Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-06-28
ANSWER TO OPERATORS
President Mitchell Issued Statement
on Coal Miners Strike.
ExoReIrANr FREIGHT CHARGES

Mr.. Mitchell Says Miners Wages Can
Be Increased Without Raising Price
OF Coal to consumers-RaiIroa
ROB Peter to Pay Paul
Wilkesbarre, Pa, June 23.-Prest
dent John Mitchell. OF the United Mine
Workers OF America. yesterday issued
en- address to the public in reply IL
the letters of the operators declining
to accede to the demands OF the union
which were published about ten days
ago.
The address says that every possible
means was resorted 10 IN the effort
to prevent the strike. claims that the
cost OF living has increased 10 the
point where the miner was compelled
TO ask for higher wages. denies the
allegations of the operators that the
productive capacity OF the mine work
ers has fallen OF. but, on the other
hand. has increased: claims that a ton
at the mines means anywhere from
2.74o to $3.50 pounds. instead Of 2.240,
and says that more men are killed and
Injured In the anthracite mines Of
pennsylvania than were killed or
wounded during the Spanish-Ameriean
ago. The statement concludes With
another appeal for arbitration.
In part President Mitchell says:
THE railroad presidents contend that
they cannot increase wages without
making a corresponding increase in
the selling price of their product to
the consumer, and have accused the
mine workers of suggesting a PROPOSE
ton that would impose a hardship
upon the public by increasing the mar.
ket price. OF coal ten cents a ton, the
amount that would have been required
to meet all the demands made by the
miners; however, their solicitude for
the public veal has not deferred them
from advancing the market price Of
their coal more than one dollar per
ton since the strike was inauEurated.
without giving any part OF this In.
crease to the mine workers. In sub.
sanitation Of our claim that the coal
companies can afford to pay increased
wages to the mine workers without
increasing the cost OF coal to consum.
ers, we submit the following extracts
from the government reports. showing
the selling value of coal loaded on cars
at mines for the eleven years. begin.
ming with 1890 and ending with 1900
as compared with 1901. The average
home value OF all coal mined and SOLD
during this period was s1.4S per ton
while bulletin issued by Charles u.
Walcott. director OF the United States
geological survey, says that for the
1OnI ha a
the anthracite product received at the
mines showed a gain OF $27,746l69
or more than 81 per cent. over that OF
1890. The average price for the mar.
keted anthracite coal was s1.s7, the
highest figure obtained since 1885,
President BaeE. the recognized
spokesman Of the coal trust, made the
statement that he was ready TO sub
NIT the books OF the coal departments
for our examination, in order to prove
that wages could not be Increased
This proposition, on the surface, ap
pears reasonable, but when analyzed
II Is positively absurd. Eighty.nve or
80 per cent of all coal produced In the
anthracite regions is from mines
owned and operated by the various
coal-carrying railroads; the freight
charges for hauling a ton of anthracite
coal one mile are three times as great
as those Of other roads for hauling a
ton OF bituminous coal one mile; and
as consequence. the coal depart
ments, while actually earning enor.
nous profits on legitimate business
may and do appear 10 be losing money,
for the reason that the railway de
partments absorb the profits of the
coal departments by Charging the coal
department exorbitant freight rates
They thus rob Peter to pay Paul.
in connection with this subject at.
tention Is respectfully directed to the
fact that ton OF coal an the con.
sumer understands Il IS not a ton Of
coal 80 the miner Is paid for II; that
is to say, when the consumer purchases
ton OF coal he receives 2,z40 pounds
a legal ton; when the railroad com.
panies transport coal 10 market they
receive tariff upon 2,340 pounds, a lie.
gal toni but when the miner Is being
paid Cor his labor he is required to
produce and Load from 2,T4O to 3,19o
pounds for ton, and It Is against
cite mine workers so vigorously and
justly protest. The operators say. OF
course. that the excess weight is re-
qsired to compensate them for I'm.
paEtteS and refuse matter that is load.
ed with the coal and cannot be mar.
ksted; but If their statement be true.
why 10 1t necessary TO continue q sys-
tenn OF docking. by which at times
they arbitrarily deduct from q miners
earnings from 10 to Is per cent. of
the total as penalty for loading i'm
PARTIES for which they have already
penohzsd him in Oxcsss weight? The
miners have asked that the coal they
produce shall be honestly weighed and
correctly recorded"
AN ANSWER TO MITCHELL
Il. N. oINphant Says statement IL
| MisleadInd