Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-13
MORE ANSWERS
From Mine Operators to the
Miners Statements.
TrussdaIe's Company Will Never Re-
cognize the Miners Union.
Olyphant and Fowler Declare Miners
Demands Unreasonable.

Washington, Nov. 12.-The reply Tor
the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western
Railroad Co. to Pres. Mitchells state
ment to the Anthracite Coal Strike
Commission was made public, Wednes-
day. 1t is signed by w. H. Truesdale.
the president, who says that the COM
pany owns % anthracite collieries and
employs 1900 workmen in this branch
of it's business. Mr.. Truesdale, like
Mr.. Baer objects to making the recog-
milton of the union one of the issues
to be considered by the commission.
saying that in the proposition made
by the company for arbitration one Of
the express conditions was that the
findings of the commission should gov
ern the conditions of employment be-
tween it and its employees"
He adds:
This company unequivOcally asserts
that it will under no conditions recog-
nize or enter into any agreement with
the association known as the United
Mine Workers of. America or any
branch thereof. Or will it permit said
association or it's officers to dictate the
terms and conditions under which it
shall conduct its business"
Truesdale says he is reliably informed
that so per cent. of it's employees We're
opposed to the strike, but were forced
to enter upon it by majority vote of
the mine workers in other fields. Mr..
Truesdale follows closely the lines of
Mr.. Eaer's argument as to the dissim-
ilarity between the work in the anthra-
cite mines and that in bituminous ones.
He declares that it is impossible to
adopt a uniform rate to be paid to the
miners for coal mined at all mines.
The declaration also is made that the
anthracite miners as a rule do not work
as many hours a day as do the btu
minouS miners, and the opinion is adj
vanced that if the wages of the an
ti1racite miners had been less than that
Of other workingmen they would have
found employment elsewhere. which
they did not do.
On the point of general prosperity he
says that prior to the introduction of
agitators and mischief makers the an
thracite workers We're on an average
as prosperous, comfortable and con-
tented as any body of workers in SIM
liar employment in this country. The
wages, ii is added, are such that fru-
gal employees have saved a substantial
amount every year.
Mr.. Truesdale resists the demand
for Il reduction of 90 per cent. in hours
of labor, saying that no branch of
business employing thousands of men
can hope to compete successfully in
| the markets of the world, if it's hours
| of labor are restricted. He declares
that there is no unjust discrimina-
| ton in the weighing of coal, as it is
| measured rather than weighed and he
asserts that the demand is "Out of all
reason and it's effect so far as this
company is concerned, is a demand
for an additional increase on the
wages now paid from five to 40 per
cent" The present method of meas
urement is declared to be the result of
long usage and fair to all concerned.
Pres. OIyphant of the Delaware &
Hudson r. r. Co. in his reply declares
that the wages paid by his company
are just and adequate. He also says
that those of it's employers who per-
form contract or piece work as mat
ter of their own volition, work only
about six hours day and take numer-
approval of this respondent and their
earnings by hours of actual work are
therefore much higher than those in
any similar employment"
Denial is made of all the allegations
in connection with the demand for
shorter hours and it is contended that
such a reduction necessarily would in
crease the price of coal. While adj
hitting that the mine owners sell their
coal by the ton. he says that the coal
thus sold is very different article
from that taken out of the mine.
Hence he contends against the change
in the present system of payment to
that Of paying by the ton.
Pres. ELEPHANT also takes exception
to the proposition to arbitrate the
question of the recognition of the
miners union. This position is placed
on the ground that the organization
seeks to control the entire supply OF
the country; that as the union is I'M
incorporated it is incapable of making
CONTINUED on rage S.