The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-06-23

II fII4tN rs" ip4hthiei-r i d. QllE =es--JDllll
w Mitchell. president Of the United
Mine Workers Of America. today
issued the following statement. It is Il
reply TO the letters Of the coal presi-
dents declining to accede the demands
ur the miners, which We're issued about
ten days ago:
To the Public-If the contest now IN
progress I'm the anthracite coal regions
of Pennsylvania affected only the well
fare of The railroad and mining cor
puatiuus ON one hand. and the coal
mine workers ON the other, the public
would have no vital interests at stake,
and would consequently he less con
pauej thdn Il now is in the cOu1nu-
aure. the extension. or the tcruina-
zion of The conflict, but inasmuch as
there is a third and important inter-
est involved. which, although in no
wise responsible for the present strike.
is. nevertheless. an innocent victim
thereof 20 rs but fair and proper that
the general public should be fully and
accurately Informed upon the merits
U. the question i'm controversy.
If 10 shall be asked why we have
waited until the close OF the sixth week
ur the strike 10 issue a statement Of
this nature. sufficient answer may be
found iu the fact that We have hest
t4toi to utter any word or TO take any
position that would impede or embar-
rass easy reconciliation with the coal
operators. Every delay and precau-
ton, every conceivable conciliatory ef-
fort that honorable and conservative
men could take TO avert q rupture, and
every means that thought could sug-
IN. e.
arbitration was resorted to By the
union, both before the strike order was
issued and since 70 went into effect. but
without avail; the coal magnates re-
plying 90 an our Ovcrtures with the
declaration that there was nothing to
erniUate. This statement on tGeir part
l- equivalent TO saying that The coal
uine workers have made unreasonable
demands. and have struck without real
or sufficient cause. To this Jet plain,
unyarnished facts and figures reply.
Do Not Earn Living Wages.
TO, more than twenty-five years the
anthracite coal mine workers Of Penn
syiyaaia have chafed aud groaned un-
der the most intolerahie and inhuman
conditions OF employment imaginable
Their average annual earnings have
been less than those Of any other class
of woYkmen In the United States, not
outstanding the TACT that their work
SIS more hazardous and the cost or liV-
ing greater than in any other import
amt American industry. The total num-
Der of persons employed i'm and around
the anthracite coal mines is 1880.
they are employed never 60 exceed 200
days in any one year, and they receive
as compensation for their services an
average of SLAP for a ten-hour work
day 70 viii thus be noted that they
earn annually less than $500.
such pay may supply living on a
par with some classes OF European Ia
horers, but who will say that il is suf-
h"ieIt To- support American citizens. or
enable parents TO educate and properly
maintain their families? True Il is
that "a lO per cent increase in wages
was granted by the coal operate as
O. strike concession two years ago. but
sc is also true that a large portion OF
jHis I'D per cent was paid back TO the
companies.
This 10 per cent was paid back to
ih' companies To buy the suppression
ID. am old powder grievance; moreover.
according TO reliable commercial
agencies. the cost of living has in
creased, particularly in the purchase
of food stufrs. from 80 to 40 per cent,
$50 that the purchasing power Of a
miners earnings is less now than be
ior" the strike of 1900.
The presidents of the various coal
carrying railroads have given pub
Lefty to a statement that during the
year 1901 the productive capacity of
mine workers deteriOrated an average
ot l-'s per cent. i'm other words the
United Mine Workers Organiza ton is
accused of encouraging poor workman
ship.
Cites Government Statistics.
Am examination of the REPORTS on
coal production compiled by the United
states government disclOses the fact
That the allegations OF the railroad
presidents are misleading and untrue
's the following figures viii demon
Syaj'. From 1890 90 1900. inclusive
t1e mines were in active operation an
average of lS2 days per year. and foi
et'n person employed there were pro-
uN'sd "b3.5S tons of coal per year. OF
ior each day the mines were in opera
Hon -ib tons were produced per en-
t.ole, While i'm the year 1901. against
men the operators so bitterly com
pam, the mines were in operation I94is
DAYS, and there were produced 1854
IONS Tor each person employed, or foI
,a.h day the mines were i'm opera tior
go TONS were produced per employee
'L"H showing conclusively that instead
g.. deterioration. there was a decided
Improvement Tn the productive capac-
.E %. the men after they became thor
a@nlE organized. Can the unpreju-
.H reflect upon these facts and con
'It' That the anthracite miner is q
'.''.I workman than he was before the