Evening star., 1902-08-16
Think Some One Man Can
End the Strike.
CHERISHINGA DELUSION
NOTHING BUT DISSOLUTION OF
THE UNION.
Railway Presidents Who Control the
Mines Want to Make Terms
With Men Direct.
Special From a star Correspondent.

Special From a StaT Correspondent.
NEW YORK. August 15.-Upon the occa-
sion Of a recent flying visit to the center of
the coal strike l was struck with the al
most pathetic faith of the miners in the
probability Of some one stepping in oppor-
tuuely some day and settling the strike In
their favor with a word.
Their experience of two years ago, when
Senator Hanna and Mr.. ]. Pierpout Morgan
concluded arrangements which brought
that strike to a close, made profound i'm
preston upon them. They now think 1t
can be done again. in the same way. Like
the sister of BIuebeard's wife, they are on
the ramparts Watching for the dust of an
approaching horseman TO rescue them. Mr..
Morgan is coming home from Europe next
Wednesday, and they think he may help
them out.
Inquiry in financial and industrial head
quarters here leads to the conclusion that
The miners are CheTishing fond delusion
They are confronting a situation OF stern
reality. which holds no promise of mluga-
tiOn. Mr.. MurganS return VIII not aHtct
it.. Senate Quay and Senator Hanna, even
the President, have been appealed to by
them.
In influential financial circles the state
Tnent 10 made with emphasis that nothing
but the dissolution of the miners union
can bring the strike TO a close. From the
viewpoint of the railway presidents who
control the anthracite mines the return OF
the men 10 work their old terms would
suffice an indication that the union had
been unsuccessful.
Position of the Railways.
The railways have secured the mines.
They now want the right to operate them
upon terms to be agreed between the miners
and themselves without the intervention of
a third party in the presence of the union
The officials of the union point to the fact
that in The great soft coal fields of Indiana,
Illinois and Ohio the union is recognized by
the operators, and written contracts are
made with the miners through the me
diun of the union. They claim that the ar
ranEement works satisfactorily, prevents
strikes. inSureS regular work ana Is bene-
fetal to the operators as well as the men.
They call attention TO the fact that II II
had not bsen for the contract between the
union and operators a gigantic strike would
have been ordered in the soft coal fields at
the convention Of miners held in Indlanap-
oils last July. They cannot see why the
same terms should not prevail IN the an
thraCite region.
Thus far l have been unable to secure an
explanation of why the sauce for the goose
in the soft coal field should not be sauce
for the gander in the hard coal region.
Does it lie in the fact that the mine own
erS in the west are not organized thor
oughly. while the mine owners in Pennsyl-
vania represent the perfection of industrial
organizationf !
If that is the answer, 1t may sound the
keynote OF the antitrust movement for the
near future Some time ago there was
quite stir over the alleged activity of the
commissioner OF labor at Washington
touching the alleged coal combine 1t was
said that he was directing an investigation
under orders of President Roosevelt to the
end OF ascertaining the scope of the Ie-
ported combine, and whether II could be
attacked with the Sherman antitrust law.
What has become of that investigation and
what was the result?
Questions by the Public.
With coal at 50 a ton and going higher
the prediction was freely made today that
II would be $40 within 4 week-the public
Will begin TO ask pretty soon what is the
trouble with these coal operators? Why
can't they get in and settle that strike,
compromise it, arbitrate 1t, do something
with II?
1t is not 70 be claimed that the mine
owners Will pay much attention to that
Clamor. They are in position to tell the
public 10 go hang. They are fighting for
the destruction of a force which, if per-
mitted to live, they claim, is a menace to
them because of its power through Organi-
zation- They are CXerting power through
organization, II is true. but are not doing
II in violation of any statute law.
II is probable, If the facts were known,
that the investigation set on foot by the
bureau of labor found no tangible evidence
Of a coal combine Tangible evidence is
not necessary TO make the combine a re-
ality.
Here are four or five railways running
Into the anthracite region a region that is
measured by metes and bounds and out
side of which no coal Of that kind exists.
The railroads own the coal and own the
means Of transporting it. They have only
two arrangements To make. first to pay
for digging it. second To get a price for il.
Prices are uniform in both cases You
cannot buy coal cheaper from one road
than from another: the workmen do not
get higher wages from one company than
from another. Now. that may indicate a
combine-far be it from me to suggest
such "A thing. however. But to the ordi-
nary citizen il looks awfully like the intent
and purpose of a combine.
Al any rate, suca is the view Of the off,
cials Of the coal miners union. They are
drilling the idea INFO their men constantly
that perfect organization of the laboring z
men in the mine region IS their only safe
guard against the rganizatiOn of mine
owners. Every one is familiar with the
success OF the attempts TO organize the
nC T.
The Union Membership.
The previous big strike was declared with
a union membership OF less than $500 in a
working population Of 10000. The minor
ity closed the mines, got the men out and
then drew them into the union, so that now
there is a magnificent organization of the
miners. The union has been streng thened
in the intervening time. 1t must be some
thing when It can make 10000 men put
down their implements of labor and remain
idle for three months. when the majority
OF them cannot afford the luxury of a
three months cessation from wage earning
This union may be crushed for the mo-
ment by the mine owners. but from its ruins
will surely arise another. They have had
the taste of the power that organization
gives. They will constantly have the evil
dence of the power of organization of the
employers before them. The policy of an
Inhalation of the union determined upon by
the mine owners means a long and bitter
struggle in Pennsylvania. AT any time II
might start a movement which would con-
vulSe the industries OF the country and
shake a national administration from
power. y. o. NJ.
Commissioner Sargent's Return.
Commissioner General Sargent of the
yrnr hr,r hoS tb<