Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-06-23

TO the directors OF his company. eald
that the year 1901 would pass into his
tory az one Of the most satisfactory TO
the anthracite coal interests OF the
country ever known, and adds the
Commercial and Financial Chronicles
comment on the report of President
OHphant Of the Delaware q Hudson az
follows. THE average Of anthra-
cite selling prices for 1901, must have
been 80 to 40 cents higher than In 1900,
and the profits OF the coal mining op-
eratlons or the Delaware g. Hudson In
1901 was sl,iO73O7'
The statement rldlcules as absurd
the offer Of President Buer, the rec
ognized spokesman Of the coal trust, TO
submit the books Of the coal depart
ments 10 prove that wages could not
belncreased, and says: "Elghty-Rve or
80 per cent Of all coal produced In the
anthracite regions Is from mines own
ed and operated by the various coal
carrying railroads; the freight charges
for delivering ton Of anthracite coal
are three times as great as those OF
other roads for hauling a ton Of BIZ
luminous coal one mie, and as con-
sequence the Goal departments which
are actually earning enormous profits
on a Legitimate business, may and do
appear to be losing money, for the
reason that the railroad departments
consume the profits Of the coal depart
ments by charging the coal depart
ments exorbltant freight rates, Thus
they rob Peter to pay Paul. II can.
not be said In extenuation that there Is
any pecuniary necessity for this triple
charge Of hard coal for all other kinds
OF freight-very much more trouble
some to handle and more perishable-
are carried at far lower rate"
In this connection the statement
calls attention to the fact that a ton
OF coal as the consumer understands II
Is not ton of coal az the miner Is
paid for H. that Is TO say, that the ton
Of coal the customer weighs 2,2i0
pounds, while the miner Is being paid
for his labor, he Is required to pro-
duce and load from 2.740 TO 2.l90 pounds
for a ton. against which fragrant In
justice the anthracite mine workers so
vigorously and justly protest"
The companies assert that the ex-
cess weight is required to compensate
them for impurities and refuse matter
that Is loaded with the coal and can
not be marketed. III their statement
be true" says the statement, "why Is
1t necessary TO continue system Of
docking by which at times they arbi-
trarily deduct from miners earnings
from 10 to 10 per cent Of the total as q
penalty for loading impurities for
which they have already penalized him
In excess weight?
DEMAND OF MINERS.
IT must be obvious to every lntell-
gent observer that the coal companies
derive Il considerable income from the
continuance OF this system Of measur-
ing the earnings Of their employees, as
they thus receive a large amount OF
marketable coal for which they return
no compensation to the miners. The
miners have asked that the coal they
produce shall be honestly weighed and
correctly recorded. This recital Of facts
disposes OF the operators claim that
they cannot afford to pay living wages
for faithful service and unceasing toll
amid surroundings constantly fraught
with the gravest danger"
The statement tells OF the fatalities
among miners and says Eight times
as many men and boys are killed and
injured annually In the anthracite coal
mines of Pennsylvania as were killed
and wounded In the American ranks In
the Spanish American war in Cuba"
The statement says that according TO
the reports of various chiefs of police
there has been less infraction of laws
and fewer arrests during the time the
strike has been In progress than for a
like period preceding IT,
Concluding, the statement says 1T Is
now apparent that the real purpose OF
the coal operators Is TO destroy organi-
cation among their workmen, II by any
chance they should succeed In their de-
sign--which Is not at all likely another
labor organization will spring from the
ruins OF the United Mine Workers of
America, and the contest for living
wages, for humane conditions OF en-
ployment, for better education, for
higher citizenship, will go on until the
men who produce coal, the originating
motor power which drives the wheels
OF commerce and Industry. the product
that is so essential 10 the welfare OF
society, the mineral which IL the very
foundation OF our national prosperity
shall receive for their labor sufficient
compensation to relieve them Of the ne
cessity of sending their boys and girls,
OF tender years and frail physique, to
the mines and mills there to destroy
their youthful vigor in an effort to as
sist their underpaid parents 70 main
tain their families.
conscious OF the great responsibility
resting upon us. apprehensive or the
danger threatening our commercial SUI
premacy should the coal miners OF the
entire United States become partici-
pants in this struggle, we repeat our
proposal to arbitrate all questions In
dispute, and II our premises are wrong,
II our position Is untenable, II our de-
mands cannot be sustained by facts
ami figures, we viii again return to the
mines take up our tools of industry
and await the day when We shall have
a more righteous cause TO claim the
approval OF the American people.
JOHN MITCHELL,