The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-11
HOW MINERS Tive
IN COAL REGIONS.
Newspaper Man of Wilkesbarrt
Tells of the Life of the TOiler and
Denies Statements of Operators

they may aspire to and reap the benefits
OF higher and better civilization, the
same as that enjoyed by the children OF
parents In better circumstances. and, In
fact. that they may enjoy all the bene-
fits that should be accorded children IN
this great and glorious republic
1T Is not for me TO praise the miner.
but want 10 throw back the black and
damnable lie that he is the riotous, blooc-
thirsty. lawless villain painted by the
operator. What a strange arraignment.
IL is the last stand of the routed and
defeated coal barons. They would black
en- the character of God-fearing religious
people. but they fail ignominiously. The
American people have not believed the
miserable imputation.
Had the miners wished TO burn every
coal breaker in Pennsylvania they could
do so. Had they cared to derail evory
train and destroy every railroad and
bridge they could do But no. they
have too much respect for themselves
and love for American institutions and
fair play to take a mean advantage. They
are fighting squarely In an honorable
cause for the issues above named, and
they have won the fight
MINERS ARE SCARCE.
''who shall believe the operators when
they say that they have applications from
these men would go to work. II afforded
ample protection2 What silly rot. There
are not 200 miners working I'm the entire
anthracite region.
Every night I'm every town and village
there are meetings of locals. At these
there Is a counting OF heads, a calling OF
the roll. absentees marked and accounted
for, together with resolutions adopted 10
remain out for months 70 come IL neces-
ssry. not forgetting the usual iudorse-
ment OF the splendid management of
their beloved chief. John Mitchell
How. then. can any one say that the
miners are weakening? The truth Is
that now. after magnificent struggle of
FIVE months. pride compels the miners TO
stand firm. They know better than any
one else that they hold the trump card
Regarding President Roosevelt. they
respect his good intentions and hope that
he may do some good. but trust alto
gether 10 themselves, at the same time
pinning their faith to No. !, themselves,
as their best champion.
II have an exalted opinion OF the ju-
dietary of Pennsylvania, believing the
judges OF our courts TO be honorable
gentlemen all. but I admire the stand
Mitchell has taken with respect TO the
offer OF the operators TO submit all mat
ters In dispute 10 the courts. Mitchell
no doubt has sufficient reason to sus-
pect that all would not be well-for the
miners-if the strike was left to the
judges.
ELECTION OF JUDGES
did you but know how Judges are
elected. and the influence exerted by the
corporations In electing them I'm Pennsyl-
vania, you would think as Mitchell does
about their good Offices rendered gratui-
tousy.
"A word as TO the calling out OF the
entire state militia. DO not imagine for
moment the soldiery is going TO awe
the miner into submission. Governor
Stone has overreached himself I'm this.
The miners sit in their homes and laugh
at the idea In fact, the militia has
only strengthened the miners position.
Ten times ten thousand state troops Will
not compel the miners TO go to work.
Now the miner sees that he must obey
the law. and he will take pleasure I'm
doing so, IL he had not thought of look
ing at 1t in that light previously. He
knows that by strict obedience TO the
laws mandate he will the sooner win.
and he is content to wait a efew days, or
at most few weeks, longer.
do you know that the coal miner of
Pennsylvania has been obliged 10 exist
on an average OF $3.50 year7 The OPP
orators would have you believe that he
is getting So a day. Not So IL he earns
that much in one day. there are many
days that he does not earn anything at
all. According to Baers own statement.
the average wages OF all the men en-
ployed by the Reading company is SIS a
day. The working days per year in sew
ersl years have seldom exceeded $50.
A YEARS WAGES.
"A simple sum in arithmetic will let you
know how much the miner Is earning per
year. You wonder therefore. how he
has lived clothed and fed his family and
himself. sent his children to school and
maintained some show OF decenoy. You
do not wonder why he has struck for
higher wages and better conditions.
''I need not picture TO you the hazard
Gus occupation, deep down In the bow
els OF the earth: the danger everywhere
from many causes. and the miners pa
tience and GOODNESS at moments tnat
try mems souls.
ION Sunday last In st. Marys church
of Wilkesbarre I witnessed 300 members
OF the state militia participate In the
holy sacrifice OF the mass. These came In
a body without arms. They belonged
to the 9th Regiment. encamped at West
Side Park, Wilkesbarre. and on duty
picketing the Wilkesberre. Nanticoke
and Pittston region. The 9Th could well
spare the 200 boys in blue. In fact. there
ls no rear rcasoh WHY tue uVVpS snouiu
be aneld.
There have been few overt acts
committed by some hot-headed miners.
but these have been the exception. not
the rule. No other class OF laboring
men I'm all America would have behaved
as we'll. Take 10000 men of any craft,
and let them strike for five months,
and then observe how they will conduct
themselves. But why go over this feat
ure.
Every miner deplored and condemned
the very small amount OF lawlessness
which they could not check, though they
tried ever. 30 hard. There are some
things that are the natural outcome OF
conditions that be. really what we might
term cause and effect.
But. believe me. the miners leaders. as
we'll as the miners themselves, have
tried hard to stamp out all lawlessness
and riot during their strike. In the
main, they have succeeded. and they
Ua no and