The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-09-10

Iidu ny WHlCH he WOulu Emo
the Present Struggle.
"Miles of literature have been spun
since the coal strike was inaugurated
seventeen weeks ago." said a well
known business man yesterday tc
Tribune man. Acres of white
paper" he continued, ''have been
spoiled with denunciaton and dia-
tribe from both sides to the con-
troversy but few, IL any, practical sug-
gestions have been made as TO how
the miners and the operators might
settle their differences and restore
peace and prosperity to themselves and
the community.
Somehow the impression Is abroad
that in resisting the demands Of the
men the mine owners are actuated by
mere obstinacy; that they are wilfully
deaf to advice and impervious to rea-
son; that their one great object is to
destroy the organization of the United
Mine Workers by starving it's members
into submission but such suspicious
are not founded in common sense; they
are far-fetched because there is not
one iota of any published statement of
any representative of the mine owners
to justify such conclusion.
"To believe some current literature
one must regard President Baer singly
and alone as the only obstacle to a
speedy settlement of the coal strike.
ITO credit the news from the other
side and to not know the man, one
must suspect John Mitchell as an am
bilious young man who is leading a
cause which he believed to have been
lost before it was begun. Neither side
is wholly right; neither wholly wrong.
BOTH SIDES OF THE STRIKE.
II believe that the contending forces
have sufficiency of the strike and that
a better understanding by each Of the
rights of the other is all that is neces
sary to bring to speedy termination
the unpleasantness now existing. In
thei published statements of President
Baer there does not appear any denial
of any lawful right to which the mine
worker is entitled. Now If President
Mitchell will proclaim. the legal right
of the mine owners to operate their
mines in every lawful manner, includ-
ing the right to employ and discharge
men for cause, with assent to members
of the United Mine workers to resume
their former positions believe it would
be a matter of only a very short time
until a substantial readjustment of con-
ditions and wages is made in favor Of
the men.
1T seems to be a foregone conclu-
sion that this will be a very long strike
unless the mine workers return to work
on the basis of unconditional surrender.
And in doing so ! candidly believe that
no sacrifice of principle would be made
and much good would be almost cer-
tain to follow. Let me offer some rea-
soning for my conclusions. In the first
place, employers, like other people. are
not in the best condition to be liberal
when business is not prosperous. AS
is well known the schedule of prices for
coal takes so cents per ton off the win
ter price on the first day of April. in
each year. This reduced price rises
through the month of April. On the
first days of May, June, July, August
and September the price is advanced
ten cents per ton, and the price is then
fixed for the seven months from Sept.
/ to April i. 1t is thus evident that
after selling for month at the lowest
price of the year, and at the time the
operations ceased only one advance of
ten cents had been made.
GOOD TIME FOR SUSPENSION.
with coal selling in May at 40 cents
per ton less than the winter prices
Is there not good reason for the mine
owners to prefer a suspension of oper-
ations rather than submit to demands
which would result in great loss be-
sides possible ruin to many individual
operators. 1t is an easy matter to
offer plans and methods for the con-
duct of another's business. Let the
result be success or failure, the pro-
moter may win, but cannot lose.
Casually the fellow who Is most pro-
life In suggestions for spending the
capital of another has very little to
show for the wisdom applied to his
own business. All parties concerned
might as we'll face the question square,
y. and the sooner the better. Neither
nor individuals can afford
20 conduct any kind of business at a
oss for any great length of time and
Every employer must have liberal
margin of profit to conduct his affairs
and to provide against pos
'ibe losses, accidents, wear and tear
md the thousand and one items of |
expense that cannot be calculated on |
he cost of the product. The mine |
'wners profit at the end OF year Is |
'ery often formed in the good fortune |
lie has had in escape from costly ac-
'idents. So i think it must be admit
ed that the coal operator is entitled |
o some profit on his output of coal as
veil as his chance of escape from ac-
idents.
NO SACRIFICE OF PRINCIPLE
II have stated that no sacrifice OF
principle would result from an uncon-
litional surrender OF the men at this