The Washington times., 1902-06-23
MITCHELL UPHOLDS MEN
IN STATEMENT TO PUBLIC
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the productive capacity of mine workers
deteriorated an average Of 121z per cent; !;
in other words. the United Nine Workers
organization Is accused CT encouraging
poor workmanship. An examination of
the reports on coil production compiled
by the United States Government dis
the railroad presidents were misleading
and untrue. as the following figures Will
demonstrate:
From 1880 to 1900 inclusive the mines
were in active operation an average OF
ls2 days per year, or for each dag the
mines were in operation 2.15 tens were
produced per employe, while in the year
1901. against which the operators so Bit
terly complain, the mines were in opera
tion 1912 days, and there were produced
475.43 tons for each person employed. or
for each day the mines were in opera
tion 2.36 tons were produced per en-
ploye, thus showing conclusively that
instead of deteriorating there was de-
cided improvement in the productive
capacity of the men after they became
thoroughly organized.
bctteI w O1kman.
Can the unpreiudiced reflect upon
these facts and conclude that the an
thracite miner is not a better workman
than he was before the 10 per cent con-
cession in wages two years ago? In sub
sanitation Of our claim that the coal
companies can afford to pay increased
wages to the mine workers without in
creasing the cost of coal to consumers
we submit the following extract from
Government reports, showing the selling
value OF coal loaded on cars at the mines
for the eleven years beginning with 1890
and ending with 1900, as compared with
1901:
Inc average home value of all coal
mined and sold during this period was
Sl.46 ton. while bulletin recently is
sued by Charles ID. Walcott, director of
the United States Geological Survey
says that for the year 1901 the increase
in the value Of the anthracite product
received at the mines showed a gain OF
s27, TAG, ,169, or more than 81 per cent
over that Of 1900. The average price for
the marketed anthracite coal-that is.
the product shipped to market or sold to
local trade-was S1S7, the highest figure
obtained since 1885,
Increased Value.
"1n other words, while, according to
President Oliphant, 13 cents per ton rep
resents the operators increased cost Of
production in 1901, 80 cents per ton. as
compared with 1900, represents the in
creased value Of the product to the
l.. O..
enormous increase in the selling price
OF coal has been extorted from the con-
sumer by the coal trust. can any one say
that the demands of the strikers for
small portion OF the increased wealth
their labor has produced are unreason-
able or unwarranted?
Further evidence of the ability of the
coal mine operators to pay increased
wages is found in the sworn testimony CT
Mr. John Markle. managing partner OF
the G. B. Markle Coal Company. This
firm operates three mines in the Lehigh
region and is known as an independent
operation.
Testimony in Court.
"In the supreme court of Pennsyl
vania. in Markle VS.. Wilbur Pepnsyl
vania State Reports. page 2onl. John
Ma-kle was sworn, and during his tes-
timony swore that he was appointed
superintendent or .4anager by the ar
ticles OF .copartnership at a salary o.
$4,000 per year, and that under his
management. rom 1880 to 1894, inclu-
sive. the partnership had made large
profits OF over Sl00O,000.
THE Commercial and Financial