The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-29

an influential director of one of the coal
roads. Mr.. Hewitt Is undoubtedly aware
that the companies are lighting to compel
the worlxmen to accept employment under
conditions satisfactory to the coal trus
tees; that the preservation Of mems ,indt-
vidual rights is simply a cloak under
which they seek to destroy organization
among their employees. He is undoubted-
ly in a position to know that membership
in any organization was frowned upon by
the mine owners and that specific instruc-
lions were issued from the general offices
of the coal companies, notifying some
classes of workmen that they must either
sever their connection with the union or
surrender their positions. In fact, many
Of the local strikes which occurred In 1901
were in protest against the action Of the
companies who Disseminated against and
discharged union workmen because OF
their aff1liation with the organization.
. Advent of Militia.
TN this strike it has been claimed by
enemies of the union and believed by Mr..
Hewitt, although acknowledging himself
a recognized friend of trade organizations,
that men were prevented from going to
work through fear of bodily harm, and it
was confidently predicted that the nome nt
the militia came the strike would resolve
itself into stampede. The militia has
been in Shenandoah for more than eight
weeks and still, for lack Of mine workers,
not a pound of coal has been produced In
that vicinity. The militia is now stationed
in the Partner Creek valley in Wilkes
barre and in Scranton, and yet its pres
ence has not been followed by the deser-
ton Of a single miner who laid down his
tools on the 18th day of May. On the
contrary, many men brought here to take
the places of the strikers have Joined the
ranks Of the strikers since the arrival Of
the militia, and there is not the remotest
possibility of the mines being successfully
operated until an honorable and equitable
settlement of the strike has been made.
"Reverting to the demands OF the min
| ers for increased wages and improved
environment, Mr.. Baer claims that he
cannot possibly pay an increase In wages
that would amount to 10 or Is cents per
ton to the miners, but he and the allied
presidents admit that they can afford to
sacrifice, temporarily, large market and
lose millions Of dollars rather than pay
| this increase; nevertheless, without ad-
vancing the miners wages 1 cent, the
operators did raise the market price last
year from 80, to SO cents per ton, and at
the present time Mr.. Baer and his fellow
presidents are forcing the public to pay
| from Sc to $40 excess upon ton In order
to save this same public 10 or Is cents.
Mr.. Baer states that 40 per cent of the
coal produced is sold in the market be-
low the cost Of mining, but he fails to
say that the larger portion of this 40 per
cent is made up Of grades OF coal for
which the miners receive no compensa-
ton whatever. Indeed, up to few years
ago, or before the installation of wash
cries. the miners were locked for load
ing this very coal which brings small
prices now in the market; and, according
to Mr. Baer's process of reasoning, the
miners would receive less wages for the
larger grades because they mine the
small sizes gratuitously.
|. II shall not enter deliberately into the
question of cost, but shall merely say that
Mr.. Baers statements are utterly mis-
leading. The rise in wages IN 1900 was
more than counterbalanced by an increase
in the cost of living, which left the min
ers worse off than ever before. Mr.. Baer
claims that the advance Of 10 per cent
which was paid the miners In 1900 cost
the company more than 10 cents ton;
| but this is. at least problemat teal In
March, 1902. the Engineering and Mining
Journal (see issue of March 29) made a
careful calculation in order to show what
effect the increase in wages last year had
upon the. cost of coal.
"As a result of this compensation, based
upon the figures of the Delaware & Hud-
son, the Delaware, LackaWanna & West
ern and the Lehigh coal and Navigation
company, the Engineering and Mining
Journal which cannot be accused Of being
either friendly or fair to us, states that
the conclusion to be drawn is that the
resulting increase in cost was large; in
all probability not over cents ton at
| the outside
! 'Mr. Baer claims that the average pay
per working day in his mines is $3.50.
Admitting, for the sake Of argument, the
correctness of his figures, this would
make upon the average number of work.
| 1aSyc in total OF
! 1858 per employee, or an average of $7.O5
/ per week. thus as a result Of the strenu-
ously opposed and bitterly regretted ad-
vance wrung from the operators by the
strike of 1900, the average adult employe
! of the Reading Coal and Iron company Is
permitted to spend upon himself, his wife
and his children, the munificent sum OF
$1.01 per day.
An Appeal to the People.
I'm closing this statement, I desire to
say that we have entered and are con-
Quoting this struggle without malice and
without bitterness; we believe that our
antagonists are acting upon misrepre-
sentation rather than in bad faith; we
regard them not enemies but as op-
ponents, and we strike in patience until
they shall accede to our demands or sub
NIT to impartial arbitration the differ
ences between us. We are striking not to
show our strength, but the justice OF our
cause, and we desire only the privilege OF
presenting our case to fair tribunal We
ask not for favors, but for justice, and
we appeal our case to the solemn Judg-
ment Of the American people.
Involved in the fight are questions
weightier than any question of dollars and
cents. The present miner has had his
day; he has been oppressed and ground
down, but there is another generation
coming up a generation Of little children
prematurely doomed to the whirl of the
mill and the noise and blackness Of the
breaker. 1t is for these little children we
are fighting. We have not underestt-
mated the strength of our opponents; VIC
have not overestimated our own power
of resistance; accustomed always to live
upon little, little less is not uncomfortable
hardship. 1t was with quaking Of
hearts that we asked for our last pay
envelopes; but in the grimy and bruised
hand Of the miner was the little white
hand of child a child like the children
of the rich, and in the heart of the miner
was the soul-rooted determination tt
starve to the last crust of bread and fight