Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-29

HN-A AhAAFhEI III Whktt " AhFh
employed on piece work.
"Second-A reduction in the hours Of
labor for men employed by the day.
"Third-Payment for a legal ton OF coal.
"Fourth-Tha the coal we mine shall be
honestly weighed and correctly recorded.
and
"Fifth-we favor Incorporating. IN the
form Of an agreement, the wages that shall
be paid. and the conditions Of employment
that shall obtain for a specified period.
AS to the reasonablenoss Of these de-
msnds we have proposed to submit 20 and
abide by the award Of an impartial board
Of arbitration.
Concerning LawIessness.
There could be no grosser perversion OF
truth than the assertion Of the operators
that the mine workers union is a lawless
organization.
During the past twenty weeks the whole
power Of the union has been exerted to
preserve the peace among a voluntarily idle
population OF three quarters Of a million;
and It is a tribute 10 the activity OF our
officers and the loyalty and self-restraint
OF our Members that we have been more
successful In ~allaylng violence than the
coal and iron police in melting It. Despite
all our precautions, we regret that oc-
GHBIOndl NlOlfuCb mas Tebulleut out IL WOulu
be as logical to charge any one Of the refi-
gious, social or political organizations or
even the United States government with
being an unlawful organization because
some of its adherents transgress the law
as 1t is to charge the United Mine Workers
OF America with being an unlawful organiza-
ton because some Of its members violate
the law. The officers of the union are as
severe as the operators In their earnest
condemnation of any and every act Of
violence upon the part Of a striker, and
no attempt has been made or will be made
to condone any oTense OF this sort.
BIame ~ImproperI Placed.
The public should be made aware, how
ever. that the operators and a certain sec
tion OF the press are By no means discrim-
mating In the hSing Of responsibility and
that crimes Of violence are laid at the
doors Of strikers when the imported guard
fans Of law and order. the armed coal and
iron police. are clearly and Enthusiastically
at fault. aud l challenge the operators or
their friends to point to one single utter
ance on their part in disapproval OF the
lawless actions OF their hired guards. Some
time ago the Bellevue washery at Scranton
was destroyed by lightning; a reward was
offered by the coal companies for the arrest
and conviction OF the person who set fire
TO the washery. This Is an example Of the
manner In which the strikers are maligned.
MI. Baer assumes that the pumpmen,
engineers, and hremen were called out so
that the mines would be destroyed and with
their destruction 40. 900 men with their
wives and children dependent upon their
labors would be deprived Of work for a
long time The truth IL that the strike
of the pumpmen. engineers and aremen was
called In their own interest absolutely, and
by their own request; 1t was for the pur-
pose OF removing grievances against which
they alone complained and against which
some OF them had inauguratod an indepen-
dent, although unsuccessful strike more
than one year ago. The fact that several
weeks elapsed between the strike OF the
miners and the announcement that the
pumpmen, engineers and bremen would
strike unless granted an eight hour work
day, should convince Mr.. Baer that the
strike Of these men did not originate in any
desire on the part OF the mine workers to
deprive themselves of the source of theIr
own livelihood. IL the mine workers had
sought the destruction OF the mining prop.
critics they would have ordered the strik,
OF the steam men without giving the com
panies any notice at all.
WheFe Hewitt ErrB.
similar accusations against the min,
workers are made In a public utterance BY
Mr.. Hewitt. in which that gentleman re.
veals his real feeling toward organized
labor. l do not refer to his expressed feai
that l shall become a dictator in contro
Of votes enough to decide the next presi
Dental election, or to his assertion that IL
this contest the allied coal presidents arr
AkNA,- H. k,NNIn - EnAAa,AAAN IaIn.
against the aggressions Of the United Min,
Workers In order that the individual work
man may be employed upon terms salts
factory to himself. AS an influential direc
tor OF one of the coal roads. Mr.. Hewitt
is undoubtedly aware that the companie
are lighting to compel the workmen to &C
cept employment under conditions salts
factory to the coal trust and that the pre-
servation OF mems individual rights is sim
ply a cloak under which they seek to destro
organisation among their employees. He I
undoubtedly in a position to know tina
membership in an organization was frowne
upon by the mine managers and tina
specific instructions were issued from tn
general Offices of the coal companies notify
ing some classes Of workmsn that the
must either sever their connection wit
the union or surrender their positions. /
AaNN many - ~ AONAA oAAAhEo hlN W
Cured In 1901, were in protest against tn
action Of the companies which discriminate
against aud discharged union workmen be
cause Of their afhliation with the organ
iEation.
None Desert when Militia Comes.
"In this strike ii has been claimed /
enemies OF the union. and believed by NJ
Hewitt. although acknowledging himself
friend Of trade organizations. that me
were prevented from going to work throus
fear OF bodily harm, and 1t was CONFIDENT
predicted that the moment the militt
came the strike would resolve itself In
a stampede. The militia has been
Shenandoah for more than eight weeks. al
stll for lack OF mine workers not a pour
OF coal has been produced In hat vioinit
The militia is now stationed In the Panth
Greek valley. in Wilkesbarre and in scral
ton. and yet its presence has not be-
followed by the desertion OF a single min
who laid down his tools on the 18th
May. On the contrary many men broug
here to take the places Of the strike
have Joined the ranks Of the strikers sin
the arrival Of the militia, and there Is n
Wk. a.-a.a ,..agkllNw. - ~. 49,. -