Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-05-15

OF SO per day for eight hours Mr..
Gehr says
1T is probable that but few of the
readers OF The Herald understand. or
could be made to understand the view
the coal miners take In this matter
One thing Is certain, II such sys-
tenn were adopted. fully one-half of
the miners of this field would be
thrown out of employment at the
mines. Boys who aid their parents
In keeping the wolf from the door
for years. and who have through In.
dustry and frugallty and industry
managed TO build them little homes
would be driven forth to compete
with the strong In other and strange
places. and in fact only. the strong
skillful miner. tand most subservi
entD could hope to find employment
in this field. We hold that such a
system would not even prove salts
factory TO the operators-for they
would insist on having a certain mum.
Der OF tons mined--in fact would
have to either raise prices to the con
summer or go out Of business"
The above gives the entire thing
away. Mr. Gehr Is on record as de
maDding equal wages for the very
young and the very old. the crippled
and the unfortunate, This in the very
nature OF things is unjust. No matter
how much sentiment we may indulge
In and pity the old man. those who
have been unfortunate In life. etc,
~ Is useless TO contend that they
should be taken care of at the expense
of one industry To say that 1t takes
an expert to earn SO day in the La
Plata coal field Is not giving facts
but there are boys working. old men
working. cripples working and
green men from the old country, and
Tor this.reason 1t is best to pay by the
fon. but that a scale should be paid
that will cause the poorest one in the
lot to make 50 is out Of the question
while the more experienced makes al
most double the amount. II Is well
known that the man who does the
most work and makes the biggest
wages for the operator is the most
economical and IT Ia commendable
that the operators furnish employ
meut for those who are not able to do
a full days work. allowing them to
make what they can. As before stat.
ed we all have conslderate feeling
for those who have been unfortunate
and are not able to compete with the
strong. but they cannot be provided
for at the expense of the operators.
Third.
We are now going to make an as
sertion The average wages for coal
miners who remain in this field. will
not amount TO $3.50 per day the year
through-inyestlga Those who con
1emn the miners at present would
commit suicide rather than do such
work for such wages"
In the above an admission is made
that old and Young. the green hand
and the lazy earn an average of $3.50
per day the year round. Show us a
district in the land where better pay
is obtained living expenses consider
ed, and In this connection It must be
considered that the men are paid cash
aud allowed 70 trade where they
please None of the companies run
commissary departments and work
men half time and keep them In debt
In order to force them to buy of
them The La Plata county coal min.
or receives the cash and trades where
he plcases. boards as he pleases and
does as he pleases. Even at Monero
company store and saloon. so we
are informed. is run in connection
with the mine and the men are gen.
orally In debt % the concern. We are
also Informed that many coal miners
pay 81 25 for overalls that are purchas-
ed OF Durango merchants for Go cents.
One thing is sure the man who gets
cash In la Plata county is better off
with 10 per cent less wages than in
other Colorado districts where com
pauy stores are run.
In referring to the above matters
The Herald wants to get at the facts.
We are for no snap Judgment. Our
object is fairness and this policy will
be pursued regardless of the opera
tors or the miners