The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-29
A RETROSPECT
 OF MINING SITUATION.
coNpuorED BY D. W BRUMLEY

As the politicians would say the ques- tion of paramount importance to the Birmingham district at this time Is the wage scale settlement of the miners Without going into whether or not there will be a struggle-short or prolonged if there is not a new contract signed up before Tuesday morning at o'clock there will be a general suspension or work That general suspension will mean that upward of 12.000 members Of the United Mine Workers will stop work pending a settlement. There was a five days suspension last year. More stub bornness has been developed this time than was first looked for. It seems that each settlement must bring out lot or feinting, haggllng and sparring Tor points. The necessity for this is not ap- parent to the general public who stand expectantly by.
 The maximum scale proposed 1 0 cents per ton. The price of mining in this district has been on sliding scale' based on the selling price of iron, not of one grade, but of all grades, and the maximum which has been 55 cents has
 
 of iron being $11 per ton at the furnace or over. Now the miners ask an addi- tional 2k cents for each $1 increase until the price reaches GO cents maximum. An adoption of this price would raise the price of mining at the present time, but when the sliding scale plan was adopt ed few years ago 1t was the minimum and not the maximum that caused con tention. For instance when two years ago the present scale was adopted the great contention was the 45 cents max imum. It Is the prospective iron market for another year that has shifted the ores.
 The eight-hour day Is a national de- mand Many of the small contracts con- tain this clause. Arguing from organized labor's standpoint, that under fair condi- tions a man will do as much in eight hours as in nine the operators would nave but little opportunity to kick. The day men around a mine are in the minority. Their scale will be about the same for eight as for nine hours work. The coal diggers are paid by the ton and they claim that they will load practically as much coal in eight as nine hours if the operators will furnish the proper equip ment.
 The two weeks pay Is to put the miners on a cash basis. It would practically do away with the check system, and force the company store on its merits. The operators claim that entails to much bookkeeping, and will keep the men idle too much. An insight into the check system will show the cause of the mems complaint Supposing a case that a man goes to work at Blocton on the second day of the month, 1t will be from the 18th to the 26th of the next month before he gets his fingers on any of the coin of the realm from the company. Then he will have from fifteen to twentysix days work coming to him. for which he will get no pay until the following month. In the meantime if he needs any of the necessa- ries of life he can draw a check which Is good at the company store for mer- chandise. If he wishes to get cash for this check he must first find a buyer and then he will get from 10 to 75 cents on the dollar, which, the men say, Is lower ing an honest wage a big percentage.
 Many of the men who dig coal depend on the days work for that days supplies, and history does not record any one be- coming wealthy at digging coal therefore, the often cash payments are a big boon to them. It also assists the Independent dealers.
 These are the three essential points that are at difference in the present scale settlement essentially presented from the miners standpoint.