The Republican journal., 1902-12-18
HIGH SCHOOL NOTES.

An exceedingly interesting and ipstruc
tive session of the Literary Club was held
in the school room last Friday night, with a
large attendance. The usual routine bust
ness was transacted, after which Miss Ethel
NJ. Wood opened the program by reading a
short story about Pullman fiat, entitled
"Life in the Glorianna.' Miss Katherine
c. Quimby sang very sweetly GA Creole
Lullaby" by Belfast's gifted son, j. W
| Wheeler President Stevens then announc-
ed the subject of the debate, Resolved,
| That in the recent strike, the miners are
more at fault than the mine owners" Mr..
| Read took the floor for the affirmative, stat
| ing that the cause of the strike was the de-
| mand for 20 per cent. increase in wages by
| the miners. He explained at some length
the construction of the mines, and the meth
! cd of excavation. The miners, he said, are
divided into three classes, viz: licensed
| miners; laborers, who work under the
miners; and mine bosses, whose duty it is
to keep the mines free from water. Mr..
Read contended that the action of the latter
class in allowing the mines to fill with wa
ter, thus robbng the operators of millions,
was culpable. On billion dollar capital a
ten per cent. loss was caused. Unions, Mr..
Read said, We're advantageous in some in
stances, but they were trying to control too
much territory, and were proving he re-
verse of blessing. He closed his argu-
ment by affirming the right of the mine
owners to hire whom they please, a right
| which the unions have denied.
Mr.. Towmbly opened for the negative by
agreeing with the affirmative as to the cause
, of the strike. He reminded his audience
that mining was an extremely difficult, as
well as dangerous occupation, and censured
| the operators for employing Slavs SO eXten-
sively, a people who have no fine instincts,
| homes or families, and therefore can work
at what are starvation rates to home labor.
Mr.. Twombly said that under the existing
bad conditions in the gas and water filled
mines the men contracted a fatal disease
called miners asthma. All this, he stated
might be remedied at a small expense to the
mine owners. He said the miners pay in no
way compensated them for the danger from
per cent of deaths. The breaker boys, he
said, were obliged to work in an atmosphere
composed of smoke and coal gas, receiving
eight cents an hour for doing mans work
for ten hours. Mr.. Twombly contended
that the miners were not responsible for
filling the mines with water for the owners,
he said, must care for their own property.
The rough element, alone, he said, was re-
Sponsble for the small amount of property
destroyed. The unions, he contended, are
necessary to the welfare of the workers,
and he explained their mission at some
! length, stating that their leader, John Mitch
ell, stood for the rights of la Dor, and that his
demands We're only fair The question of
private ownership. Mr.. Twombly said, had
judicial question behind it. Coal is nee
essary, and the owners have right to mine
it to their personal advantage just SO far as
it does not Interfere with the rights of the
people. The wealthy operators could well
stand a temporary loss; but how about the
people thrown ont of work by the closing of
mills and factories? The operators of the
mines own the railroads, and their CRY at
the high rates of transportation is merely
for effect, as they themselves make the
rates. Mr.. Twombly quoted the'opinion Of
sociological students, who say that the least
family could live on in that region, with
the smallest comforts, was $500 a year,
while the average miners wages is S3l1.
This state of affairs necessitates child labor.
In view of these facts, is twenty per cent.
increase too much to ask?
| Mr.. Read again took the floor for the af-
| trmative, stating that the suffering of the
people today is due wholly to the miners
who showed no consideration for the own
ers OF the public. He admitted that mining
| was dangerous occupation, but said that
the risks were mostly borne by the labor
! ers, who, after two years work became IL
censed miners. Mr. Read said that the
miner does not regard his trade as danger
| Gus, and that he was at least free from the
| danger of electric cars and automobiles.
| After min ng certain number of tons they
were free for the day. AS regards wages,
! the miners were frugal in their expendi-
| lures, and large per cent. are foreigners,
! whose only ambition was to save enough
money to return TO their country to live.
President Mitchell claims that the strike
was caused by the labor and wage ques-
tion, while in reality the cause was the
wish of the Union to exercise authority
over all the coal fields. AS to the negatives
statement that damage was done by the
rough element only, who, asked Mr.. Read ,are
the rough element but the miners? He then
cited the number of crimes committed by
| the strikers including attempted and ac-
tual train wrecks, fires, assaults, and nu-
i merOus riots. Mr.. Baer wa squoted as say
ing that the miners actually tried to pre-
vent the relief of the public. who, after all,
were the greatest sufferers. Mr.. Read
closed his argument by stating that If the
miners won the price of coal would rise to
over six dollars ton, a serious calamity in
these days, when it is regarded as neces-
sity.
Mr. Twombly disputed the fact that the
miners were allowed their freedom after
| getting out a certain number of tons, and
| cited case where one miner was docke"
eight cars in week; while ID woman on the
witness stand affirmed that her husband
received barely enough money to pay fol
medicine for the family tiurinu tho UaaE