The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-06-12
MINERS md OPERATORS.

MINERS And OPERATORS.
The Chicago Record. Herald has a
correspondent atthe mining centers of
the great anthracite coal region where
147, 1000 men have struck because the
coal trust refuses to grant them cer-
tain concessions that it seems are
reasona BILE enough. This correspon-
dent says that present1conditions war
rant such a Settlements will guaran-
tee the miners shorter hours and
more equitable system OF measuring
the miners labor. AS it is now he is
at the mercy of the operators in all
things. 1t is said that until 1900 tt e
wages of the miners had not been in
creased in twenty-five years. In the
meantime the miners were improving
their methods Of living, were becom-
ing more intelligent and had that de-
sire to be more than serfs. In fact
they were becoming Americanized.
In the meantime also the operators
were adopting new methods of market.
ing their coal and by labor-saving and
various economical systems had in
creased their profits which was per-
fectly legitimate thing to do. With
the practical consolidation of the vari-
Gus railway and mining interests in
the coal region immense profits are
possible and are not a matter of theory
but are a stern reality. It is not a
matter OF a few pennies increase in
wages with the operators: for as the
correspondent says this does not come
out of the pockets of the operators but
out of the pockets of the consumers.
The fear on the part of the operators
is that the miners will break loose
from the feudal and serf-like system
under which they have so long been
kept. In other words they will get to
know too much, and as soon as they do
and get dissatisfied with their condi-
tions the policy of the operators is to
turn them out as tramps and vaga-
bonds into the world and import an
other lot of human machines from
Europe. The lives of these men are
not considered worth as much as the
lives of the mules that are employed
at the mines. It is true that many of
the miners were 10th to strike, being
fearful Of the results aud dreading the
approach of hunger and want, but it
seems that the strike is one for prin-
ciple. The operators are in a robbing
game from start to finish. They rob
the poor miner and rob the consumer,
for there is not ton of hard coal sold
anywhere in the United States on
which there is not 'robber profit.
The strike has assumed such enormous
and ominous proportions that it seems
the commercial interests of the entire
country are demanding an equitable
adjustment of the difference between
the miners and the operators. Carroll
D. Wright, U. S. commissioner of labor
has been ordered to look into the mat
ter. It is not within his power to adj
just the matter, but he has the author
ity to inquire into the merits of the
question that is far from being a local
one, and is one that does not belong to
miner and operator to settle, for it is
of national Importance and affects the
material welfare of the whole country.
Despite the magnitude and seriousness
of the whole affair the operators have
so far refused to take the public into
their confidence and are trying to set.
tie the trouble with guard and bayonet.
Armored cars with armed guards and
hord of ignorant scum from the hell
holes OF Europe may suffice for brief
time. Justice and right sometimes get
little disfgured but in the end they
always triumph, and the operator
might as we'll surrender now as some
other time when it may cost him more
to surrender.
ONE OF the features of commence
ment week at the State university was
the memorial service last Thursday
forenoon at the armory in honor of the