Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-26
A STRONG PROTEST.
BY the independent Operators
Against Any Settlement
That Will Recognize, Sanction or En-
dorse the Miners.
Remarkably Bitter Feeling Shown
Against Union by Them.

New York. Nov. 25.-The independent
coal operators protested. today, to the
coal carrying railroads against the
proposed plan to settle differences with
the United Mine workers. One Of the
reasons advanced by the independent
operators is that such a settlement up
or the basis suggested would forever
establish the power and perpetuate the
Injustice perpetrated by the United
Mine Workers
The following statement was given
out. this afternoon. by &. d. Simpson.
representing the Independent Oper-
ators:
Scranton. Pa, Nov %, 1902.
To Messrs. Baer. Thomas. Truesdale,
ELEPHANT, Fowler and Walter.
presidents. Gentlemen:
The undersigned individual coal oper-
atOrs. whose product Is carried over
one or the other of your respective
| railroads. having learned that efforts
are being made to effect a settlement
of the questions now before the an
| thracite coal strike commission, of
which the individual coal operators
have been made a party at the request
of the commission. and a number of
your corporations beg leave respect
fully to enter their vigorous protest
against any such settlement to be made
| at this time and set forth the follow
ing among many reasons:
| I've believe that such settlement
at this time and upon the basis sug-
gested, would forever establish the
power and perpetuate the injustice
perpetrated by the United Mine Work
| ers.
| 2.-That such a settlement would be,
in the eyes of the public. a confession
that we have heretofore been guilty OF
all the offences charged against us by
the said mine workers.
THAT we have and believe that
you have. such perfect and complete
| defence to the allegations made by the
complaints before the commission.
| that any money award the commissions
| would render would be far less than
the amount we understand that It Is
proposed to cOncede. especially to
miners and their labOrers.
4.--That aside from amy money con-
siderations. this commission. composed
as we believe of men that are abso-
lutelv fair. unbiased and OF unusual
experience and good Judgment. in their
findings will make such declaration as
| will for many years put ban upon
unlawful practices. oppression OF nom
union men. unjustifiable demands and
other grievances that we have been
suffering under since 1900. when the
Iunion first took possession of our prop
erty. II. on the other hand, this set
| tlement he made now when not a single
witness has been called on our part
Tor on your behalf. it will be an alb
solute and distinct surrender to the
Miners Union and the troubles above
referred to will not only be continued.
but so magnified as to be absolutely
Iunbearable.
The hearings before the anthracite
/ coal strike commission present the
FIRST opportunity that the coal oper-
ators have ever had of presenting their
case before the general public who
are really an important third party.
since abstracts at least of these pro-
Icecdings are published all over the
limited States. and 1t Is duty that
we owe to ourselves as we'll as them
to prove that the continued and re-
lpeated charges of injustice, barbarity
land extortiOn are absolutely unfOund-
ed: all of which the individual oper-
latOrs. ut least. promise to do.
The case rs presented. already shows
isuch weakness that we believe they
Iwere almost disheartened when these
suggestions for compromise were
lmade. We believe that any surrender
lon our part, which would be practically
what this compromise would amount
to. would be by far the most serious
mistake ever made in the anthracite
! coal business.
4 The protest bears the signatures OF
"a firms.
The protest was presented by Mr. c.
ID. Simpson of the West End Coal Co.,
Il who said:
"Gentlemen-In making our protest
against any present settlement OF the
question at issue. we desire to empha-
size certain points OF material import
ance. During the past five months no
consistent effort has been made to In
form the public of the true state Of az
) fairs. Consequently II has accepted
THE miners version and believes We
are treating our employees unfairly. de-
; frauding them Of their earnings and
preventing them from making decent
!. livelihood.
1T is our opinion. and one upon
! which we are very determined. that we
owe it TO ourselves to have this in
. vestigation continue in order that tes-
timony may be taken which Will prove
clearly to the public at large that the
/. wages we have paid and the treatment
. accorded our men have been fair and
that their earnings have been large In
proportion to the intelligence required
ard their willingness to work.
ITO common labor the daily wage
has been small. but no less than II
receives from the same class OF work IN
lany industry, and more than on your
railroads. We do rot give mechanics
i wages to the man who handles picb
. or wheels a barrow.
..As to the miners, it can be shown
i that their annual earnings are more