Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-10-23
REVIEW or THE STRIKE.

The great coal strike being declafeu
on a brief review Of it is IN order 1t
has been one Of the most ggahue
struggles ever fought in the world oi
labor.
The contest commenced In l9OO' "ne"
on the 18th Of September, john Mitch-
ell, president Of the United Nine WORK
ers of America, authorized the order
for general strike, 1t Is claimed that
this had the effect OF rendering over
100000 men idle. This strike lasted
only about a month. A temporary set-
Element was effected. The wages were
advanced 10 per cent for the time be-
ing, but other equally important ques-
lions were not decided,
The miners have number Of grey
ances and have been therefore uneasy
for long time. one trouble 49, NJ
stated in reports about the condiuons'
IN the anthracite region, that the NM
ers have no means Of knowing wheth-
er they are paid for the work. or not
They have no check weighman to see
that correct weights are given. When
the ear OF coal has left the miners
working place he knows no more about
it until night. The miner simply nus
box. II Is a question for the COM
panys representative az the top OF the
shaft to decide whether the box Is full
enough. A box comes up, He makes a
note. If the box Is full the man be-
low would Seem to De entitled to pay
for mining mine car of coal. But
there may be impurities Of one Kind or
another IN the coal ana the docking
boss marks off 10 per cent, % per cent
or whatever he may Judge proper from
hasty glance at the car for Impure
ties. The man who did the digging is
paid then for 80 per cent or 20 per cent
OF car load OF coal. Eastern men who
have visited anthracite mines say the
docking" In some mines averages as
low as 3 per cent and in others as high
as 30 per cent II would seem that I'M
der such n system, the laborer can
hardly be expected to feel satisfied.
Another grievance Is that the miners
are not given enough working days In
the year. Carroll y. Wright commits
sioner OF labor, who investigated the
anthracite troubles for President
Roosevelt SAYS the Pennsylvania mines
are operated about 200 days in the
year. No coal miner works every work
ing day. MIR Wright says by cutting
the day to eight hours the miners would
work about 2iO days In the year. an av-
erage of a little more than ~ days In
each week.
The right of the union to deal With
the operators In behalf OF the miners
was also questioned, and the strike was
declared and continued In the Interest
Of recognition for the union, as well as
in behalf Of the individual laborer 1t
was recognized that to give IN would be
10 the iaborer almost equivalent to a
surrender Of union claims.
The hostilties commenced early in
the spring and early In May the strike
was begun in earnest, At first the
men who pump water to keep the
mines from flooding were allowed by
the unions to work, but later these
were withdrawn and the companies had
TO hire new men and put on armed
guards to protect them at the pumps,
There was violence In good many
instances and some cases Of murder.
The struggle was carried on 20 the
point Of causing suffering among the
oal-consuming public, and the de-
mands for settlement became 20 loud
and sd threatening, particularly after
the propositions made by President
Roosevelt had been rejected that thu
operators yielded TO public opinion.
Mr.. Mitchell, the leader Of The miners
did not believe IN the strike himself
but he issued the order in pursuance.
of the resolutions passed by the min
ers. But having once Identified him
self with the strike movement, boy hi
conservative policy h. has done mucl
TO keep public opinion on the side o
the strikers and lead the contest to
successful termination