The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-09-04
BARS NO COMPETENT MAN FROM EARNING AN HONEST L

Philadelphia. Pa. Sept. s.-President
George F. Baer OF the Reading Company
and United States Senators Quay and Pen
rose held a long conference this afternoon
in the executive offices OF the Reading Com
pany in this city, at which the anthracite
coal miners strike was thoroughly dis
cussed-
At the close OF the conference President
Baer issued a lengthy reply to the two
Senators. Among other things. he said:
4 recognize tina IT is your right and your
duty as Senators representing the great
State OF Pennsylvania to do whatever can
legitimately be done 10 end a strike that
so seriously affects usine and brings
so much suffering to the women and chill
dren of the coal regions.
THE newspapers story that / said the
strike was a private affair which did not
concern the public Is a reckless fabri-
cation.
MANAGEMENT BELONGS TO OWNERS.
Now. what l have said is that the man
aEement of business belongs to the owners
In the case OF the coal companies, the law
casts the management and control On the
directors and officers. whose responsibility
is to their stockholders, TO the State and TO
the public.
THE right of the stockholder is to have
EOO0 mdndkaW GIt dIA1 Al Gil AtNGAA ia Al-1
Investment. The obligation to the State Is
to conduct the business in strict conformity
to the laws IL has established The duty 10
the public is, so far as practicable. tQ-con-
duct the business so as TO add to the COM
mon welfare.
..The coal operators say that they cannot
mine coal because the miners make de-
mands which render 1t impossible to mine
coal profitably and that the State has en-
acted laws prohibiting the employment OF
men in the mines unless they have worked
Tu-n wars in anthracite mines ami fhnra-
fore, they cannot for the time being mine
coal.
How. then. under these circumstance,
can there be any violation OF public duty?
II We yield TO the extravagant demands OF
the miners We will lose money. II We at
tempt 10 increase the price OF coal We will
destroy the industries depending upon an
thracite fuel II We increase the price on
the domestic sizes We will be called rob-
Der barons. oppressors of the poor. monopo-
lists and enemies of
DECIDED TO STAND FIRM.
have concluded. therefore, that our
duty to ourselves and TO the public will
best be served by standing firmly on these
propositions:
First. hat the wages paid in the an
thracite coal regious are. compared with the
wages paid in like employment. fair and
Just. and that men willing to work honestly
can earn more money on the present basis
OF wages than n any other industry en-.
necessity In the United States.
Second. That wages cannot be increased
without increasing the price OF coal, and to
increase the price OF coal will restrict the
market and drive the public to use btu
ninous coal. n che1Der and more abundant
fuel; and that a restricted market will cur
tail production and result in depriving the
miners of regular employment
NOT FIGHTING THE UNION.
Third. That We are not fighting labor
organizations. We fully recognize the right
Of men to organize to protect themselves
from oppression and TO benefit themselves
in any legitimate way. But we do oppose
their interference in discipline and ordinary