Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-15
Mine Owners State Their Case
Before the Coal Strike Com
mission
RECOGNITION NOT AN ISSUE
They Contend That the Question Of
Recognizing the United Mine Work
ers' Organization Was Not Part Of
the Basis Upon Which the Commits.
sion Was Formed. IS

Scranton, Dec. 15.-The sessions Of
the coal strike hearing We're opened
today with statement Of the mine
owners as follows:
All the anthracite coal in the United
States Is found in few counties in
Pennsylvania. Conditions of mining
are so different in different fields and
even in the same mine, that it is not
practical to adopt any uniform
method of mining for the whole region
The respondents will show that it is ac-
knowledged purpose of the United Mine
Workers of America to organize all the
coal mine employees and thus form 3
monopoly for the fuel supply demanded.
by comfort and prosperity of the Amer
lean people.
after the strike settlement of 1906
the union men refused to work witt
non-union men and there were over 10t
strikes in one year in the various parta
of the anthracite region. Unreasonable
demands not being acceded to the union
mine workers ordered a strike May IL,
1902, tho large part of the miners IN
the region were opposed to it. Men
were prevented by violence from hllin9
the strikers places, the mines filled with
water and had it not been for the OPP
orators strenuous efforts to keep the
p,1mps going, few mines would have
been able to get work after the resump-
tion. Had union succeeded In stopping
the pumps little or no coal could have
been furnished the public in the winter
OF 1902-03.
Respondents conceded the right of
labor to organize for its protec-
tion and to benefit the conditions
of labor. but they feel to be subject to
any control Of bituminous coal organ
ization composed Of boys as well as
men. would end in the ruin OF the afl-
thracite coal business in Pennsylvania-
It has been conceded during the
progress of this hearing that the basis
Eor foundation of appointment OF the
commission and its powers, rests upon
a letter to the public signed by the
presidents of the coal mining COM
panies,- dated October Is, 1902, and ac-a
ceptance Of the terms of this letter Dy
the convention of the striking mine
workers, and that the powers or TINS
commission are confined to questions
affecting rates of wages paid and re-
duction of hours of labor, and in no.
way involves the question of recogni-
ton, or entering into an agreement
with that organization, as proposed IN
the statements Of claims filed by the
complafnants In this case.
Respondents will show that after the
settlement of 1900 there was. appar-
entity, concerted effort on the part OF
the miners to restrict the output evil
IDENTIFY to prevent the producers from
accommodating a stock of coal to meet
the emergencies of floods and strikes,
and when the strike was ordered IN
May there was less than 81 months $
supply Of coal in the market.
"The rate of wages in the anthracite
region is, not 40 or fifty per cent lower
than in the soft coal region, but actu
ally higher. 1t will be shown that
the average earnings of all employees
of manufacturing establishments, COW
ering 500 different classes, skilled and
unskilled labor, is below the average
earnings of the miner in the anthra
cite coal region. 1t will be shown that
the system by which coal is weighed
is the only method that can be adopted {
and that the miners and laoorers do
not now work eight hours and in
majority of the cases Of miners less
than six