The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-02-12

Mr. wolverton presented an array OF
figures to show that the average earn
ings OF the contract miners OF the Read
ing company are higher than the average
earnings OF most OF the skilled workmen
OF the state. He also opposed the de-
mand for an eight-hour day because 1t
would reduce the output of the mines and
also would reduce the present wages of
the men.
Reverting to the wage question Mr..
Wolverton said that IL an increase In
wages is decided upon IL should not be
q horizontal one, but should be OH a
sliding scale basis.
In the course of his argument President
Baer said:
PRESIDENT BAER'S ARGUMENT.
I'm general, no one denies the right of
man to organize, and the power of the
organization when organized must still
be governed and controlled by the gem
eral law OF the land under which our in
dividual and property rights are pro-
tected. We concede to organized labor
the same rights that we claim for or
ganized capital. Each must keep within
the law. There cannot be one law for
citizens and corporations and another for
labor organizations.
THE lawlessness In the coal regions
was the direct result OF mistaken theories
as to the rights of the mine owners.
as to the rights of the mine workers.
1t will not do to say that the leaders
have not encouraged violence and crime.
IL Is true, no doubt that they did not ad-
wise It. They may at times have counseled
against II and expressed regrets for It.
nevertheless they are legally and morally
responsible for the situation they created
or.1 xxTl.l .llh hto xFin md erin no
necessarily resulted.
RESOLUTION CRITICISED.
Resolution number 35 OF the Shamokin
convention approves the action OF district
convention number one which decided to
insist upon forcing all who work In and
around the mines to become members of
the union and that they may be author
lied to refuse to work with non-union
men,
THE leaders intended TO enforce their
demands by the threatened destruction OF
the mines. They we'll knew that II the
pumping ceased the mines would be de-
stroyed. They thought the operators
would yield 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, by plckets
and all the devices that labor unions com
monty use to prevent men from working.
PUBLIC SUFFERING.
with the cessation OF mining for i've
months and the destruction for the time
being. OF a number OF colieries. the pub
vic is now suffering for want OF an ade-
quate supply OF fuel Think what the re-
suit would have been had the efforts OF
the mine workers union 10 drown out all
our collieries been successful.
MANY good men have found fault with
US for not making an agreement with the
United Mine Workers OF America. You
will recall that the demand made upon
os was for uniform scale OF wages COW
erfng the whole anthracite field All or
the operators were asked TO meet I'm con-
Yention. with a view To- adopting UNI uni
nent are not always the same and there
lore a uniform scale OF wages applicable
20 the whole United States would not be
IMPRACTICAL. HE SAYS.
I'VE have made every effort TO con-
vince Mr.. Mitchell and his friends OF
Oupr chief objection to his organization
was that IL was a foreign organization
Interested IN rival and competitive
dom of permitting the bituminous coal
miners TO inject themselves into the an
thracite mining situation. Ii has proved
90 be Just as misohievous as We believed
~ would be.
"Tn addition TO the fact that the min
ers union was controlled by "a hostile In
terest we object TO IL because we cannot
other labor union the right TO determine
who shall be our employees. Tho laws
Of Pennsylvania and the charter of the
Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron
company In express terms gives 10 the
president and directors the power OF ap.
pointing all such officers. agents or cm-
pioyes az they may deem necessary. We
have the right 10 employ any honest man
without discrimination as 20 religion, ma
tionaiity OF membership In labor organi-
xations
WILL NOT SURRENDER.
This is a right we VIII not surrender.
We DO not object 20 cur employees joinin <
labor organizations. This In their privi-
1eee But we will not agree TO turn over
the managcment OF our business 90 n
labor Organization. because some OF our
employees belong 10 n.
III Mr.. Mitchell simply represented our
own employees and was acting exclusively
for them. there could be no objection 20
dealing with him. hut he represents an
orxanixafion having for lts object some
utopian schens of uniformity In wages
and conditions in the mining OF coal ali
ov~r the United States. and instead.
. k1errtsre. 81 considering only the qiIes-
J ueus ~ issue between cur employees and
@@T1|nn ~ n counIdor1ow n acooraf