man from working for us. I'VE ars
nEnt4ng the battle OF freedom for the m
termA MS VII
- That it Is by reason Of varying
eShGltions AZ each mine impra cticab bic ~
. adopt uniform scale OF wages for 49,
whole region But tha; at each coil,'r,.
every complaint and grievance will he
taAen up and investigated by the sn-
'i;ntehu1nts aud adjusted whenever u
- Just. ! personally offered TO Mitchell
ana MS district presidents 10 20 win
mem and Investigate any grievance.
You cannot arhitrate questions Of
/ M"Et> when an Increase will destroy
the business and decrease will he una,-,
ceptsble To the workmen.
w cannot arhitrate a question as 10
I whether mining operation and business
generally shall BE- managed under Inc
common sense rule Of law and eotittv
hy the owners and the servants they
lave selected. or by a labor or1aniza-
You cannot arhitrato the right n
IF"ttct N"nr property and Your w0rkmer
from the mon rule Of labor organizations
VI" boldly proclaim a purpose TO do
Z Su"N property and endeaVor 10 make
Z their proclamation effective by killirs
I ana lnlnrlnE their fellow wnrkmau who
4 refuse 10 Join in their lawiessness Wher
! john Mitchell ordered the engineers fire
I men and pumpmen to desert their nosrs
I ne knew that unless the operators coulS
/ supply their places the mines would ba
l destroyed and with their destruction 40
( 80 men. with their wives and children
I dependent upon their labor. would be
I deprived Of work for A long time
/ The operators Were compeIled IN ON 1
\ plOy police al their own expense 10 guard I
the new men employed to man the
pumps TO save their mines The guards
ana the law authorizing them are de-
nounced and when private citizens like
Beddall are murdered the state authori-
ties are denounced for sending tronps To
preserve the peace. Today that gallant
soldier. General Goblin. who fought with
such distinctly in our civil war and than
whom no iuster man lives IS bitterly
maligned for protecting the property and
lives 81 Pennsylvania citizens
The reply concludes as follows:
We have discussed this whole srbiest
fully. and have endeavored to show
YOU that sound business management
makes II impossible To increase wages
We know that the wages are fair and
relatively high. and that II the leaders
Of the hituminous mine workers had not
for selfish purposes. invaded the anthra-
cite fields. our men would have continued
TO work neaceably and contentedlv
" regret that no other solution can he
found bat You will see how imnossible
II Is 10 overlook the controlling business
conditions already pointed out
Soldiers Are on Guard