The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-13
Closing the Case.

Closing the Case.
Tho great battle of the lawyers oppos-
ing each other In the coal strike arbitra-
ton inquiry is on this week IN Phllaoel-
phia, summing up and exploiting the test-
mony which has been given before the
anthracite strike commission In pehalI OF
operators and miners union. Next week
the commission Is expected to begin the
review OF the testimony given before IT,
and then proceed to prepare the report
II Ia estimated that the operators nave
apent half million dollars during the
hearing: the union men admit that thelr
expenses will not be less tnan Sloo'ooo'
while congress has already approprla TED
s5o ono for the expenses Of the commits
sion A big item Of expense Is the steno-
graphic report which, up to this Week.
nlled ten thousand sheets OF typewr1tten
foolscap. The inquiry is costly, but II II
results in securing stable conditions IN the
anthracite region and harmony between
labor and capital, the cost will not be
worth considering.
Speaking of harmony, the deliverances
teraay. certainly did not suggest the pre-
valence Of that condition in the courtroom
at Philadelphia: Mr.. Baer does not see the
logic Of the 20 per cent wage increase
asked for by the union. He is only Will
ing, in behalf Of the operators, to give a
Ava nsr cent increase for the next three
years, minimum rate to be wages now
paid, with one per cent additional con-
tinge1t upon any future advance In the
market price Of COAL Mr.. Darrow poured
a. flask Of verbal vitriol upon Baer, VINO
had with much force spoken of the dis
position of the labor unions to limit work
and also the right to work, and had
spoken optimistically of the wages paid
as "fair' although 1le proposed to in
crease them by five per cent. There is no
doubt that the testimony will be well
threshed over during the arguments pro
and con, and then to the wisdom of the
commission will be committed the solution
of a problem which has never been ration
ally dealt with before President Roosevelt
appointed the strike commission. The
cumulative abuses Of q generatlon-the
company store. the complicated system of
payment for work, the competition of for
eign labor introduced, the rigors Of child
labor etc, have embittered the souls OF
the miners and bred deep hostility to the
operatorss This spirit engenders lawless-
ness. Capitalstic abuses of power breed
abuses by the labor unions. A bad ex-
ample begets lawlessness. '+...
A good example Of what may be &C
complished by conference between labor
and capital is the agreement this week,
by the United Mine Workers Of, the CEN
trail competitive bituminous district of
Ohio. Indiana, Illinois and the Pittsburg
district Of Pennsylvania, upon a wage
scale which gives an average increase of
121s per cent in wages for the ensuing
year This agreement affects directly and
indirectly the wages of about 300, 900 min
ers. because the wages fixed by conference
in the central competitive district are the
basis for the demands of the miners in
Central Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ken
lucky, Alabama, Tennessee Kansas, Mis-
souri,, Arkansas and Indian Territory.
Here is settlement which insures the
stability Of the business for year. The
bituminous operators and miners have,
during the past three years. secured sta
b1lity by this annual agreement in peace
full conference. Last year, when it was
proposed by some members Of the United
Mine Workers union to go on sympa-
thetic strike to help the anthracite strik-
Ing miners, the union refused to act In bad
faith and break the agreement with the
operators. The union should be able to
bring about the same advantageous con-
ditions In the anthracite region, If the
strike commission is able to formulate
a program for the eliminate of the diff
fculties which are peculiar to anthracite
mining. and do not exist in the bituminous
measures. The people of this country re-
ioice to see the effectuation Of every plan
for the raising Of the standard of liv-
ing among miners and every other class
Of workingmen. They look for the re-
moval Of all the abuses which blight the
anthracite region, and the commission
will, no doubt do what is in its power to
remove them.
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