The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-14
OPERATORS STATEMENT.

nounceme ment-Address to the Public.
WASHINGTON. Oct 13- Secretary Cor
telyou. by authority of those present at
the White House. made public the follow
ing authorized statement concerning the
conferences:
Mr.. ]. P. Morgan came to Washington
with his partner, Mr.. Bacon, at the re-
quest of the coal companies who desired
That, as matter of courtesy, their state
ment should be shown to the President be-
lore 1t was made public. Having been laid
De1ore the President by Mr.. Morgan, it is
now given to the press.
10 the Public-The managers of the
oinerent coal properties comprising the
anthracite coal fields wish their position
in the present strike to be understood, and,
therefore. make the following statement of
facts:
There are In the anthracite regions
about seventy-five operating companies
and firms, and l470O0 miners and work.
men (of which 30, 600 are under age). COM
prising some twenty nationalities and
dialects. OF these workmen possibly one
half belong to the United Mine Workers
Union, OF which Mr. John Mitchell is
president. That organization was originally
formed In the bituminous coal region and
three-fourths of its members are miners
OF bituminous coal and bituminous coal is
sold In active competition with anthracite
coal The remaining workmen in the an
tnraclte fields either belong to no union
wha do not belong to the Mine
Workers Union.
I" The present strike was declared by
the Mine Workers Union on the 10th
day of May. 1902. Since that time many
workmen not belonging to or not willing
to follow that organization were working
about the mines. From seven to ten thou
sand are now at work. Many more have
wished to work but have been prevented
by course of violence and intimidation
toward those working and toward their
families, accompanied by the destruction
of property and the fear of death or bodily
harm to every man who wishes to exercise
his right to work.
A schedule is annexed hereto showing
some of the things done to create this
reign Of terror, and every instance stated
can be verified by reference to the officers
of the law-civil and military-in the an
thracite region. This violence has contin-
ued and steadily increased, Notwithstanding
repeated disavowals by Mr.. Mitchell, and
it is clear that he either cannot or will not
prevent 1t, and that the rights of the
other workmen cannot be protected under
the supremacy of the Mine Workers Union.
PROFIT SMALL
The coal companies believe that the
wages paid in the coal regions are fair and
full. and all that the business in its normal
condition has been able to stand IL the
capital invested is to have any reasonable
return. The profits have been small, sew
eral OF the companies have become bank
rupt and been reorganized several times
Several have never paid dividends and the
dividends of the others have been a small
return for the capital invested. 1t is not
however, the purpose Of this statement tC
discuss this question. The undersigned are
not and never have been unwilling to sub
nit all questions between them and their
workmen to any fair tribunal for decision
They are not willing to enter into arbitra-
ton with the Mine Workers Union an or
ganization chiefly composed of men in a
rival and competitive interest, and they are
not willing to make any arrangement which
will not secure to the men now working
and all now or hereafter wishing to work
whether they belong to the Mine Workers
Union or not, the right and opportunity
to work in safety and without personal in
suit or bodily harm to themselves or their
families. For these reasons the arbitra-
tions heretofore proposed have been de-
clined.
eft will be remembered that at the con-
ference in washington Oct. we made
vrt,-.
at each colliery any alleged grievance, and
in the event of a failure to make salts
factory adjudgment the questions at issue
to be submitted to the final decision of
the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas
of the district in which the colliery is To-
Gated. This offer was made by us in good
faith, and we desire here to reaffirm it.
1.-The coal companies realize that the ur-
gent public need of coal and the appre-
hension of an inadequate supply for the
approaching winter calls for an earnest
effort to reach a practical conclusion which
will result in an increased supply and the
presidents of the companies desire to make
avery effort to that end which does not
involve the abandonment of the interests
committed to their care and Of the men
wbo are working and seeking to work In
their mines This responsibility they must
hear and meet as best they can. They
therefore restate their position: That they
are not discriminating against the United
Mine workers, but they insist that the
miners. union shall not discriminate against
or refuse to work with nonunion men; that
,bere shall be no restriction or deteriora-
tion in quantity or quality of work. and
that owing to the varying physical condf-
tions of the anthracite mines each colliery
is a problem by ITSELF.
COMMISSION SUGGESTED.
"swe suggest. commission to De ap-
pointed by the President OF the United
states az he is willing to perform tha'
nublic service). to whom shall De referred
ALI questions at issue between 'ne 'sspec-
tive companies and their own employees,
W .ts- thev beIonG to union or not. but
49, !. - - 49, >>osnrnfnnfon Rbau be ao-