The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-22
The Anthracite Strike Commfs-
sioners' Report.

SSsAeS
sioners' Report.
The report Of the Anthracite Strike
Commission comes approximately hve
months after tho letter from the opera
tors TO President ROOSEVELT suggesting
that such a tribunal be appointed. In
view Of the mass. detail and very wide
extent Of the testimony, it must be
said that the Commission has reached
it's conclusions with noticeable prompti-
tude. For the better understanding OF
them short history Of the strip will be
helpful.
In February Of last year President
JOHN MrrcHBrL and three subordinate
officers Of the United Mine Workers Of
America, labor union including miners
OF coal OF all sorts In every State con-
tanning mines. invited the presidents OF
the companies mining anthracite to
a conference on the wage scale. The
seven answers sent. detaching the ex-
plantations Of the varying conditions In
the mines OF each company, were sub
stantially one. and TO this effect:
spplicssIos Of the men In our employ.
"Gsoson r. BAEs.-
This company must decline 10 depart from
hs settled policy OF dealing with ~ employee.
that Il. direct between employer and employee
W. n. TnusspAIs--
This company prefers TO deal WITH ~ own
employees. E.B. TnohAs-
The executive oficen stand ready at any time
70 take up any matter In dispute and 70 the best
OF their ability adjus, u fairly. T. Fovin.-
Tue mas,ers which !, is proposed to discss srs
those which 20 should arrsass BY dealing directly
with our own employees. ALHRup wALrnR.-
II beg 70 refer you 10 my letter of March g. 1901.
sddins that time has eoanrmed my fsiA In the
action then taken. n. n. OLyruART.-
81 be- 70 say that re have In shs pas, and WI
b ,he future meet our employees 70 discuss s.d.
u Dsssbie. adjust any questions thss may ssiss-
invrSo A. SrSnsn.
President Co.'s Brothers = Co.
The Mitchell letter and the replies to
II show that tho real issue raised by
the miners was not on wages or griev-
ances at all. The miners refused to
define their grievances. They were
playing for recognition Of the union, and
70 accomplish that they rejected all the
and natural offers Of the
operators to consider wages. In pass
ing 1t 10 proper to remark that the facts
shown above bear on the Commission's
minor dictum that the questions in
volved In this controversy were not Of
such importance a TO justify forcing
upon the public consequences % fraught
with danger to the psAce and good order
~ well - 10 the well-being and comfort
Of society,"
We take up the demands which the
miners laid before the Commission.
nameiy, 20 per cent. increase in wages,
% par cent. reduction In hours Of labor,
the mining Of coal TO be paid for by
weight. and recognition Of the union.
To sustain these demands MITCHELL
argued that. not only were the anthracite
miners getting less than their bituminous
colleagues. but that they were unable to
live. maintain and educate their fami-
lies in q manner conformable to the
established American standards and
consistent with American oitizenship-
II the Commission had been veritAble
court. Whose function II was TO ad-
minister justice according to the evil
denoe. IL would have bssn compelled to
omit ito award Of 10 per cont increase
OF pay and reduction OF the hours Of
labor. The descriptions Of tbs miners
homes. families and tasks. With thsir
accounts Of which MITCHELL and his
associates sought TO draw public sym
pathy toward their aide Of the coptro-
versy. we're blasted. every one. The
condition Of Me In tbs mining regioas
p oved sfter this eshaus tive sIamins-
ton % compare fsvorsby with industrial
lifs elsswhsrs. Of the stassmsnts that
. wages wers % low that children we're
premsiursly forced into labor the
Commission does not think that the
testimony warrants u IN finding ~ fact
the allegations 20 made On thr ssn.
eral contention that tlss snthrscils Wages
srs loSss thAa tbs b,tuminous Wages os
than this ~Asss u ottssr occupations ~
osirlAs equal skill and training ths
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