The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-04
PRESIDENT BAER'S STATEMENT
He Tells Why Questions at Issue Cannot
Be Arbitrated.

Philadelphia, Sept. 4.--President George
F. Baer Of the Reading company and
United States Senators Quay and Penrose
held a long conference at which the an
thracite coal miners strike was thorough
ly discussed.
President Baer issued lengthy reply to
the two senators. Among other things
he said:
The newspaper story that I said the
strike was a private affair which did not
concern the public Is a reckless fabrica-
ton.
Now what 1 have said is that the
management Of business belongs to own
ers. In the case of coal companies the
law casts the management and control
on the directors and officers. whose rev
sponsbility is to their stockholders, to
the state and to the public.
THE coal operators say that they can
not mine coal because the miners make
demands which render it impossible to
mine coal protitably. If we attempt to
increase the price Of coal we will destroy
the industries depending upon anthracite
fuel, If we increase the price on the do
nestle sizes we will be called robber bar
ons oppressors Of the poor, monopoists
and enemies of mankind. We have con-
Guided, therefore, that duty to our
selves and to the public will best be
served by standing firmly on these propo-
sitiOnS:
"First-That the wages paid in the an
thracite coal regions are, compared with
the wages paid in like employment, fair
and just and that men willing to work
honestly can earn more on the present
basis Of wages than in any other industry
engaged in producing common articles Of
necessity In the United States.
"Second-That wages cannot be in
creased without increasing the price Of
coal, and to increase the price of coal will
restrict the market and drive the public
to use bituminous COAL cheaper and
more abundant fuel, and that restricted
market will curtail production and result
in depriVing the miners of regular en-
ployment.
''Third-That we are not fighting labor
organizations. We fully recognize the
right of men to organize to protect them
selves from oppression and to benefit
themselves in any legitimate way. But
we do oppose their unreasonable interfer-
ence with the discipline and ordinary
management of our business.
1--WE will not permit them to select our
employees. Neither politics, religion, ma
tionality nor membership in labor or
ganizatiOns shall debar any competent
man from working for us. We are fight
ing the battle Of freedom for the indi-
Vidual and his right to labor on his own
terms.
"Fourth-That Is Is, by reason of vary
ing conditions at each mine, impra ctica-
BILE to adopt a uniform scale of wages for
the whole region. But that at each COL
liery every complaint and grievance will
be taken up and investigated by the SUI
perintendents and adjusted whenever 1t
is just. I personally offered to Mitchell
and his district presidents to go with them
and investigate any grievance
You see none of these things can be
the subject of arbitration. You cannot
hrbltrate question Of wages when an
increase will destroy the business and a
decrease will be unacceptable to the
WOrkmen.
I'VE cannot arbitrate a question as to
whether mining operation and business
generally shall be managed under the
common sense rule of law and equity bv
the owners and the servants they have
they have selected or by a labor organiza-
ton.
You cannot arbitrate the right to pro-
tect your property and your workmen
from mob rule Of labor organizations
who boldly proclaim a purpose to destroy
property, and endeavor to make their
proclamation effective by killing and in
Turing their fellow workmen who refuse
to join In their lawlessness. When John
Mitchell ordered the engineers firemen
and pumpmen to desert their posts he
knew that unless the operators could sun
ply their places the mines would be de-
btroyed, and with their destruction 14O 600
mon. with their wives and children de-
pendent upon their labor would be de-
prived of work for a long time
The operators were compelled to en-
ploy police at their own expense to guard
the new men employed to man the pumps
to save their mines. The guards and the
law authorizing them are denounced, and
when private citizens like Beddall are
murdered the state authorities are de-
nounced for sending troops to preserve
the peace. To-day that gallant soldier,
General Goblin, who fought with such dis
tinction in our civil war and than whom
no juster man lives, is bitterly 1naligned
for protecting the property and lives of
Pennsylvania citizens
Can such questions be arbitrated?'