The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-09-04

and reach the day when the anthracite coal
regions shall be governed syStsmat!csliy y
and in accordance .ith greater justice ana
higher moral principles than nos generally
prevail on either side "
Commissioner Wright says that the facts
Feern % show that. Ia contracistinction 20
most strikes. the officers OF the Miners
union. with perhaps one or tWo exceptions
Psrsisten'ly opposed the present strike on
;he gro-n1 that IL would probably last al!
summer and entail great hardship and SUI
feriug upon the mine workers as Heu as
work incslculable Injury TO the Industrial
interests q tho country. They also believe
that many OF the alleged wrongs endured
by the miners might be corrected by ap-
pcals 20 the employers. Their attempt. how
representatives Of the mine workers and the
mine operators proved fruItless, and the
miners themselves decided that a strike
should be organized.
OBJECT TO UNIONS METHODS.
Nearly all Of the operators have no con-
hdence In the ability OF the miners union 10
control its own members TO such a degree
az TO assist In maintaining proper discipline
Some Of the operators and some OF the union
officers believe that 10 great progress Viii
be made toward more peaceful condition
In the mining regions until anthracite min
ers have union OF their own.
All Of the operators which Mr. Wright
met disclaim distinctly that they had any
antagonism to labor unions as such. They
did object and most seriously TO some OF the
methods adopted by the union and they feel
that. when ASKED 10 make a contract with
IN position 10 be pecuniarily responsible
for carrying out such contracts.
The specific demand OF the union that
whore miners are paid by welght-22p
pounds shall constitute the ton. represents
a lOng-standing difficulty. The miners see
little difficulty In adopting this system Of
are systematically defrauded by the arbi-
trary action OF the bosses. who determine
how much deduction shall be made for I'm
puritles. and they especially complain that
they are defranced when paid by the wagon
or car load.
when It is shown that n ton of coal. says
Nr Wright. contains a varying percentage
n refuse as II comes from the mines. IL is
difficult TO see the force OF the argument
operators. he thinks. ought TO share in the
loss OF labor In mining impurities.
MINERS ASK LIVING WAGES.
The demand of the miners that wages
be Increased 10 per cent In the rates per
ton TO those men who perform contract
work and 10 per cent reduction in the time
Of tsose who work b the day. is backed by
was granted in $50. the prices of all COM
modlties N mining region were advanced
ingly difficult for them TO live properly on
their present wages.
DEMAND soOco0oo INCREASE.
, The reduction OF time IS put forward by
the miners and lacked by the statement
that their work takes only about 30 days
In year and for the remainder OF the
Time they are practically Idle. The opera
tors meet this demand with the statement
that they are able TO work only % per
cent OF the capacity OF the mines and
That their Fixed charges, including the
pumping. care OF the mines. etc, 20 on for
tTenty-four hours day and eveTy day in
They insist that the increase OF % per cent
In wages which the men demand would
mean about 20 cents a ton Increase The
total amount OF wages paid In the anthra-
cite coal fields last year is stated by the
operators 20 have been about sss Ool Oyo The
increase under the original demands OF the
50. .0t00 600"