Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1903-09-01
JOHN MITCHELL SAWS.

In discussing the relations Of en-
ployer and employee / have said re-
peatedly that most strikes and lock-
outs could have been averted if the
representatives Of capital and labor
had met in joint conference, looked
each other squarely in the face and
told the unvarnished truth Ny faith |
in this belief has been immeasurably |
strengthened by my experience during
the past two weeks.
For more than four years the coal
Territory and the State of Kansas.
Arkansas and Missouri have been wag-
ing an unceasing industrial war Dur
ing the first two years of that time
a strike involving more than half the
miners in this field was in force. The
strike itself was the result of a re-
fusal on the part of the large railways
penetrating tne States above referred
to and operating coal miners in them,
to treat with the representatives Of
the organization in the adjustment of
grievances and the regulation of wages
and conditions of employment, or even
to recognize the right of their employ
es to organize
In the prosecution Of the strike,
which involved between fifteen and
twenty thousand men, the organization
expended nearly a half-million dollars
The loss to the companies was meal
culable; as the matter of fact, one of
the largest coal-producing companies.
capitalized at several million dollars,
sustained such great losses that it
was forced into practical bankruptcy
and compelled to dispose of it's mining
interests.
During all this time the representa-
tives of the coal companies Of the-strik9
situation and the representatives OF
not know each other, and each side
considered the other its natural enemy
About one month ago, however, &C
companied by the representatives q
the district organizations of the United
Mine Workers of America, called up
on the management of the coal pro
perties for the purpose of trying t.
arrange a joint conference of miner
and operators with the hope of settlin.
our differences by peaceful measures
We succeeded in impressing the Opel
atOrs with the sincerity of our desir
to avert strikes and establish bushes
relations with them, and as consf
quence a convention was called t
meet in Pittsburg, Kansas. 1t was a
tended by every operator and by repre-
sentatives of every miner in the Soutl
western field.
When the scale committees of til
two interests met there were indie;
tons Of mutual distrust, but as tn
work progressed and we grew to kno
and understand each other better
greater degree of confidence asserte
itself, and slowly, but surely, progre'
was made.
At the end of two weeks an agre
ment was reached by which wag
we're substantially increased and Il
conditions of employment material
improved; but, what is of greater m
ment, friendly relationship has be-
established between operators and n
ners, and methods have been adopt
for the future adjustment of wag
and grievances which will insure
long period Of peace and prospect
to the miners and operators In t
Southwest. An example has been $
which is likely to be followed in 9th
industries, protecting both employ
and employee and guaranteeing t
public against the losses and the
conveniences which invariably foll'
in the wake of an industrial upheav
Truly, Peace hath her victories
less renowned than war."-John N
chell, in Boyce's Weekly.