The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1902-07-11


are inferior, citizens in any respect. AS
class the native born American min
ers in Wilkesbarre and other commune
ties in the coal belt are as highly re-
Spected as any other class of citizens.
Many of them own their own homes.
and not a few have a competency in
the shape of real estate, securities or
bank balances. Their families are not
less highly respected than those of
other men. Their sons and daughters
are among the prominent people of the
community; they are among the most
cultured of local musicians, the peers
of any as members of the local bar,
ARE shining in the journalistic world in
many cities and are eloquent pulpit
orators.
The picture SO frequently drawn in
the newspapers of the typical min
er's family" showing frouzy women
and dirty, ragged children seated upon
the sides of culm dumps, is carica-
ture which the average miner indig-
tnantly resents. While there are some
Families of this kind in the region
they are the exception. 1 speak now of
the American miner and not the for
eigner, who is usually a laborer or
helper around the mines. The average
anthracite miners. home, if frequently
small and inexpenslvely furnished, is
pretty apt to be neat and clean. Flow
;ers bloom about the door, and summer
lbreezes rustic the vines that cling
about the windows, while usually
well kept garden furnishes good part
of the family living during a portion OF
the year. Inside the house there are as
many evidences of intelligence and re.
ifnement as you will find in the home
of the average Industrious and frugal
mechanic or artisan. There are books
and magazines and newspapers and
probably a piano or an organ. Quite
likely the miners daughter sings in
the same church choir as the daughter
OF the rich banker OF merchant.
Whether the miner be prosperous or
otherwise, great and prolonged
strike is heavy burden, albeit a bur
den which he accepts with the hope Of
lettering his condition. If the miner
has been thrifty and laid aside some
thing to meet such an emergency, he
Twill weather the storm without great
distress if the strike does not last too
dong. If he mas not been frugal and
saving, he and his family will be likely
to feel the pinch of poverty severely
before the struggle is over.
AS the present strike had long been
contemplated from various standpoints
and did not come upon them suddenly
the miners had time to get themselves
pretty well prepared for tieup of
considerable duration. There has thus
far been comparatively little suffering
an this region, though naturally the
miners are obliged to practice rigid
economy. However, some apprehen-
sion for the future is felt. The miners
wives. upon whom the heaviest of the
burden falls. show in their careworn
faces the anxiety they feel over the
question of filling the family larder
The fact that many of the miners
have secured temporary employment
elsewhere is tightening conditions. Yet |
If the strike is continued until autumn
the families of the most frugal of the
miners will be reduced to want. 1t is
this thought that is causing cloud on
the happiness of many homes not yet
rAaterially affected. This is the fear
that caused the wife Of the well to do
miner to guard her expense account