The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-02-12

concluded this morning. Mr.. WolyertOn
presented an array of figures tending to
show that the average earnings of the
contract miners of the company are
higher than the average earnings Of
most Of the skilled wOrkmen. He also
opposed the demand for an elgh hour
day because it would reduce the output
of the mines and also reduce the pres
ent wages of the men. Reverting to the
wage question he aid that if an in
crease is decided upon it should not be
a horizontal one, but Should be on a
sliding scale basis.
Mr.. Wolverton concluded at 1880
o'clock. Owing to the crowd in the
room there was considerable noise
and confusion while he vas speaking,
but as President Baer rose a hush fell
over the assembIage which lasted as
long as he was on his feet. Mr.. Baer
is considered a good speaker but he pre-
ferred to read his carefully prepared
argument. Here and there he would lay
down his manuscript and raise his voice
to a high pitch he wished to en-
phasize a strong point. His argument
was in part as follows:
BAER'S ARGUMENT.
In the development of the natural
of the earth it is necessary for
men to combine both their capital and
their energy. Railroads, steamship
lines. great steel plants and workshops
of every kind can only be created by a
combination of capital. We are apt to
overlook III part these business cor
pOrations play in the distribution of
wealth. Their stockholders are many,
scattered far n wide and the business
is not OWned=asm many people suppose
by a few very rich men. The profits
made in any large business carried on
by a firm, consisting of one family or a
very few persons, are distributed among
these few. but a successful business
carried on in corporate form distributes
its profits among the many and there
fore necessarily tends to a greater dis
tribution of wealth
In general. no one denies the right
of man to organize for any lawful pur-
pose, but the right to organize and the
power of the organization when organ
lied must still be governed and con
trOlled by the general law of the land
under which our individual and property
rights are protected. We COncede to
organized labor the same rights that we
claim for organized capital. Both must
keep within the law. There cannot be.
one law for citizens n corporations
and another for b organizations
The lawlessness in the coal regions was
the direct result of mistaken theories
IS to the rights Of mine workers. 1t
viii not do to say the leaders nave not
encouraged violence and crime. Tt is
true no doubt that they did not advise.
They may at times have counselled
against it and expressed regrets for it,.
nevertheless they are legally and moral
~ responsible for the situation they
created n from which this violence
and crime necessarily resulted. ResO1u-
ton No So of the Shamokin convention
approves the action of the district con
vention No. /. which decided to insist
upon causing all who work in and
around to become members of the union
and that they may be authorized to re-
fuse to work with non-union men,
THREATS TO DESTROY MINES.
The leaders intended 10 force their
demands by the threatened destruction
of the mines. They we'll knew that II
the pumping ceased the mines would be
destroyed. They thought the operators
would Weld rather than see the ruin OF
the mines. The operators did not yield
Every attempt to supply men to work
the pumps was met by mObs. pickets
and all the devices that labor ~organiza-
tions commonly use to prevent men
from working. With the cessation of
mining for five months and the destruc-
ton for the time being Of a number OF
cCiiferles. the public is now suffering fol
want of an adequate supply of fuel.
Think what the result woul have beer.
had the efforts Of the mine workers 10
drown out all our collieries been sue