The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-23
APPEALS FOR
 ARBITRATION Mitchell Issues Address to Pub- lie on Anthracite Strike
SAYS MINERS ARE UNDERPAIO
Quotes Official Figures to Show That Higher Wages Can be Paid Without increasing Cost
 to the Consumer.

Wilkesbarre, Pa. June 32.-Presd ent John Mitchell of the United Mine Work CTS of America today issued an address to the public for publication in the news papers tomorrow morning It Is partly q reply to the letters of the operators de- clining to accede to the demands of the union, which were published about ten days ago.
 Briefly summarized, the address says that every possible means was resorted to in the effort to prevent the strike, claims that the cost of living has increas- ed to the point where the miner was com pelled to ask for higher wages, de- nies the allegations of the operators that the productive capacity of the mine workers has fallen off, but on the other hand has increased; quotes official fig ures to substantiate the contention that the employers can pay hightr wages with out increasing the cost of coal to the consumer: asserts that the coal carrying railroads hich control about S5 per cent of the mnes absorb the profits of their coal companies by charging exorbitant freight rates; claims that a ton at the mines means anywhere from 2740 to 3190 pounds instead of 2240, and says that more men are killed and injured annually in the anthracite mines of Pennsylvania than were killed and wounded during the Spanish American war. The dispatch says that in the event of the union being new organization would rise from It's ru- ins. It concludes with an appeal for ar bitration of all questions in dispute. The address in part Is as follows:
 After stating that the delay in issuing a statement on behalf of the mine work CTS had been caused by hisfdesre to do nothing that would impede or embarrass any reconciliation with the coal operators and declaring that the operators had met all overtures looking to a settlement of the trouble by replying that there was nothing to arbitrate, MT. Mitchell says;
 Have Groaned and Chafed. a
 For more than twenty-five years the anthracite coal mine workers of Pennsyl- vania have chafed and groaned under the most intolerable and inhuman conditions of employment imaginable. Their aver age annual earnings have been less than those of any other class of workmen In the United States, notwithstanding the fact that their work is more hazardous and the cost of living greater than in any other important American industry The total number of persons employed in and around the anthracite mines Is l47O0O; they are employed never to exceed 200 days in any one year, and they receive as compensation for their services an aver age of S1.4Z for a ten hour work day. 1t will thus be noted that they earn annu- ally less than $500.
 "A 10 per cent increase in wages was granted by the coal operators as strike concession two years ago, but large portion of this 10 per cent was paid back to the companies to buy the suppression of an old powder grievance; moreover according to reliable commercial agencies, the cost of living has increased, partict- larly in the purchase of foodstuffs, from 90 to 40 per cent; so that the purchasing bower Of a miners earnings Is less now than before the strike of 19oo."
 Replying to the statement O. the coal carrying roads that the productive ca- pacity of the mine workers during 1901 de- teriorated 12h per cent, MT. Mitchell de- clares that during 1890 to 1900 the statis- tics show the average daily production of each miner was 2.16 tons, while during 1901 1t was 2.S6 tons.
 Prices Have Advanced.
 Regarding the railroad presidents con- tention that they cannot increase wages without making a corresponding increase in the price of their product to the con sumer MT. Mitchell maintains that the operators have advanced the market price of their coal more than SI per ton since the strike was inaugurated with out giving any increase to the miners. He then quotes extracts from the govern ment report which he says show that from 1890 to 1900 inclusive. the average home value of all coal mined and sold was H. AS per ton, while. according to a press bulletin recently issued by Charles D. Walcott director of the Uni ted States geological survey. he declares the average price for anthracite coal shipped to market or sold to local trade was Sl.87 per ton, the highest figure since 1888. During 1901 President Mitchell states the operators expenses increased only 13 cents ton over 1900."
 Continuing he says:
 Tn view of the fact that this enor- nous increase in the selling price of coal has been extorted from the con surner by the coal trust, can any one say that the demands of the miners for a small portion of the increased wealth their labor has produced, are unreason- able or unwarranted?'
 President Mitchell then quotes from the testimony in recent suit in the Penn sylvania supreme court of John Markle, of the firm of the G. B. Markle Coal Com pany, which operates three mines in the Lehigh region. According to this testi- mony the profits of the firm from 1890 to 1894 inclusive. were over $1.oo0,O0o. In this connection the mine workers presi- dent then says:
 Quotes Interesting Figures.
 During the five years referred to by Mr. Markle the government reports show that the home value of coal produced by the anthracite coal companies was q .51 per ton. If the G. B. Markle Company could make a profit of over 100000 in Ave years when the selling price of their coal at the mines was $1.51. does 1t not seem reasonable to suppose that the larger companies whose cost of produc- ton Is necessarily less, could make a sufficient profit in 1901. when the homo value of their coal was N.6 per ton. to enable them without detriment to their business. to pay the anthracite mine workers the small pittance asked for by tkemT
 Continuing. he refers to the annual re- port of President Truesdale of the Dela- ware Lackawauna and wsstsrn. in